PITTSBURGH - The Pirates will look to seek revenge on the Nationals, who swept the Bucs on June 19-21 in Washington. The Nats outscored the Pirates 19-3 in the series, which included Max Scherzer's first career no-hitter. Pirates left-hander Francisco Liriano, who was on the wrong side of Scherzer's gem at Nationals Park, takes the mound tonight. Liriano hasn't pitched since before the All-Star break with his last start coming back on July 12. The 10-year-veteran has posted a 1.98 ERA in his...

Orioles right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez picked a bad day to have a bad game. Needing a win to avoid a sweep, instead the Orioles fell behind 4-0 after one inning and 7-1 after three in a 9-3 loss to the New York Yankees. The Orioles got swept in this key series and have fallen seven games out of first place. The series result must have O's management pondering the immediate future of a team that has a losing record (46-48) 94 games into the 2015 season. The Orioles have not been this far from...

NEW YORK - Orioles manager Buck Showalter chided reporters today for the lack of newsy questions during his pregame session in his office at Yankee Stadium. The lineup includes Chris Davis back at first base for the first time since June 24. "That's a story?" Showalter said jokingly. "He's played a lot of first base." What about Nolan Reimold in right field against right-hander Masahiro Tanaka. He's pretty much been used in a platoon system. "It's just like Ryan (Flaherty)," Showalter...

The Orioles need a win this afternoon to avoid their first three-game sweep at Yankee Stadium since June 1-3, 2010. They have lost a pair of one-run games the last two nights to fall six games out of first place. After going 13-6 last season versus the Yankees, the Orioles are 5-7 this year, including a 1-5 mark at New York. Ubaldo Jimenez (7-5, 3.29 ERA) pitches against Masahiro Tanaka (6-3, 3.65 ERA) in the series finale. Jimenez gave up seven runs in 4 2/3 innings at Detroit on Friday after...

When Major League Baseball added a second Wild Card to each league in 2012, the trade market completely changed. As I look at the standings here on July 23, six teams are within five games for an American League Wild Card berth. If you include the three division leaders and two teams that current sit in a Wild Card spot, that's 11 of the league's 15 teams. How is it possible that only four clubs will sell at deadline? Maybe it's time to push pack that date another two weeks. Prior to Game...

NEW YORK - Chris Davis is starting at first base today after 19 games in right field, as the Orioles try to avoid being swept at Yankee Stadium. Nolan Reimold is in right field against Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka. David Lough is starting in left. For the Orioles Manny Machado 3B Jimmy Paredes DH Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Nolan Reimold RF Matt Wieters C Jonathan Schoop 2B J.J. Hardy SS David Lough LF Ubaldo Jimenez RHP For the Yankees Jacoby Ellsbury CF Brett Gardner LF Alex...

By next Friday, our memories on this trade deadline will be very different, but the current atmosphere is one of inaction. The biggest news we have is that the Tigers might be sellers but haven't made up their minds. Lots of people blame the second wild card for the lack of moves, but the Reds, Phillies, Braves, Padres, Athletics, and a few other clubs are known to be sellers. The inaction can best be explained by what people think should happen and what is actually going to happen. Look at...

Yesterday's 4-3 comeback win is a perfect example to encapsulate everything that Danny Espinosa has meant to the Washington Nationals this season. Riddled with injuries all year, the Nats' list got even longer early Wednesday afternoon when Yunel Escobar left the game suddenly in the second inning. Once again, Espinosa shifted from second to third base to fill in as he had 14 other times this year at a position he had never played in his life prior to this year. Espinosa battled at the plate...

Well, the Orioles had been hitting well against the Yankees. Had being the key word there. Coming into this series, they had scored 54 runs in 10 games against New York pitching, which had an ERA of 5.23 against O's hitters. The Orioles had scored 31 runs in their previous five games against New York. But then came this big series in New York, and the O's offense has scuffled. Yet again. The Orioles have five runs and 11 hits in two games, going 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Ryan...

NEW YORK - Whether the Orioles are buyers or sellers or just looking, they really need to be a team that isn't swept by the Yankees. It could happen today, marking the first time in a three-game series at Yankee Stadium since June 1-3, 2010. Former manager Dave Trembley lost his job. The dark days. The Orioles are six games behind the Yankees in the American League East and have three games waiting for them at Tropicana Field. The days aren't as dark as 2010, but the light is dimming. "I...