Both teams have objected tonight to the floating strike zone of plate umpire Dan Bellino. However, it was a disputed check swing that brought the game's first ejection. Matt Wieters was tossed after striking out to end the fifth and strand two runners- raising the Orioles total to eight. Wieters was convinced that he stopped his swing and barked at Bellino while heading back to the dugout, also gesturing with his arm for emphasis. Before reaching the bench, Wieters did a little tossing of his...

When the Orioles host Toronto tonight, for the first time this year they will play a third and deciding game of a three-game series. Toronto won 4-3 on Tuesday night and the Orioles won 4-3 in 10 innings last night. The Orioles played just a single one-run game in their first 11 games - that was a win on opening day - and now have played two in a row. The O's team ERA is 3.76 to rank ninth in the American League. But in home team ERA the Orioles rank first with a 6-1 record at Camden Yards and...

The Orioles' defense continues to make plays on a nightly basis that grab the attention of manager Buck Showalter, his coaching staff and the media. Showalter wondered today how many times catcher Matt Wieters, third baseman Manny Machado, shortstop J.J. Hardy, second baseman Jonathan Schoop and first baseman Chris Davis were in the same lineup last season at their normal positions - as they are tonight to close out their series against the Blue Jays. The magic number is 18. Wieters was...

The Nationals are back home from a 4-3 road trip that very easily could have been better than that. Remember, they lost Sunday's finale in Philadelphia on Jonathan Papelbon's blown save, then they lost what looked like a favorable matchup yesterday (Max Scherzer vs. Tom Koehler) in Miami. That said, the Nats still return home with an 11-4 record, comfortably in first place in the NL East as the Twins come to town for a weekend interleague series. There are far worse positions to be in on...

MIAMI - Max Scherzer returned to the dugout after the second inning this afternoon, four runs already having crossed the plate against him, said a few words to Mike Maddux and then headed down the tunnel toward the clubhouse with his pitching coach for a few minutes, trying to figure out what exactly was going wrong in this game against the Marlins. When Scherzer returned for the third inning, he did look like a different pitcher. He retired six straight batters on a total of 21 pitches and, if...

Though it isn't official, the Orioles appear set to activate left-hander Brian Matusz from the disabled list on Saturday and give the start to Vance Worley. Manager Buck Showalter said Matusz is a possibility for Friday night in Kansas City, but the reliever is more likely to be activated the following day. He worked four innings Tuesday night at Single-A Frederick and probably could use the extra recovery period. Worley's status depends on whether he's needed out of the bullpen in the next...

MIAMI - When Bryce Harper launched his latest in a torrid string of home runs in the top of the first inning this afternoon, the Nationals had every reason to be optimistic about the early tone of their series finale against the Marlins. But when Max Scherzer took the mound for the bottom of the first and promptly served up a towering, three-run shot to Marcell Ozuna, the entire complexion of this game changed in a hurry. And it never tilted back in the Nationals' favor. Behind that...

Mark Trumbo is serving as the designated hitter tonight as the Orioles close out their brief homestand against the Blue Jays. Slumping Pedro Alvarez is on the bench against Toronto right-hander Marco Estrada. Nolan Reimold is in right field. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Rule 5 pick Joey Rickard is one of only two players in the last 50 seasons (1967-2016) to make his major league debut on opening day and reach base in his team's first 13 games. The most recent players to do it were...

The Orioles' four full-season minor league affiliates are a combined 21-33 to date. Triple-A Norfolk is 4-9, Double-A Bowie 5-8, high Single-A Frederick 5-9 and Single-A Delmarva 7-7. Norfolk had scored just 31 runs in its first 11 games and then the Tides burst out in a big way during Tuesday's 20-4 win at Charlotte. The 20 runs were the most a Tides club has scored as an Orioles affiliate and were the most for the franchise since Tidewater won at Rochester 23-1 on opening day of the 1982...

MIAMI - Bryce Harper took Tom Koehler deep yet again. Unfortunately for the Nationals, somebody took Max Scherzer deep yet again, too, leaving them in an early hole and leaving Scherzer in a heap of trouble. Harper blasted a solo home run off Koehler in the top of the first inning of this afternoon's series finale at Marlins Park, sending the first pitch he saw over the recently shortened fence in center field. It was Harper's eighth homer of the season, temporarily leaving him tied with...