SAN FRANCISCO - It's not the kind of streak that draws headlines, but that doesn't make what Jayson Werth has been doing for more than a month now insignificant. Werth has successfully reached base in 32 consecutive games now, easily the longest such streak of his career and tied for the third-longest streak in the majors this season. Werth broke his previous career-best of 29 games Wednesday afternoon in Cleveland, then extended it Thursday night and again tonight in San Francisco. His...

TORONTO - The Orioles got the start they wanted tonight at Rogers Centre. A struggling offense produced a 2-0 lead when Mark Trumbo plated two with a clutch double with two outs in the first inning. But five batters into the last of the first, O's right-hander Kevin Gausman had allowed three solo homers and the Orioles trailed 3-2. They would never lead again in losing 6-5 in the series opener at a loud Rogers Centre. In losing their fourth straight, the 58-44 Orioles saw their American League...

The Grand Master recognition for mystery writing is a major achievement in the profession. Lawrence Block has been so recognized - and has about every other award a mystery writer could accumulate. He has been laying down the hard tracks of the wounded souls who weave in and out of light to the dark underworld of crime and troubled human beings. "A Drop of the Hard Stuff" is recognized as one of Block's best. It is the tale of a former cop with a drinking problem gone sober who takes on a...

A loss today and the Orioles will relinquish their hold on first place in the American League East. Vance Worley gave up two runs in seven innings in his last start. He threw four scoreless innings in relief last night, allowing only one hit and lowering his ERA to 2.89. Do you start him or keep him in the bullpen? Maybe a little of both. The Orioles continue their search for starting pitching while arguments are made that they may as well bolster the bullpen or lineup and stick with the...

SAN FRANCISCO - Reynaldo Lopez will, as anticipated, start Saturday afternoon's game against the Giants, forcing the Nationals to make a corresponding roster move that could tie directly in with their current closer dilemma. With Lopez set to be recalled from Triple-A Syracuse for his second career start, the Nationals will need to drop one of the eight relievers on their active 25-man roster. And it's possible that reliever could be Jonathan Papelbon, who has struggled mightily in his last...

TORONTO - Well, this did not start as a pitchers' duel. These teams picked up where they left off here early last month when, in a four-game series, Toronto outscored the Orioles 30-24. Tonight, in the first inning, Toronto outscored the Orioles 3-2. The Blue Jays rocked Kevin Gausman for three solo homers in the first five batters. He took the mound leading 2-0, but Jose Bautista blasted a 422-foot shot to left for his 13th homer. One out later, Edwin Encarnacion hit No. 28 and it went 414...

The Washington Nationals recalled catcher Pedro Severino from Triple-A Syracuse on Friday and placed catcher Jose Lobaton on the 15-day disabled list (retroactive to July 20) with left elbow tendonitis. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Severino, 23, joins Washington for his second Major League assignment of the season. Severino, who entered the season rated as the "Best Defensive Catcher" and the No. 11 prospect in Washington's...

TORONTO - The Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays open an important weekend series tonight at Rogers Centre. As the series begins the Orioles (58-43) hold first place in the American League East by 1 1/2 games over the second-place Blue Jays (57-45). The Orioles are looking to improve on a 21-27 road record and a mark of 4-9 since the start of last season in this ballpark, where they have lost five of their past six games. The teams played a wild four-game series here last month where the Orioles won...

SAN FRANCISCO - It's a new day in the Bay Area, which means the Nationals will start anew after last night's near-disaster in the bottom of the ninth. We don't know yet who will be closing for them if the situation arises, but we do know they've got a very different lineup tonight against Giants right-hander Jeff Samardzija. Ben Revere is back atop the lineup and in center field. Danny Espinosa gets his first day off in a long time, but his replacement at shortstop isn't who you might have...

TORONTO - In adding right-handed reliever Logan Ondrusek today, the Orioles got a pitcher who has had good major league numbers against left-handed batters, a clear factor in this addition. While Ondrusek pitched the last two years in Japan, in 270 2/3 major league innings with Cincinnati between 2010-2014, he held lefty batters to a .236 average and right-handed hitters to an average of .257. "Logan was with Cincinnati and he's been working out and is ready to go," Showalter said. "Pitched...