SAN FRANCISCO - A pair of throwing errors and some sloppy baserunning cost the Nationals this afternoon, and a lack of offense kept them from mounting a rally that would have been necessary to avoid a 3-1 loss to the Giants. Two of San Francisco's runs came via errors by Trea Turner and Anthony Rendon, mistakes that prevented Gio Gonzalez from pitching his way out of jams. Rendon's subsequent baserunning blunder also put a halt to what might have been a game-tying rally by a Nationals lineup...

TORONTO - Even if the Orioles were not calling this a big win, it sure felt like one. Down 2-0 to Toronto in the seventh to American League ERA leader Aaron Sanchez, they scored twice to tie the game and then won it in 12 innings. When the Orioles scored four in the 12th off the Blue Jays bullpen, it not only broke a 2-2 tie, but perhaps got the team out its offensive doldrums. It for sure sent them back into first place with a 6-2 win at Rogers Centre, where they had lost five in a...

SAN FRANCISCO - Nobody on the Nationals will be happier when the calendar flips to August on Monday than Bryce Harper, who is wrapping up a disastrous July that ranks among the worst months of his career. After striking out in the top of the third inning this afternoon, Harper is hitting just .169 this month, a prolonged slump that has dropped his season batting average to a paltry .233. Harper has connected for four home runs, including his third-deck shot at Nationals Park two weeks ago, but...

Manager: Jeff Banister (2nd season) Record: 62-44 Last 10 games: 7-3 Who to watch: CF Ian Desmond (.303 with 20 HR, 63 RBIs, 17 SB), RF Nomar Mazara (13 HR, 43 RBIs), 3B Adrian Beltre (16 HR, 65 RBIs), 2B Rougned Odor (21 HR, 54 RBIs, 10 SB), RF/DH Carlos Beltrain (.304/.344/.546 with 22 homers, 64 RBIs), LHP Cole Hamels (12-2, 2.84 ERA), RHP Yu Darvish (2-2, 3.09 ERA), RHP Sam Dyson (2.42 ERA, 22 saves) Season series vs. Orioles: 3-1 Pitching probables: Aug. 2: RHP Yu Darvish vs. RHP Dylan...

SAN FRANCISCO - Mark Melancon was in Milwaukee on Saturday afternoon, preparing for the Pirates' game against the Brewers, when he was told he had been traded to the Nationals and needed to get to San Francisco as soon as possible. Melancon gathered his stuff, communicated with his wife (who is taking care of the couple's three young children, all 4 or younger, back in Pittsburgh), raced to the airport and then waited for his flight to Phoenix, which was delayed. He eventually made it to...

TORONTO - Orioles catcher Matt Wieters recently missed six games with a right foot injury. Today, he is catching for the third time in three games in this series. Manager Buck Showalter said before today's game that is not because of any physical issue with backup Caleb Joseph, who is fine to play. "He (Wieters) feels good," Showalter said. "We thought about him (being off) yesterday, but he felt really good yesterday and wanted to catch. We've got an off-day tomorrow. Try to get Zach...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter still needs one more win to tie Wilbert Robinson for 28th place on the all-time list with 1,399 and Paul Richards for second place on the club's all-time list with 517. With the non-waiver trade deadline arriving Monday at 4 p.m., it's important to note again that it's a flimsy deadline. That the Orioles make deals beyond it. That opportunities to improve the roster don't die at 4:01 p.m. The deadline simply means that trades made beyond it require a player to...

SAN FRANCISCO - The Nationals have an opportunity to take three of four from the Giants, which would be no small accomplishment given the difficulty of doing that on the west coast against another first-place club, not to mention given the current state of their bullpen. The good news: Mark Melancon is here and will be in uniform for today's series finale, available to pitch the ninth inning should the Nationals need him. The big questions facing Dusty Baker now are who gets the seventh and...

TORONTO - The non-waiver trade deadline is now just over 24 hours away. It hits at 4 p.m. Eastern time on Monday. Manager Buck Showalter was asked again today if he feels the Orioles will make a deal. "We've talked about some different things that are out there," he said. "If it fits and is a good move for us now and the future, I'm sure we will. But if not, sometimes the best deals you make are the ones you don't make, too. I have a lot of confidence in our people and I'm trying to stay...

Matt Wieters is catching again today, staying behind the plate for the entire three-game series against the Blue Jays, who will attempt to complete their sweep of the Orioles this afternoon at Rogers Centre. Wieters has caught all but one of Chris Tillman's starts this season. Hyun Soo Kim is in left field and Mark Trumbo is in right. Pedro Alvarez is the designated hitter. Jonathan Schoop is batting eighth. The Orioles are 18-4 in Tillman's 22 starts this season. They're trying to avoid a...