Good morning to you from the nation's capital, where the Nationals and Mets will celebrate the national pastime with the traditional 11:05 a.m. Independence Day ballgame. The early start time always catches visiting teams and media by surprise, but I've always found this to be a cool tradition, and I sense fans like it as well. What better way to spend your Fourth of July than with baseball early and plenty of time afterward for barbeques and fireworks? The Nats and Mets will be a bit...

When the ball hit off his bat, Ryan Raburn was hoping for the best. But he honestly wasn't sure whether he'd won the game for the Nationals or come up short with a flyout to left that would take the contest to the 10th inning. "I was watching the umpire," Raburn said of his walk-off single off Fernando Salas in the ninth inning that provided the Nationals a 3-2 victory over the Mets on Monday night. "I seen him (signal) safe. I was hoping it stayed that way, then I seen them talking, so I...

MILWAUKEE - It's a tale as old as time. Song as old as rhyme. Ubaldo Jiménez takes the mound and the Orioles again have no idea which version they're going to get. The Jiménez who shut out the Blue Jays on two hits over eight innings in his last start - it was a real beauty - or the Jiménez who lasted only 2 1/3 innings against the Rays and was charged with nine runs? Both a little scared. Neither one prepared. Or should I go with, "Bittersweet and strange, finding you can change,...

When it was announced last Thursday that hard-throwing Double-A Bowie left-hander Tanner Scott was selected for the All-Star Futures Game, manager Buck Showalter made some nice comments about Scott and the strong season he is having. He also said this: "Who knows, he might even be a starting pitcher one day. If he can grasp the changeup like he's grasped the slider, who knows? He's doing well and has really gotten a grip on his walks. He's been fun to watch and we've had a good plan." The...

Daniel Murphy's omission from Monday's starting lineup was a clear indication that Nationals manager Dusty Baker is still keen on using the final week before the All-Star break to give his key players a rest here and there. All the Nationals' All-Star second baseman has done since bolting Flushing for D.C. is torch the Mets, his former team and the first squad up on a seven-game homestand heading into the break. In 29 career games against his ex-Mets mates, Murphy is slashing .391/.441/.704...

Four of the Nationals' five representatives for next week's All-Star Game in Miami - everyone save for tonight's starting pitcher, Stephen Strasburg - met with the D.C. media this afternoon to discuss their selections. Near the end of the group interview, those chosen made sure to stump for a teammate they think is equally deserving of a trip to the Midsummer Classic. Third baseman Anthony Rendon is on the outside looking in right now, a victim of a position flush with talent in the National...

MILWAUKEE - The Orioles didn't need further proof that momentum is the next day's starting pitcher. They've lived and died with the inconsistencies. Kevin Gausman spins the rotation in a positive direction yesterday with seven scoreless innings against the Rays and Wade Miley throws 44 pitches in the first inning today while the Brewers bat around and tally four runs. Just because this happens doesn't mean that's going to happen. Manager Buck Showalter preaches it all the time. Someone...

After leading Major League Baseball with a miniscule 0.99 ERA across five starts in the month of June, Nationals right-handed pitcher Max Scherzer was named National League Pitcher of the Month - his third such honor as a member of the Washington Nationals. Major League Baseball made the announcement on MLB Network. Scherzer allowed just four earned runs in 36.1 innings pitched during the month. He posted an 8.50 strikeout-to-walk ratio (51 SO/6 BB) and struck out 12.63 batters per nine...

MILWAUKEE - Chris Davis showed up at Miller Park today with a "good face," as manager Buck Showalter called it. And he wasn't referring to Davis' mustache, the latest selection on the first baseman's facial hair playlist. Davis threw yesterday and woke up this morning without any discomfort in his right side. He was scheduled to take batting practice this afternoon, giving the Orioles another indication of how the oblique is healing. "So far, so good," Showalter said. "Usually, you can...

MILWAUKEE - No roster moves so far today for the Orioles as they begin their three-game series against the Brewers. Joey Rickard is in left field and Mark Trumbo is in right. Rubén Tejada continues to start at shortstop. Wade Miley is 12-5 with a 5.16 ERA in 28 career interleague games. He's 3-1 with a 5.17 ERA in five starts versus the Brewers and 1-1 with an 8.38 ERA in two starts at Miller Park, with nine runs and 13 hits in 9 2/3 innings. Ryan Braun is 2-for-9 with two home runs against...