The Orioles are off today. The schedule says they don't have a game. They just played 20 in a row. Let them rest. The same goes for everyone who's covered all 20 games. Sleep came more easily to the Orioles last night following a 7-6 11-inning win over the Rays. Chris Davis hit his fourth career walk-off home run, the ball traveling so far that I had already tweeted the result before it landed. There was no doubt from the moment that it left his bat, which Davis flipped in relief as much as...

A loss tonight would have given the Orioles their first seven-game streak since July 2011. And their first seven-game streak at home - including the Twins' sweep before the last road trip - since May 2013. Chris Davis wouldn't allow it. And he was adamant about it. Davis hit his second home run of the night leading off the bottom of the 11th inning, driving a 3-0 pitch from Rays reliever Matt Andriese far enough that he almost hit the scoreboard on the fly. Davis punctuated the moment with an...

The Orioles have optioned outfielder Dariel Alvarez to Single-A Frederick after tonight's 7-6 11-inning win over the Rays at Camden Yards. Alvarez can return to the Orioles after the Keys' season ends next week. They didn't qualify for the Carolina League playoffs. Manager Buck Showalter said the Orioles probably will add a reliever and a position player for Friday's series opener in Toronto. Alvarez has a work visa issue that prevents him from making the trip. He can get into Canada, but...

The Orioles tonight announced that they have optioned outfielder Dariel Alvarez to Class A-Advanced Frederick. Alvarez, 26, made his Major League debut on August 28 at Texas and batted .250/.308/.333 (3-12) with a double in four games with the Orioles this season. Over 721 career minor league games, Alvarez has hit .293/.335/.447 with 123 doubles, 15 triples, 80 home runs and 385 RBI.

Manager: Fredi Gonzalez (5th season) Record: 54-79 Last 10 games: 1-9 Who to watch: 1B Freddie Freeman (.280/.359/.478 with 15 HR and 50 RBIs), RF Nick Markakis (.298 with 48 RBIs), CF Cameron Maybin (.267 with 10 HR and 52 RBIs), RHP Shelby Miller (147 strikeouts, 2.59 ERA), RHP Jason Grilli (24 saves, 2.94 ERA) Season series vs. Nationals: 3-9 Pitching probables: Sept. 3: RHP Matt Wisler vs. RHP Jordan Zimmermann, 7:05 p.m., MASN Sept. 4: RHP Julio Teheran vs. RHP Tanner Roark, 7:05 p.m.,...

ST. LOUIS - Max Scherzer's recent problem with the longball continued into tonight's start when Brandon Moss launched a 96 mph heater deep to right-center to begin the second inning. The 454-foot blast was the longest homer ever hit by a left-handed batter at Busch Stadium. The Nationals responded in the third when Jayson Werth drilled Tyler Lyons' fastball to straightaway center for a two-out solo homer. It was Werth's sixth tater of the season. Scherzer has yielded six hits already but...

ST. LOUIS - Max Scherzer takes the mound tonight in his hometown looking for his first win since July 30. The right-hander is 0-3 with a 6.43 ERA while surrendering seven homers in his last five starts. "It's a big game for us," manager Matt Williams said. "I think he's ready. He's ready to compete anytime he takes the mound. He's working hard in his bullpens and staying on top of the baseball a little bit more. The ability to throw that fastball down and away to the righties is...

ST. LOUIS - Stephen Strasburg will not make his scheduled start on Friday against the Braves at Nationals Park. Manager Matt Williams announced before tonight's game that right-hander Tanner Roark will be recalled from Double-A Harrisburg to fill Strasburg's spot. Strasburg left Sunday's 7-4 win over the Marlins after just four innings with upper back tightness. Williams indicated that Strasburg reported today feeling good after throwing on flat ground yesterday. He threw again on the field...

So much for the Orioles being the club that finally gets all the breaks tonight. J.P. Arencibia followed up his six-RBI night last night with a towering home run to left field leading off the top of the third inning to give Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead. Manager Buck Showalter argued that the ball hooked foul, but the call stood following a crew chief review that lasted 3 minutes, 45 seconds. It sure looked foul to me on the replay. Kevin Gausman could have already been down 2-0 after two innings, but...

Would he get drafted as a position player or a pitcher? That was a good question, and heading into the First-Year Player Draft in 2009, Orioles reliever Mychal Givens wasn't sure of the answer. Back then, were there more teams looking at him as a shortstop or a pitcher? "I have no idea," Givens said as he pondered that question recently in the Orioles clubhouse. "That is hard to answer that. But all 30 teams did ask me if I wanted to be a pitcher or a position player. My answer was always...