CHICAGO - There's nothing like experience, and Erick Fedde made sure to take what he learned from his major league debut last week and apply it to Sunday's start against the Cubs. For example: Trust his entire repertoire, not just two of his four pitches. "The first game, I felt like I really got away from my breaking ball, and just turned into a two-pitch pitcher," the right-hander said. "Today, I got to all four of my pitches and stayed with them throughout the game and kept guys...

The dog days of August are proving to be a grind for the Nationals, playing .500 ball in their past 10 games. But while they endure this rough patch of injuries and a sometimes sputtering offense, they are laying valuable groundwork for the postseason. Let's face it, with a 13-game lead in the National League East and none of the other teams playing even .500 ball, it's extremely likely the Nats will win their fourth division title in six seasons. While this might be the most exciting team...

The Orioles wrapped up their homestand yesterday with their second straight win over the Tigers to improve their Camden Yards record to 35-23. Only the Red Sox at 36 have more wins at home among American League teams. Now, about that road record ... The Orioles are 20-33 as they head to the West Coast for games in Anaheim, Oakland and Seattle. Their win total is the second-lowest in the league behind the Athletics. They've lost 10 of their last 14 series away from Baltimore. And the West Coast...

CHICAGO - There was no trophy presentation inside the cramped visitors' clubhouse at Wrigley Field this afternoon, no champagne celebration, no extra-loud music to distinguish this from any other game the Nationals have won this season. Maybe that says more about this team than anything else. Had they whooped it up and made a big deal out of a 9-4 victory over the Cubs - thrilling as it was - and the clinching of both this weekend series and the season series from the defending World Series...

Manager: Don Mattingly (2nd season) Record: 52-57 Last 10 games: 6-4 Who to watch: RF Giancarlo Stanton (36 home runs), LF Marcell Ozuna (26 homers, 87 RBIs), 2B Dee Gordon (40 stolen bases), CF Christian Yelich (24 doubles, 9 stolen bases), C J.T. Realmuto (.306 average), Brad Zeigler (6.10 ERA, 2 saves) Season series vs. Nationals: 5-4 Pitching probables: Aug. 7: LHP Chris O'Grady vs. RHP Max Scherzer, 7:05 p.m., MASN Aug. 8: RHP Vance Worley vs. RHP A.J. Cole, 7:05 p.m., MASN Aug. 9: LHP...

CHICAGO - They trailed much of the afternoon, unable to string together much against Jon Lester and unable to keep Willson Contreras in the park. But the Nationals knew they still had a chance if they could: 1) keep the game close, 2) get Lester out and get into the Cubs bullpen and 3) get to their own new bullpen trio. Wouldn't you know they managed to do all three, and thanks to that - with a huge assist from Matt Wieters' biggest blast of the season - the Nationals walked out of Wrigley...

Not satisfied with reaching 10,000 home runs in club history, the Orioles seemed determined today to double the total. The Orioles hit five homers in the first four innings off Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez, who fought the urge to signal for his own reliever. Ubaldo Jiménez came within an out of his third consecutive quality start, the tight rope never snapping beneath his feet, and the Orioles salvaged a split of the four-game series with a 12-3 victory over the Tigers before an announced...

CHICAGO - Erick Fedde has come out throwing strikes again. And so far, that has produced better results for the Nationals rookie than in his first career start. Taking the mound seven days after he was roughed up by the Rockies for seven runs in four innings, Fedde retired the first five Cubs batters he faced today, three via strikeout. The bottom of Chicago's lineup strung together three straight two-out singles to produce the afternoon's first run, but the rookie right-hander bounced back...

If you've been following the Nationals' minors closely (*ahem*), you'd know this ranges from virtually impossible (DSL Nats, Syracuse) to almost laughable (Potomac, Harrisburg, Auburn; all in last place by several games). Two of the affiliates, however, are in contention. If you're one to bring the tartar sauce while going after your white whale, you might make the argument that these two teams - the Gulf Coast League Nationals and the low Single-A Hagerstown Suns - are the ideal. The...

As Chris Tillman prepares for life as a reliever, however long it lasts, manager Buck Showalter expresses no concerns over how his former ace will handle it. "Chris is the ultimate what's best for the team guy," Showalter said. "Believe me, I know. He wears it. It bothers him. "He has strong will. Whatever it takes to go out there and have that outing (Thursday) and then go upstairs and get your ice or whatever treatment and come back and sit in the dugout for five innings. Try doing that...