PITTSBURGH - All season long, Ian Desmond's teammates have picked him up, and last night he returned the favor. After Max Scherzer surrendered the lead on back-to-back homers in the fifth, Desmond evened the score to start the sixth with a solo bomb of his own. "I was pretty excited to get Max off the hook," Desmond said. Certainly, the numerous injuries have led to inconsistencies in the Nationals offense, but a season-long struggle from Desmond has interfered, as well. Desmond's average...

Not too much more to say after the latest loss for the Orioles, one that has Birdland remaining in an ornery mood. Despite public comments that they remain buyers, not sellers, there seems at this point little reason for the Orioles to part with anything that could help in the future. Yes, they can get draft picks for departing free agents that turn down a qualifying offer. But if the return they can get now is better, I see no reason to strongly consider that. I would open extension talks with...

PITTSBURGH - A month ago, Max Scherzer dominated the Pirates en route to throwing his first career no-hitter. Pittsburgh exacted full revenge tonight, bombing three homers off the ace to beat the Nationals 7-5. Jung Ho Kang picked up the Pirates' first hit off Scherzer this year with a one-out single in the second. Scherzer then missed on a 93 mph fastball to Pedro Alvarez and it ended up 460 feet away in the Allegheny River for a two-run homer. The Nationals fought back with a four-run...

ST. PETERBURG, Fla. - What else can Orioles manager Buck Showalter do in an attempt to ignite his offense? Showalter tinkered with his lineup again yesterday, putting Jimmy Paredes in the leadoff spot against Rays starter Chris Archer. Paredes struck out in all four at-bats. Ryan Flaherty batted second and singled in the first inning. Jonathan Schoop will replace him at second base tonight. Manny Machado was lowered to third and singled twice and walked. He also was hit by a pitch. He's going...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Orioles lost for the 15th time in 20 games tonight, failing for the first time in 40 chances to hold a lead after the seventh inning. The Orioles hadn't lost when leading after the seventh since July 23, 2014 in Anaheim. Players have been insisting that they're not frustrated, but there's no doubt that they were dressing in a somber clubhouse following tonight's 3-1 loss to the Rays at Tropicana Field. Asked for the collective mood, reliever Darren O'Day replied,...

Even on a night they took the lead for the first time since Sunday and got a great outing from their starter, the Orioles still lost. Tampa Bay scored three runs in the last of the eighth off Chris Tillman and Darren O'Day. The Rays rallied to beat the Orioles 3-1 at Tropicana Field. The Orioles have lost four in a row, 10 of 13 and 15 of 20 games to fall to 46-49 for the season. Their offense produced just one run off Chris Archer and that was not enough for their pitching tonight, even as...

PITTSBURGH - After being on the wrong side of Max Scherzer's first career no-hitter on June 20, the Pirates appear to be taking a far more aggressive approach against the Nationals ace tonight. Jung Ho Kang took care of the Pittsburgh's first hit with a one-out single in the second. Pedro Alvarez followed with a moonshot, pulverizing a Scherzer fastball over the stands in right. The two run-homer, which one-hopped in the Allegheny River, was estimated at 460 feet. Scherzer has allowed two...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Orioles allowed three runs in the first inning Wednesday night and four yesterday afternoon, falling into holes they couldn't escape while being swept in the Bronx. Chris Tillman didn't leave a mess tonight at Tropicana Field, retiring the Rays in order in the first inning on only 12 pitches. He struck out Steven Souza, Jr. and John Jaso and induced a ground ball from Evan Longoria. Tillman retired the first five Rays, running his streak to 28 batters in a row going...

PITTSBURGH - Right-hander Stephen Strasburg threw three simulated innings at PNC Park this afternoon. It was the first time Strasburg has thrown with live hitters standing in since he landed on the 15-day disabled list on July 4, a day after a strained left oblique knocked him out of his start in the fourth inning. "I thought he was good," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. "He was optimistic about it from the time he went to the bullpen to warm up." Strasburg tossed 17 pitches each...

As a kid growing up in Las Vegas, Bryce Harper knew about Matt Williams' All-Star baseball career. But Harper had reasons not to follow it too closely. Apparently, in-state rivalries never die in Nevada. Harper grew up in southern Nevada and Williams was from the north. "Being from Las Vegas, you hated the schools up north,'' Harper said. "It's a rivalry. You don't really like those teams up north. Las Vegas didn't like Reno.'' Williams can relate because he said northern schools...