FREDERICK, Md. - When the Carolina League playoffs begin tonight at Frederick's Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium, there is a clear favorite. It's not the home team. In what has now been reduced to a best-of-three series, the Single-A Frederick Keys (68-71) host the Lynchburg Hillcats (87-52) in Game 1 of the Northern Division Championship Series. With the impending threat of Hurrican Irma, the Carolina League today announced that both semifinal series are now best-of-three, reduced from...

The Washington Nationals are inviting fans to contribute specific supplies requested by aid organizations to support those recovering from the devastation of recent storms. The collected items, listed below, will be accepted at Nationals Park from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. every day between Friday, September 8 and Sunday, September 17. When gates open on game days, donations will be accepted at the Center Field and Home Plate entrances. Outside of game times, donations will be accepted on the...

A question-and-answer session for September: Question: The Nationals are on the verge of clinching the National League East. It seems early for clinch talk, right? Answer: Early clinches are defining the season when you consider the big leads of the Nationals, Dodgers and Astros. But there have been earlier clinch dates. The 1975 Reds clinched on Sept. 7. Cleveland clinched in 1995 and 1998 on Sept. 8 while the 1998 Yankees and 20 02 Braves each clinched Sept. 9. The Yankees that year...

The Orioles lost their off-day and an important series. Forced to play this afternoon after yesterday's postponement, the Orioles fell behind by three runs in the first inning and seven in the fourth and never threatened the Yankees in a 9-1 loss before an announced crowd of 14,946 at Camden Yards. So much for Manny Machado's dramatic walk-off home run Tuesday night somehow creating momentum for the Orioles. Again, it's dependent largely on the starting pitching, and Kevin Gausman turned in...

The Washington Nationals selected the contract of outfielder Victor Robles from Double-A Harrisburg on Thursday, recalled outfielders Rafael Bautista and Andrew Stevenson from Triple-A Syracuse, and transferred right-handed pitcher Erick Fedde to the 60-day disabled list. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements. Robles, 20, joins the Nationals for the first Major League assignment of his career. The consensus best prospect in the...

The Nationals return home to begin a 10-game home stand with the magic number to clinch the National League East at six as they begin four games against the Phillies. The club made a major announcement prior to the game that their top prospect, center fielder Victor Robles has had his contract selected from Double-A Harrisburg. Also called up are outfielders Andrew Stevenson and Rafael Bautista. The 20-year-old Robles, ranked the No. 4 prospect in the game by MLB.com, hit .344 over his last 10...

The Orioles traded minor league right-hander Jon Keller to the Rockies today to complete their April 7 trade for pitcher Miguel Castro, who's evolved into a valuable bullpen piece. Keller, 25, is a former 22nd-round draft pick in 2013 who went 10-14 with a 3.98 ERA in 125 games. He was 2-2 with a 5.80 ERA and 1.65 WHIP this summer in a combined 24 games with short-season Single-A Aberdeen, Single-A Frederick and Double-A Bowie. Command was an issue for Keller, who walked nine batters in 15 1/3...

After splitting two games, the Orioles and New York Yankees wrap up their three-game series this afternoon at Camden Yards. The Yankees won 7-4 Monday and the Orioles won 7-6 on Tuesday night before Wednesday's rainout. Manny Machado's two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth gave the Orioles the 7-6 win as they pulled out their 12th walk-off win of the season. Machado hit his third walk-off homer since Aug. 18. Mark Trumbo, Welington Castillo and Trey Mancini have also hit walk-off...

The Orioles have recalled pitcher Mike Wright from Triple-A Norfolk and he's available in relief today. Yesterday's postponement didn't alter the Orioles' lineup for their series finale against the Yankees at sunny Camden Yards. Seth Smith remains in right field and Caleb Joseph is catching Kevin Gausman. Austin Hays' major league debut will have to wait. Trey Mancini is in left field and batting fifth. He's posted a .309 average (51-for-165) in 42 games as the No. 5 hitter. For the...

BOWIE, Md. - When the Eastern League playoffs begin tonight as Double-A Bowie hosts Altoona in a best of five series, Baysox manager Gary Kendall is confident he can count on outfielder Cedric Mullins. The young man was the talk of Orioles spring training camp in March as he kept getting called over from minor league camp and kept impressing manager Buck Showalter. He even hit an opposite field homer off Boston closer Craig Kimbrel. The Orioles skipped Mullins, who played last year for Single-A...