PHILADELPHIA - Center fielder Michael A. Taylor wasted no time putting the Nationals on the scoreboard with a leadoff homer against Phillies starter Jerome Williams. It's Taylor's first bomb of the year, coming off a spring where he led the Nats in home runs with four, two of which came to start games. Taylor's homer lifts his early average to .357 with a double and three RBIs. Right fielder Bryce Harper and catcher Wilson Ramos also singled in the first leaving the Nats with runners at the...

After a spring training where he had an ERA of 9.26, this was not the start Bud Norris wanted today. He gave up eight runs and seven hits in three-plus innings as Toronto beat the Orioles 12-5 at Camden Yards. "Frustrating," Norris said. "Not what I envisioned. Tough to do here at home in front of these guys. I'll take that one for sure on me. "Slider wasn't great today. I got ahead in some counts and they put some good swings and found some holes. But I've got to get better. This is the...

Reliever Wesley Wright complained of sharp pain behind his left shoulder during today's appearance and could be headed to the disabled list. No tests currently are scheduled for Wright, who allowed a run and two hits in 1 1/3 innings, but he expressed concern and figures to undergo some type of examination. The soreness is in the area of his trapezius, a muscle that covers most of the upper back and the posterior of the neck. "Not really sure what the extent of it is, but it's basically just...

PHILADELPHIA - Left fielder Jayson Werth was 0-for-2 with a strikeout and a walk in his first minor league rehab assignment. He played seven innings for Single-A Potomac last night and is planning to ramp it up to nine tonight, weather permitting. Nationals manager Matt Williams said Potomac will play a doubleheader tomorrow if rain cancels tonight's contest and Werth would play the first game and potentially take a couple of at-bats in the second. Werth is eligible to come off the disabled...

Well, that could have gone a lot better. The Orioles had lost just two home openers since 2001, but today they got crushed by the Toronto Blue Jays 12-5 in front of a sellout crowd of 45,936 at Camden Yards. This is the most runs the O's have allowed in a home opener since a 12-0 loss to Milwaukee in 1988. The Orioles fall to 2-2 for the season and to 41-21 all-time in home openers. Bud Norris, who pitched to an ERA of 9.26 in spring training, gave up eight runs in three-plus innings...

Well, at least it didn't rain. The Orioles are trailing the Blue Jays 11-2 in the seventh inning. Rule 5 pick Jason Garcia just allowed a run in the top of the sixth on a walk, single and sacrifice fly. Garcia went to a full count on the first two batters, walking Jose Bautista and striking out Edwin Encarnacion on a 93 mph fastball. Josh Donaldson singled on an 84 mph slider and Dioner Navarro lifted a sacrifice fly to left field. Justin Smoak walked on four pitches, bringing pitching coach...

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals send lefty Gio Gonzalez to the hill in tonight's series opener against the Phillies. Gonzalez was sharp throughout the spring, allowing just six runs in 19 1/3 innings, with 19 strikeouts. He appears to be fully recovered from the left shoulder soreness which bothered him for much of last year. For the Nationals: CF Michael A. Taylor 3B Yunel Escobar RF Bryce Harper 1B Ryan Zimmerman C Wilson Ramos SS Ian Desmond 2B Dan Uggla LF Tyler Moore LHP Gio Gonzalez For...

Bud Norris threw 36 pitches today in the top of the first inning. Kevin Gausman stood up in the bullpen and began to get loose. This isn't how the Orioles wanted to start their first home game of 2015. Norris was charged with four runs and four hits, with one walk and a throwing error. Gausman sat down as Justin Smoak bounced out to end the inning. Norris lowered his head and walked briskly to the dugout. Adam Jones lined a home run into the left field seats with two outs in the bottom of the...

The Orioles will play their 62nd home opener today since they arrived in Baltimore in 1954. They are 41-20 all-time, have won four in a row and are 17-6 in home openers since the first year at Camden Yards in 1992. The O's host Toronto at 3:05 p.m. They went 11-8 against the Blue Jays last season, going 6-4 here and 5-4 on the road. On the mound today, Bud Norris (15-8, 3.65 ERA in 2014) faces veteran left-hander Mark Buehrle (13-10, 3.39 ERA). Buehrle is sitting at 199 career wins. His next...

The grounds crew continues to get the field ready for the Orioles' home opener against the Blue Jays and it appears that the game will start on time. Manager Buck Showalter left his pregame session with the media and headed into the rain room for the latest weather update. He wanted to make sure the window to start the game was big enough to keep starter Bud Norris on the mound. "If you get a first pitch in and then you get a three-hour rain delay, it's not good. You lose your pitcher,"...