CHICAGO - After pitching in 101 games for the Baltimore Orioles, right-hander Miguel Gonzalez pitched one against them last night. He said today that it was definitely weird to be facing his former team and some of his best friends. Gonzalez gave up four runs (three earned) and 10 hits over six innings as the Orioles beat the White Sox 7-5. After pitching to an ERA of 9.78 in March, the Orioles released Gonzalez at the end of spring training. "It was surprising, that's for sure," Gonzalez...

Chris Davis is batting sixth tonight as the Orioles continue their series against the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field. Davis' average is down to .218. He's 2-for-15 this month and 6-for-58 since July 16. He's hit one home run since July 2 and none since July 10. Sixth is the lowest slot for Davis since June 25, 2015, the move tonight also based on the White Sox starting southpaw Carlos Rodon. Davis is batting .215 against right-handers and .225 against left-handers this season. Steve Pearce...

Is tonight's game more important than the typical game? Well, it could be. You see, with a win tonight the Nationals would win the season series from the Giants, and that could come into play this fall should the two teams end up tied in the standings. If you think it's pointless to consider such miniscule possibilities, just know the manager cares about these kinds of things. "This is big," Dusty Baker said. "For those of us that have been in the playoffs many times, you realize how...

His left wrist still too sore to play six days after getting hit by a pitch, Ryan Zimmerman was placed on the 15-day disabled list this afternoon, with the Nationals promoting outfielder Brian Goodwin from Triple-A Syracuse to take his roster spot. Zimmerman hadn't been able to play since taking a fastball off his left wrist in the ninth inning of Sunday's game in San Francisco. X-rays taken that day came back negative for any fractures, but the wrist was badly bruised by the pitch. Because...

The Washington Nationals recalled outfielder Brian Goodwin from Triple-A Syracuse on Saturday and placed first baseman Ryan Zimmerman on the 15-day disabled list (retroactive to Aug. 1) with a left wrist contusion. Nationals president of baseball operations and general manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Goodwin, 25, joins Washington for the first major league assignment of his career. In 109 games for Triple-A Syracuse, Goodwin is hitting .284 with 25 doubles, one triple, 11 home runs,...

CHICAGO - Not only is Pedro Alvarez on a homer tear right now for the Orioles, but he is hitting big home runs. He homered in the second inning last night to give the Orioles a one-run lead over the Chicago White Sox. When he batted in the eighth, the O's were up by two and his blast added a big run. In his last three games, Alvarez has hit two, one and two homers. He is 7-for-12 in that stretch with five homers and five RBIs. Over a seven-game stretch he is 13-for-28 (.464) with six homers...

The White Sox are starting a left-hander tonight. Does Pedro Alvarez sit? More on Carlos Rodon later. More on Alvarez now. He hit two more home runs last night to give him five in his last three games and six in his last five. This is the guy that the Orioles envisioned when they signed him to a one-year, $5.75 million contract in spring training. Funny how easily a player suddenly can look like a bargain. Alvarez is 4-for-27 with a home run and eight strikeouts against left-handers this...

CHICAGO - It was a strange night at times for the Orioles. They tied a season high by making four errors. Darren O'Day was replaced after getting just one out in the eighth. But they still had enough to hang on to a big win to start this 10-game road trip. Pedro Alvarez produced his second multi-homer game in his last three games and continued his recent power surge as the Orioles beat the White Sox 7-5 at U.S. Cellular Field. With the Blue Jays winning again, this victory keeps the Orioles...

At some point, Mark Melancon will come charging out of the Nationals bullpen with his team holding a slim lead and needing him to be perfect in order to save a game. Until then, the Nationals' new closer will just have to be content closing out lopsided victories. "I think that's a good thing, that there hasn't (been a save situation)," he said. "We're winning. It's a good thing. But it'll be nice to get that first one out of the way, for sure." Acquired from the Pirates exactly one...

Gio Gonzalez has been something of the ugly duckling of the Nationals' rotation much of this summer, unable to keep up with the consistent dominance displayed by Stephen Strasburg, Max Scherzer and Tanner Roark. And that's been fine, because the Nationals have been winning and their rotation as a whole has been among the best in baseball throughout. But with Joe Ross' return now no longer in close-range view - the right-hander had to be pulled back from his rehab assignment with lingering...