HARRISBURG, Pa. - Without a goatee and wearing a different uniform and number, Stephen Strasburg took the mound at Metro Bank Park looking like a different person. In his first, and most likely his last, rehab start for Double-A Harrisburg, Strasburg allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits with no walks and six strikeouts in five innings. But Strasburg's line doesn't come close to telling the full story as three of the four hits were bouncing ball singles. The tall righty looked confident...

PHILADELPHIA - For the second day in a row, Adam Jones will start the game on the bench. The center fielder had an MRI on his sore right shoulder yesterday, and it showed no structural damage. He's day-to-day and expects to be in the lineup tomorrow. David Lough is getting another start in center field, Chris Parmelee another in right. After yesterday's 19-3 victory over the Phillies, the Orioles are in Philadelphia for the first time since sweeping a three-game series in 2009. The Phillies...

The Nationals and Tampa Bay Rays play their third game in a row tonight, but this time at Nationals Park. The Nationals hope to build off of their 16-4 pasting of the Rays on Tuesday at Tropicana Field to finish the road trip 4-4. Tonight is the first of eight-straight games at home for the Nats. The Nationals have granted Triple-A RHP Mitch Lively his unconditional release. He will join the Hokkaido Nippon-ham Fighters in Japan. Denard Span gets the night off and Clint Robinson, fresh off a...

The short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds have announced their break-camp roster as they get set to open another season in the New-York Penn League. Aberdeen will host Hudson Valley on Friday night at 7:35 p.m. at Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium on opening night. Jean Cosme, a 19-year-old right-hander, is expected to get the start on opening night for the IronBirds. He was drafted in round 17 last year. Travis Seabrooke, the Orioles' fifth-round pick in 2013, is set to start the second game,...

PHILADELPHIA - The Orioles haven't posted their lineup yet, but you can be certain that Manny Machado will lead off again tonight in the series opener against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. (That's "Bank," not "Bankrupt".) According to Elias, Machado last night became only the third player in the last 50 years to lead off the first and second innings with home runs, joining the Tigers' Chad Curtis on May 28, 1995 against the White Sox and the Giants' Stan Javier on April 11, 1999...

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Stephen Strasburg appears sharp and comfortable in his first minor league rehab start at Double-A Harrisburg. Strasburg retired the first seven batters he faced, featuring his blazing fastball topping out at 97 mph. Strasburg used eight pitches (seven fastballs) to record two groundball outs and one weak fly ball to right in the first. In the second, Strasburg coaxed a broken bat infield pop to start the inning before ending it with two strikeouts. Richmond first baseman Ricky...

The Nationals can use a game like Tuesday's 16-4 drubbing of the Rays. The 23 hits were the most ever by the Nats and the most since the Expos tallied 26 in a game against the Giants in 1997. Catcher Wilson Ramos told reporters afterwards he will use the video from his last two at-bats, both homers off position players, to help him because he got his hands so relaxed. Shortstop Ian Desmond went 2-for-4 with a walk and only one strikeout. The Rays also had to use five relievers, although two of...

The Orioles are playing very good baseball right now. The Philadephia Phillies are not. The Orioles crushed the Phillies last night, leading 12-0 in the third on their way to a 19-3 win. The night saw the Orioles set a team record by hitting eight home runs, and their 19 runs were the most by an Orioles team since they scored 23 on Sept. 28, 2000 against Toronto. The Phillies have lost eight in a row. Over their last 12 games, they are 1-11. Over their last 12 road games, they are 0-12. It's...

While wondering if Wei-Yin Chen should change the password on his Twitter account to avoid being hacked ... Is Chen going to be fully motivated to work those three or four innings Saturday night at Single-A Frederick? Either way, he still needs to spring for the postgame spread. I'd skip the sour grapes. But seriously, folks, it's usually not wise to vent on social media. And it was highly unusual for Chen, a pending free agent who figures to get a sweet deal with agent Scott Boras at the...

The Nationals finished up their six-game road trip with a relentless barrage of offense in tonight's 16-4 drubbing of the Rays. Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash used two position players to pitch the final two innings while the Nats racked up a single-game team record 23 hits. The onslaught began with a monumental clout off the bat of Clint Robinson that literally never came down. The towering solo shot rattled around in the catwalk above the covered field and was never seen again. The Nats...