In two innings tonight, Orioles starter Ubaldo Jiménez allowed three runs and forced two relievers to get up in the bullpen. This wasn't the good version. Jiménez served up a pair of home runs in the first, including Jed Lowrie's two-run shot only two batters into the game, and the Orioles confirmed again that momentum is the next day's starting pitcher in a 6-4 loss to the Athletics before an announced crowd of 18,493 at Camden Yards. The night included a Game of Thrones promotion...

HOUSTON - Third base coach Bobby Henley joined the Nationals as third base coach in 2014. He has 23 years experience with the organization, 15 seasons as a coach. He has developed a reputation in some circles as being an aggressive third base coach, catching the moniker of "Send-ley" for his propensity to windmill runners home on balls hit to the outfield. I asked Henley when, if ever, he had heard of the "Send-ley" nickname to represent his coaching style. Henley said he's rarely heard...

HOUSTON - Tanner Roark has been taxed a bit in the first two innings. The Astros started the game with a George Springer single and then a steal of second. With two outs, he came home on a two-out RBI single by Josh Reddick. In the second inning, veteran Carlos Beltrán sent a double into left field that Howie Kendrick attempted to catch up against the wall but could not hold on to. Beltrán came home on a two-out RBI single courtesy of Derek Fisher. Roark has now thrown 46 pitches in two...

HOUSTON - It has been a couple of days since the last update on right-handers Max Scherzer and Ryan Madson, so they were a hot topic with Nationals manager Dusty Baker prior to Tuesday night's opener against the Astros. Scherzer was getting treatment with the club at Minute Maid Park and made his way out to the field for batting practice, stretch and warm-ups looking normal. Baker confirmed the treatment plan for Scherzer and is still targeting Friday's home game against the Mets as his...

There's been a lot of focus today on the 10-year anniversary of the 30-3 loss to the Rangers in Game 1 of a doubleheader at Camden Yards. I was there and lived every pitch. It didn't look any better from the press box. The oddities include how the Orioles actually led 3-0 before the Rangers tallied five runs in the fourth. Thirty unanswered runs to end it. Hard to fathom. The Rangers only scored in four innings, also getting nine runs in the sixth, 10 in the eighth and six in the ninth. No...

After last night's 7-3 victory over the Oakland Athletics, the Orioles (61-64) host the A's (54-71) tonight in the second game of a three-game series. Adam Jones homered twice last night and went 4-for-4 as the Orioles improved to 3-2 versus Oakland, 37-25 at home and 10-10 in August. Jones hit his 23rd and 24th home runs. This was his second multi-home run game of the season (also July 9 at Minnesota) and the 12th of his career. He has 38 multi-hit games, the second-most on the team. Jones...

For most of this century, the Nationals' full-season Single-A teams have been seeking new stadiums. Municipal Stadium in Hagerstown was built in 1930 and has been hosting professional ball for 61 of its 87 years. G. Richard Pfitzner stadium in Woodbridge was built in 1984 and has been home to the current Potomac franchise since its inception. There is an axiom in engineering: fast, cheap or good - pick two. Well, both stadiums were built quickly and economically. However, at the time they were...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter indicated today that Chris Tillman's next start could come Sunday afternoon against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Tillman returned to the rotation on Sunday against the Angels and allowed four runs with six walks in 5 1/3 innings. "I know where we are on Friday and Saturday in Boston," Showalter said. "We're waiting to see one thing today before we make that decision, see how batting practice goes." The BP session was going to be abbreviated due to the intense...

HOUSTON - Welcome to Minute Maid Park, where a pair of first-place teams will do battle in interleague play. The Astros have played two more games than the Nationals, but have recently lost 11 of 14 games. This is a three-game set, with all contests beginning at 8:10 p.m. EDT. The Nationals began their road trip by winning three of four in San Diego and hand the baseball to right-hander Tanner Roark (9-8, 4.70 ERA) to open this series. He is opposed by right-hander Charlie Morton (10-5, 3.69...

The ninth annual Orioles Pet Calendar, presented by Pet+E.R., went on sale today, Tuesday, August 22, with proceeds benefiting the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS), a nonprofit shelter that accepts and cares for all animals in need. The 16-month calendar, presented by Pet+E.R. for the third consecutive year, features photos of Orioles players with their pets and various BARCS animals. Players who will be featured in this year's calendar include: Brad Brach, Dylan Bundy, Chris...