ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Oriole Bird led fans in the familiar chant of "O-R-I-O-L-E-S" before players jogged onto the field for the anthem. The "home" team wore black jerseys, making it a typical Friday night in only one sense. And we said it wouldn't get weird. I've heard that the expected crowd is around 10,000 for tonight's game. They're averaging 17,545 in 12 home dates. The Rays' public address announcer introduced the starting lineups in the same subdued voice. He's usually...

FLUSHING, N.Y. - Center fielder Denard Span chose to leave last night's game in the sixth inning after experiencing abdominal discomfort. "Just around the surgery site just felt a little sore," Span said. "Just follow my intuition, basically." Span underwent hernia surgery in December and core muscle surgery on March 9. Nationals manager Matt Williams has taken Span out of the lineup for the second time since the 31-year-old returned from the disabled list on April 19. "I would think that...

After starting the season with 19 straight games against American League East opponents, the Orioles played one non-division game this week against Chicago. Tonight, they get right back into playing AL East teams. They open a series at Tropicana Field tonight where they will play three games this weekend serving as the home team. It begins a stretch where they'll play 10 of the next 12 games versus the AL East. Tampa Bay is 12-10 and has won six of its last eight games. But the Rays just lost...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Rays are going out of their way to make the Orioles and media feel right at home, including the shipment of Bergers cookies from Baltimore to Tropicana Field. Boxes are stacked in the press dining room for dessert. That's the icing on the cookie. The Orioles took batting practice first at Tropicana Field, the usual order for the home team. The Rays came out of the dugout to stretch in their road gray pants, many of the players greeting the Orioles with hugs. "I...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter noted that this is a big day for shortstop J.J. Hardy, who worked out at Tropicana Field this afternoon and joined Group 4 for batting practice. Showalter is hoping that Hardy (shoulder) and infielder Ryan Flaherty (groin) will begin injury rehab assignments Monday at Double-A Bowie. Hardy took about 15 swings in early batting practice, fielded ground balls and threw to the bases. He also worked with Steve Pearce on turning the double play....

FLUSHING, N.Y. - Nationals ace Max Scherzer returns to the mound eight days after injuring his right thumb at the plate. Swelling forced Scherzer to miss his scheduled start Tuesday in Atlanta and the result was arguably the wildest game in Nationals history. Scherzer experienced tough luck on opening day against the Mets at Nats Park. He held the Mets without a hit through 5 2/3 innings before an error from shortstop Ian Desmond led to the Mets' first run. He ended up taking the loss, despite...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - According to STATS Inc, tonight's game between the Orioles and Rays marks the fifth time since 2007 that the host team has batted first. * July 23, 2013: The Giants batted first at Pack Bell Park against the Reds in Game 2 of a doubleheader that was a makeup game rained out on July 4 in Cincinnati. The Giants won 5-3. * June 24-26, 2011: A three-game series was relocated from Sun Life Stadium to Safeco Field due to a conflict with a U2 concert. The Mariners took two of...

Single-A Frederick pitcher Matt Taylor, who was hospitalized in Salem, Va. on Thursday night after being hit in the head by a line drive, was released from the hospital today. "He is on his way back to Frederick with the strength coach. He will be under the doctor's care when he gets back to Fredeick. The diagnosis is a concussion. We just don't know how long he will be out," Orioles director of player development Brian Graham said this afternoon. Taylor will go on the Keys disabled list....

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - To avoid any confusion, the Orioles are playing on the road this weekend, but they're considered the home team. The statistics will count as road games. However, in real time through Sunday, the stats may appear as home for the Orioles until updated on Monday on all platforms. All three games will reflect home attendance for the Orioles despite the games being played at Tropicana Field. Got all that? Major League Baseball and the Elias Sports Bureau are driving this bus....

FLUSHING, N.Y. - The Mets entered the ninth inning last night with the game still in reach, trailing by three runs. But any hopes of a late comeback were crushed in one swing of the bat by right fielder Bryce Harper's bases-loaded three-run double that featured a rare double slide at the plate from third baseman Yunel Escobar and left fielder Jayson Werth. Harper, the team's most explosive player, once again delivered the game's most exciting play. "We had another Nats-car going for us,"...