Imagine this: Buying tickets to a Nationals game to bring your family to see the great Bryce Harper hit towering, majestic homers, but instead, you don't even get to see a single violent thrash of the bat from the young slugger. That's precisely what happened Thursday night when Harper, in four plate appearances, displayed unmatched discipline by not swinging at any of the 20 pitches thrown to him. The result: 16 balls, four strikes, four walks, four runs scored and even one RBI. "I mean,...

The Orioles go back to the grind tonight. It may be beneath a dome, depending on the weather, but it's 100 percent grind. Having lost three of four games in Kansas City, the Orioles walk into the other lion's den. The Blue Jays are 76-57 and hold a 12-game lead over them in the American League East. They're 45-24 at Rogers Centre. They lead the majors with 250 doubles, 185 home runs, 730 runs scored, a .330 on-base percentage and .450 slugging percentage. Their starter tonight, Drew...

The Nationals returned home knowing they needed to dominate the struggling Braves over the next four games to set the stage for a monstrous series with the Mets. For tonight anyway, the plan far exceeded any expectations as the Nationals smacked 18 hits in a 15-1 rout. The assault began when right-hander Matt Wisler wanted no part of Bryce Harper - a Braves theme on the night - when he issued a two-out walk in the first. Apparently, Wisler and Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez preferred to deal...

As you know, the Orioles have had plenty of problems on offense recently, but they've had their share on the mound as well. The Tampa Bay Rays rank 14th out of 15 American League teams in runs scored. But in three games at Camden Yards this week, the Rays produced 23 runs, 38 hits and seven homers off Baltimore pitching. O's starters pitched a combined 11 2/3 innings in that serie, allowing 25 hits and 16 runs (15 earned) for an ERA of 11.57 the last three games. The bullpen was forced to...

The Nationals picked on a battered and bruised Atlanta Braves club Thursday night in a 15-1 laugher, scoring 10 runs in the first three frames. The 14-run advantage marked the largest margin of victory in Nationals history. First baseman Ryan Zimmerman continued his feverish hitting with a 3-for-3 performance, including two doubles and four RBIs. In his last 11 games, Zimmerman has 23 RBIs, going 17-for-42 (.405) with five doubles and seven homers. He has now hit safely in eight straight...

Jordan Zimmermann uncharacteristically issued walks to Nick Markakis and Freddie Freeman in the first before working out of the jam when A.J. Pierzynski lined to Anthony Rendon for an inning-ending double play. Braves right-hander Matt Wisler paid for a two-out walk to Bryce Harper in the bottom of the frame. Ryan Zimmerman stepped to the plate to a standing ovation at Nationals Park and then smacked a double off the wall in right-center. Clint Robinson delivered Harper to Zimmerman to the...

The Nationals return home with a chance to get on a roll against a struggling Atlanta Braves squad. The Braves are 54-79 and have lost 15 of their last 16 games. Washington comes home after going 1-2 against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Nationals led 5-3 in each of the first two games of the series, only to fall 8-5 each time. But Jonathan Papelbon got out of a first-and-third, one-out jam in the bottom of the ninth as the Nationals salvaged the finale, 4-3. Ryan Zimmerman went 3-for-4 with...

The Nationals were able to prevent a sweep in St. Louis last night, securing a much-needed win as they prepare to begin a seven-game homestand with four against the Braves followed by three versus the NL East leading Mets. With New York off tonight, the Nationals have the ever important opportunity to gain a ½ game in the standings. The Nats own a 37-26 record in D.C. this year. "We've got work to do," manager Matt Williams said after last night's 4-3 win over the Cardinals. "We've got...

Right-hander A.J. Cole is back with the Nationals and is hoping an adjustment he has made in his mechanics will pay big dividends. Cole made three appearances for the Nationals early in the year in late April and May. He tossed 9 1/3 innings and allowed 14 hits and six earned runs, finishing with a 5.79 ERA. "I did figure out what I was struggling with which was mostly (my) stride and then basically everything just kind of clicked after that with the motion to (the plate), timing," Cole...

Following last night's dramatic 11-inning win over the Rays, Orioles manager Buck Showalter said the club most likely would add a pitcher and a position player to the expanded roster before Friday night's game in Toronto. The Orioles optioned outfielder Dariel Alvarez to Single-A Frederick, since visa issues prevented him from making the trip. And they placed reliever Jorge Rondon on the taxi squad this afternoon with the intent of putting him in their bullpen against the Blue Jays. Rondon...