BALTIMORE - Most would expect to hear that Bryce Harper enjoys hitting in Camden Yards - especially with its short porch in right field and homer-welcoming dimensions - but the young slugger's feelings couldn't be more opposite. "I don't," Harper said after last night's 7-4 Nationals win. "I really don't. I can't stand it, actually. I can't see very well, so hopefully in the daytime (on Sunday) I see it better. I feel like it's a little dark." Harper is only 5-for-26 with 10...

With all the injuries, especially to the outfielders, the importance of solid play from center fielder Michael A. Taylor cannot be ignored. Taylor had four hits and three RBIs in the first two games of the Orioles series. In his last 15 games, he is hitting .273 (15-for-55) with a homer and seven RBIs. His strikeout total is high, especially for a leadoff man, but he continues to battle in each at-bat, making the pitcher work, which is what the other eight in the order need from that spot. He...

BALTIMORE - Jordan Zimmermann battled through a tough five innings on Saturday night before Nationals manager Matt Williams decided to make an early call to the bullpen. "He struggled a little bit with command and left some balls middle of the plate," Williams said. "He got to 95 (pitches) at that point and he's had a pretty strenuous first half, as well, and we're behind at that point, so we got him out." The Nationals surged back in the top of the sixth behind a solo homer from Bryce...

If the Orioles want to avoid being a .500 team at the All-Star break, all they need to do this afternoon is win a game that's started by the Nationals' Max Scherzer. What's the big deal? The Orioles couldn't avoid Scherzer, who's posted a 2.12 ERA and 0.803 WHIP in 17 starts and 123 1/3 innings. He's thrown a no-hitter, he's thrown a one-hitter, he's been covered in enough chocolate syrup to be mistaken for a 215 pound sundae. Scherzer has allowed two earned runs or fewer in 13 of his...

In recent years the Orioles have sent players like Manny Machado, Dylan Bundy, Hunter Harvey, Christian Walker, Henry Urrutia and Dariel Alvarez to the All-Star Futures Game, a showcase for the sport's best prospects. Today, 22-year-old right-hander Zach Davies is on the U.S. team that will take on the World team at 3 p.m. in Cincinnati. He is scheduled to be the eighth pitcher used by the U.S squad. Davies is the Orioles' No. 6 prospect, according to Baseball America. In 16 Triple-A Norfolk...

BALTIMORE - The comeback campaign for Danny Espinosa continued with a huge three-run homer in the sixth inning to lift the Nationals over the Orioles 7-4. Espinosa scuffled mightily with his bat the last two seasons, leaving the Nationals requesting that the 28-year-old abandon switch-hitting in favor of batting exclusively from the right side. Espinosa spent all of spring training attempting to get comfortable facing right-handed pitching from the right side. Once opening day arrived though,...

Orioles center fielder Adam Jones told reporters after tonight's game that he is fine after he got hit in the face by Nationals first baseman Tyler Moore's glove as he slid into first base in the last of the fifth. Jones also reached for the bag with his sore right shoulder but was out on the play. "He made sure he tagged me," Jones said. "I'm all right. Cry later." It was another night without a hit with a runner in scoring position for the Orioles who are 0-for-15 with RISP in this...

The Orioles are only one game above .500 again and still unable to solve the riddle of why they can't get a big hit with runners in scoring position. They'd settle for a small one. The Orioles went 0-for-8 with RISP tonight in a 7-4 loss to the Nationals before 44,495 at Camden Yards. They had runners on first and second with one out in the ninth, but Chris Parmelee flied out and Adam Jones popped up. The most recent failings made the Orioles 0-for-15 with RISP in this series, 1-for-35 in the...

Miguel Gonzalez looked like he was on a roll. The Orioles right-hander had retired 10 straight heading into the top of the sixth inning and held a 4-2 lead. But four batters and two homers later, the Orioles trailed by two runs and the Washington Nationals used that rally to beat the Orioles 7-4 tonight in front of a sellout of 44,495 at Camden Yards. Bryce Harper entered tonight just a .200 career hitter against the Orioles, but he led off the sixth with a laser shot to right for his 26th...

BALTIMORE - The Nationals had an early chance to score tonight. Yunel Escobar slapped a single to right in the first. After Orioles starter Miguel Gonzalez got Bryce Harper swinging, Clint Robinson ripped a two-out double into the right field corner. Escobar, who is battling tightness in his left hamstring, motored around from first as third base coach Bob Hendley signaled for the plate. Orioles right fielder Steve Pearce fired to second baseman Ryan Flaherty who relayed to catcher Caleb Joseph...