The Nationals clinched their first division title thanks to a Braves loss in Pittsburgh. They clinched their second division title with a win in Atlanta in front of only a smattering of their fans in attendance. They clinched their third division title with the combination of a win in Pittsburgh and then a Mets loss in New York a few minutes later. What the Nats haven't done during this impressive stretch over the last six seasons is clinch something with a win at home, affording themselves...

There is never a good time for a team to hit a cold stretch on offense, but for the Orioles this is really not a good time. They lost 9-1 to the Yankees Thursday and 5-0 and 4-2 to the Indians the past two games. In a three-game losing streak, that is three runs scored on 16 hits and just one homer for the Orioles. There have been very few scoring chances and they are 1-for-8 with runners in scoring postion in those games. They are 71-71 with 20 games left to play. The Orioles are three games...

With a chance to position themselves to clinch a division title Sunday, the Nationals put themselves in an early four-run hole tonight, clawed their way back to within a run of the Phillies but couldn't finish the job. A 5-4 loss to the Phillies snapped the Nationals' five-game winning streak, and left it up to the Braves to try to beat the Marlins late and leave open the possibility of a Sunday clinch on South Capitol Street. Atlanta pulled it off with a walk-off walk in the bottom of the...

CLEVELAND - Having lost another series over the weekend, the Orioles can hope only to salvage a game tonight on ESPN and try to convince the world that the wild card remains within their reach. It feels like one. A reach. But the math says it's still a possibility. Let the math play the Yankees and Indians. See how it feels. No one is quitting in the Orioles' clubhouse, but they know exactly what they're up against. No one is delusional. This was a huge series, same as the last one against...

The Nationals jumped on the board first against Phillies starter Mark Leiter Jr. Former Phillies outfielder Howie Kendrick launched a 2-2 pitch over the left field wall to give the Nats a 1-0 lead. The Phillies answered in the second inning with solo homers by Rhys Hoskins and Maikel Franco off Edwin Jackson for a 2-1 lead. After two innings, the Nats trail by one run. Update: The Phillies chased Jackson (on his birthday no less! How rude!) in the fourth. Cameron Rupp started the scoring with a...

Manager Dusty Baker confirmed that Stephen Strasburg will make the start Sunday not because the Nationals will necessarily have a chance to clinch the National League East division title but really because he has just been very good recently. "He's got a pretty good thing going right now," Baker said. Strasburg is 2-1 with a 0.67 ERA in his last four starts, striking out 31 batters in 27 innings, allowing two earned runs. Left fielder Jayson Werth is still on the sidelines with a sore...

The Nationals have known for some time they're going to clinch a division title and then have multiple weeks of games left to play before the postseason begins, creating an awkward situation in which Dusty Baker has to find a balance between resting his regulars while still keeping them sharp. There may, however, be a new goal for the Nats to chase even after they officially win the National League East: the league's best record and No. 1 seed for the playoffs. What once seemed unfathomable...

CLEVELAND - One streak ended today for the Indians. They didn't score first, as they had done in the previous 16 games. There was a brief moment when they actually appeared to be human. To be vulnerable. But it didn't last long. The Orioles lost their lead by the third inning, fell behind in the fourth and again were limited offensively by the mighty Indians rotation and bullpen in a 4-2 defeat before an announced crowd of 30,459 at Progressive Field. It's back to .500 for the Orioles...

The Nationals can't clinch the division title tonight, but they can get as close as possible without finishing the deal. With the magic number now at three, a Nats win over the Phillies combined with a Marlins loss at Atlanta would set the stage for them to control their own destiny Sunday afternoon and not have to worry about the result of another game. That's always a preferable scenario. Tonight, it'll be Edwin Jackson looking to bounce back from a rare rough start. The veteran was tagged...

After last night's 5-0 loss, the Orioles play at Cleveland this afternoon in the second game of this three-game series. Cleveland (85-56) will try to extend its winning streak to 17 straight today. That is the longest win streak in the majors since the A's won 20 in a row in 2002. The Orioles are 71-70 and have fallen three games back in the chase for the second American League wild card. Minnesota (74-67) leads for that spot by two games over the Angels, 2 1/2 over the Rangers and three over...