Earl Weaver would approve. The Orioles used a pair of three-run homers today to beat the Boston Red Sox 9-7 and ruin the 105th home opener in Fenway Park history. The Orioles improved to 6-0 for the first time in team history. This was just the second time in 12 years that Boston lost its home opener. The Orioles' three-run shots came off Boston's two prized winter pitching acquisitions in Craig Kimbrel and David Price. Tied at 6-6 in the top of the ninth, Chris Davis crushed a three-run shot...

He has surrendered four hits in three innings. He served up a titanic home run on Sunday. He twice has been handed a lead of at least two runs and wound up letting the tying or go-ahead run step to the plate. None of which matters to Dusty Baker at the moment. The only stat the Nationals manager cares about relating to closer Jonathan Papelbon is that he's 3-for-3 in save opportunities. "It doesn't matter what it looks like," Baker said. True, though Papelbon's last two appearances...

Hey, remember when the Braves were in the Nationals' heads or something like that? It was only two years ago when it seemed like anything that could go wrong against Atlanta did go wrong. Well, that's not so much the case anymore. Including their two-game sweep at Turner Field last week, the Nats have now won 20 of their last 27 games against the Braves, including 10 straight on South Capitol Street. Obviously, this is a very different Atlanta roster now than it was a couple years ago. In...

BOSTON - The opening day introductions and ceremonies have ended at Fenway Park and the Orioles are batting in the top of the first inning. No rain or wintery mix. No tarp on the field. It's just baseball. Players on both teams were introduced, along with the video coordinators, translator and the Red Sox massage therapist. No love thrown toward the press box. The Red Sox surprised David Ortiz on his final opening day by having daughter Alex Ortiz sing the National Anthem. Ortiz held his cap...

The Orioles begin their first road trip of the 2016 season this afternoon when they play the first game of a three-game series at Fenway Park in Boston. The last time the Orioles played there they were shutout three straight games last Sept. 25-27 by scores of 7-0, 8-0 and 2-0. The Orioles hit just .129 (12-for-93) with only two extra-base hits (both doubles) in the three games. That was the first time the O's were blanked in three consecutive games since 1957. Right-hander Yovani Gallardo...

BOSTON - Adam Jones did some running and throwing before batting practice this morning and took a few swings to check whether he still felt discomfort in his rib area. The Orioles lineup already was posted inside the visiting clubhouse at Fenway Park while their center fielder worked up a sweat in the cold air. Jones wasn't in it. Jones hasn't played since Wednesday and remains day-to-day with an injury that the Orioles say isn't related to his oblique. Joey Rickard is back in center field,...

BOSTON - Adam Jones is not in today's Orioles lineup against the Red Sox and will miss his fourth straight start because of rib soreness. Joey Rickard will replace Jones in center field and lead off. Mark Trumbo will play left field in front of the Green Monster, while Nolan Reimold is in right field. Matt Wieters is the designated hitter, with Caleb Joseph catching Yovani Gallardo. The Orioles lead the majors with a 1.80 ERA, allowing nine earned runs in 45 innings. The rotation ranks second...

As the baseball world focuses on great stories coming out of the first week, a few lesser known rookies have taken center stage. Trevor Story's historic start for the Colorado Rockies would be impossible to go unnoticed, while the Houston Astros' new first baseman Tyler White has caught fire in his first few games. On a lesser known scale nationally, but already beloved in Baltimore, is Joey Rickard. Just months ago, Rickard was a prospect in the Tampa Bay Rays system looking for a path to...

The Nationals bullpen was completely remade from 2015. Of all the segments of the team, many believe the bullpen is the one link that needed the most change and the most improvement if the Nationals were to put together a team that could dethrone the Mets atop the National League East. The closer is set with Jonathan Papelbon. But who will take over the eighth-inning set-up duties? Will new manager Dusty Baker select a set-up man by committee? Felipe Rivero or Shawn Kelley or Blake Treinen or...

Jayson Werth's bloop single was big. So was Clint Robinson's subsequent two-run single. Joe Ross' seven strong innings on the mound put the Nationals in position to beat the Marlins yesterday. And then Blake Treinen's perfect eighth and Jonathan Papelbon's shaky-but-ultimately-effective ninth sealed the deal in the Nationals' 4-2 victory. Here's one seemingly small moment, though, that actually played a major role in this game. You might not even have thought much of it at the time. But...