Part of manager Buck Showalter's day was spent chatting with Chris Tillman, who didn't record an out in the third inning last night and was charged with five earned runs (seven total) to raise his ERA to 8.10. Showalter said he was trying to get "some feedback" from Tillman - what he's feeling and thinking. "Got a better idea," Showalter said. "Always try to talk to guys when they've had a couple of starts or whatever that haven't been what they're capable of. "Nobody understands it...

On a night when Chris Tillman struggled again, the Orioles fell behind 7-0 and a winning streak ended, Miguel Castro's performance stood out big time last night. Touching 100 mph with a fastball that averaged 96.3 mph, Castro threw a career-high six innings and allowed just one hit and no runs. He did give up an inherited run, but also settled down to pitch four perfect innings to end his outing. He needed seven pitches in a 1-2-3 fifth and averaged 98.6 mph on his fastball. He got through the...

CHICAGO - The Nationals' formula for beating the Cubs this afternoon? A couple of Daniel Murphy blasts. A quality start from Tanner Roark. And eight outs from their trio of new relievers. Dusty Baker couldn't have drawn it up much better. Murphy's two early homers gave the Nationals the lead, Roark then preserved it with 6 1/3 strong innings and then Brandon Kintzler, Ryan Madson and Sean Doolittle combined to finish off an impressive 4-2 victory in the opener of this big weekend series...

Orioles rookie Trey Mancini is out of the lineup tonight after fouling a ball off his left knee during last night's 7-5 loss to the Tigers. Mancini has a bruise below his kneecap and said he was limping this morning. "I finished up the game and it was not too bad, but then today it was pretty tough limping around a little bit, but it's not anything crazy at all," he said. "Definitely think I'll be able to get back in the lineup tomorrow. "I've just been doing treatment on it. It's just...

CHICAGO - With a rare opportunity to bat behind Bryce Harper, Daniel Murphy delivered the big blow that gave the Nationals a quick lead this afternoon at Wrigley Field. Murphy, batting cleanup with Ryan Zimmerman getting a day off, launched a two-run homer in the top of the first, putting the Nationals up 2-0 on the Cubs in the opener of a big weekend series. Murphy's blast came on a 2-1 pitch from Kyle Hendricks, landing in the right field bleachers. Howie Kendrick, who singled to center two...

Trey Mancini begins tonight's game on the bench as the Orioles continue their series against the Tigers at Camden Yards. Mancini may be getting some rest or he's hurting after fouling a ball off his left knee last night. Craig Gentry is in left field and Joey Rickard is in right against Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander. Seth Smith is the designated hitter. Shortstop Tim Beckham moves up from sixth to fifth in the order. Caleb Joseph is catching Kevin Gausman. Left-hander DL Hall, the...

CHICAGO - The Nationals are going to have to piece together their rotation for the rest of the weekend at Wrigley Field, but they expect to have Max Scherzer and Gio Gonzalez back pitching for them once they return to Washington on Monday. Gonzalez, who was lined up to start Saturday against the Cubs, returned to Washington to be with his wife when she delivers the couple's second child. The left-hander will go on the paternity leave list, with Edwin Jackson now starting Saturday's...

CHICAGO - It's a cool, gray, windy day on the North Side, the kind of weather you don't normally expect in early August, but maybe in early October. So consider this another good test for the Nationals, who open a weekend series with the Cubs in a potential preview of this fall's National League Division Series. Tanner Roark gets the start, and the Wilmington, Ill., native surely will have plenty of friends and family in attendance. If recent history is any indication, look for a large...

My opinion on Dusty Baker started to change sometime before the Nationals hired him. His name came up often whenever a job opened up and he was mentioned often by broadcasters when Matt Williams was the manager of the Nats. My thought on Baker started to be why is a manager that has done nothing but win in his career so disliked by a certain segment of fans? I've read "The Book" and "Moneyball" and I visit FanGraphs.com on a near daily basis, but at some point when the results are so...

On August 3, 2010, the Baltimore Orioles were 33-73, sitting in last place in the American League East, and 34 games out of first place. That day, Buck Showalter managed his first game for the O's and led the team to victory with a 6-3 win over the Angels. The Birds would go on to sweep Anaheim and win nine of their next 11 games. Showalter's club would finish the season 34-23 and he became the first skipper in major league history to take over a club in August and earn more victories the...