Manager: Jeff Banister (2nd season) Record: 5-5 Last 10 games: 5-5 Who to watch: RF Nomar Mazara (.375), 3B Adrian Beltre (.308, 2 HR, 9 RBIs), DH Prince Fielder (10 RBIs), LHP Cole Hamels (2-0, 2.08 ERA), LHP Derek Holland (1-0, 3.00 ERA), RHP Shawn Tolleson (2 saves, 22.50 ERA) Season series vs. Orioles: First meeting (6-1 in 2015) Pitching probables: April 14: RHP Chris Tillman vs. LHP Cole Hamels, 8:05 p.m., MASN2 April 15: RHP Vance Worley vs. LHP Martin Perez, 8:05 p.m., MASN2 April 16:...

It's been a perfect start for closer Jonathan Papelbon, who has converted all five of his save opportunities. Papelbon earned his fifth save with three more outs in the ninth as the Nationals shut out the Braves 3-0 on Wednesday night. Catcher Wilson Ramos said he has noticed how aggressive Papelbon has been to begin this season, one big key to his ninth-inning success. "To me, he's aggressive this year," Ramos said. "More aggressive. He throw two or three balls in a row, then he come back...

It's his bread-and-butter pitch, the kind of pitch that helped make him such a revelation in 2014 but also eluded him during his disappointing 2015. Well, it was back tonight, and if Tanner Roark can keep firing those comeback, two-seam fastballs over the inside corner to left-handed hitters ... well, the Nationals might just have themselves another frontline starter again this year. "That's a tough pitch," manager Dusty Baker said. "It looks like a ball, and by the time you see it, it's...

Offense came from Jayson Werth and Stephen Drew on Wednesday, courtesy of a pair of big home runs that broke open another scoreless tie between the Nationals and the Braves. Drew smacked a solo shot, while Werth cranked a two-run homer. The Nationals shut out the Braves 3-0. Drew said Braves right-hander Matt Wisler was tough early, but he found a way in his second at-bat to connect for his first homer with the Nationals. "Two-two, not really trying to do too much," Drew said. "I got a pitch...

On a night when both starting pitchers struggled, the game was played at times at a laborious pace. The Orioles made a couple of outs on the bases. It was just not a crisp night for Baltimore. But it was a long one, as the Orioles lost for the first time this season. Right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez gave up four runs and six hits over five innings as Boston beat the Orioles 4-2 at Fenway Park. Jimenez walked four and fanned five, throwing 104 pitches. He is 1-1 with an ERA of 3.75 The Orioles'...

For a pitcher who only knew he was going to start just 24 hours before his first pitch, Tanner Roark did quite well for himself. Roark (1-1) did not allow the Braves a run through seven innings, scattering four hits to earn his first win of the season. He not only won the game but provided the bullpen with a huge rest as the Nationals shut out the Braves 3-0. Washington has allowed Atlanta to score only nine runs in their first five meetings. Roark finished allowing no runs, three walks, one...

Tanner Roark has been awfully sharp so far in his rescheduled start. Matt Wisler was equally as sharp for three innings, but then Stephen Drew and Jayson Werth took care of that and gave Roark and the Nationals the evening's first lead. Drew's solo homer in the bottom of the fourth (his first of the season) put the Nats up 1-0 on the Braves. Moments later, Werth took Wisler deep to left-center, a two-run shot that extended the lead to 3-0. Drew is making his first start of the year, filling...

BOSTON - Tyler Wilson is alive and well, and he appreciates your concern. Wilson was amused when told that fans wondered what happened to him. Was he injured? Was he dead? The inactivity has nothing to do with his health. He hasn't pitched since tossing three scoreless innings on opening day, but that's the life of a long reliever. And Wilson is full of life. "I'm great," he said. "We're 7-0. Me not pitching is a byproduct of us having so much success. I love the way the bullpen has...

Clutch pitching has been a big part of the Orioles' 7-0 start. The Orioles are second in the majors in batting average against with runners in scoring position. When their opponents have hit with RISP, they are batting just .140 (7-for-50) with 16 strikeouts. In the opening series, Twins hitters went just 2-for-21 (.095). Tampa Bay then went 2-for-10 (.200) over two games. Boston batters are 3-for-19 (.158) in the current series. MLB leaders, RISP average against: .129 - Cincinnati .140 -...

BOSTON - Adam Jones felt good this afternoon after taking early batting practice and four rounds with the regular group, and there's a good chance he starts Thursday night's series opener against the Rangers. Manager Buck Showalter already has checked the forecast in Arlington and the temperature is supposed to be 71 degrees at game time. Jones hasn't started since last Wednesday due to discomfort in his rib area. He's been a defensive replacement in center field the past two games and...