-1745819772711.png){kind=logo}
There's a ballgame tonight at Nationals Park, the first such ballgame there in 16 days. Such is life when you have a three-city road trip coming out of the All-Star break.
The Nationals team that takes the field tonight will be markedly different than the one that was last seen here July 9, when Joe Ross departed with an injury that turned out to be a torn elbow ligament and Matt Albers closed out a 10-5 victory over the Braves.
Edwin Jackson is now the No. 5 starter. Ryan Madson and Sean...
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Is it possible for a pitcher to better locate the strike zone after he's settled into his comfort zone?
The Orioles are banking on Wade Miley to carry on his success against the Rays and inside Tropicana Field as they continue their three-game series.
Miley is 4-3 with a 2.60 ERA and 1.075 WHIP in 10 career starts against the Rays over 62 1/3 innings. He faced them on April 25 at Camden Yards and allowed two runs and four hits over seven innings.
Miley also walked six...
Pitching, defense and a three-run homer. OK, the Orioles didn't get all three last night, but they did hit a solo homer. It was a nice and tidy 5-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays and a good start to an important road trip.
At least in recent days, the Orioles certainly don't seem to be unnerved by the oncoming non-waiver trade deadline. Since being swept by the Cubs to start the second half, they are 6-2.
Still under .500 at 48-51, the Orioles win did knock the Rays, at least for now, out of the...
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Kevin Gausman had no real margin for error tonight against the Rays. Bending was permitted as long as he snapped back into shape without even the tiniest of breaks.
All of those meltdowns with a lead and with runners on base had to stay in the past. And that's precisely where Gausman kept them.
Gausman navigated through a bases-load\ed jam in the bottom of the third inning to preserve a one-run lead and continued to blank the Rays after surrendering a leadoff triple in...
For the past several years of writing online about the Nationals minor leaguers, I've had to make the disclosure that I'm a season-ticket holder to Washington's high Single-A affiliate in Potomac. Well, maybe not "had to," but I've felt the need to as a matter of integrity and my experience as a newspaperman (I'm old enough to have actually cut and paste with an X-acto knife and a wax machine).
It's also because the inference that I might be a "homer" because I root for many of these...
For the first time since July 2, the Orioles play an American League East opponent tonight. On that date, they played Tampa Bay and the Rays are the opponent tonight at Tropicana Field to begin a three-game series and six-game road trip.
The Orioles are 26-20 against AL East opponents and 5-4 versus the Rays, including a mark of 2-1 at The Trop.
Right-hander Kevin Gausman (6-7, 6.11 ERA) will make his team-leading 22nd start. Gausman gave up just one run over six innings last Wednesday against...
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Orioles first baseman Chris Davis is out of tonight's lineup due to an illness.
One of the Rays physicians is examining Davis, who could be available later tonight.
Left-hander Blake Snell's splits apparently don't factor into the decision to sit Davis, who was held out of batting practice today.
"Obviously, he's under the weather," said manager Buck Showalter. "Hopefully, he'll be OK by gametime."
Asked whether the illness is stomach-related, Showalter said,...
With about six weeks to go in the minor league regular season, five of the seven Orioles minor league teams are either leading for a playoff berth or are within four games of one.
Double-A Bowie (53-47) is leading its division in the Eastern League by one game over Erie, two games over Altoona and 2 1/2 over Akron. The top two teams will make the playoffs.
Single-A Delmarva (17-12) is leading its division in the South Atlantic League by 1 1/2 games. They play two halves in that league. Single-A...
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Orioles return to Tropicana Field tonight only 3 1/2 games out of the second wild card spot.
They're starting both of their catchers against Rays left-hander Blake Snell, with Welington Castillo serving as designated hitter. Mark Trumbo is playing first base and Chris Davis is on the bench.
Snell is 0-5 with a 4.98 ERA and 1.625 WHIP in 11 starts over 56 innings. He's averaging 5.9 walks per nine innings.
Left-handers are batting .212 against Snell and right-handers...
Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop has been named the American League Player of the Week for the period ending July 23rd. The announcement was made earlier today on MLB Network.
Schoop batted .433 (13-for-30) with eight runs scored, two doubles, three home runs and 16 RBI over seven games played to earn his first career AL Player of the Week Award. Among AL leaders, Jonathan finished the period first in RBI; tied for first in hits, home runs and total bases (24); second in runs...