NATIONALS QUICK WRAP Score: Nationals 7, Astros 5 Recap: Right fielder Bryce Harper smacked his first home run of the spring and Max Scherzer turned in another exceptional performance on the mound in the win. Harper's homer gave the Nats their fifth run of the day in the fourth hitting. Scherzer had six strikeouts in five innings, while allowing one run and three hits with a walk and a hit batter. Need to know: Danny Espinosa collected his third hit this spring off a right-handed pitcher while...

KISSSIMMEE, Fla. - Nate McLouth's recovery from left shoulder surgery last August is taking a bit longer than expected. The outfielder has not fully participated because of limitations the procedure placed on his throwing shoulder. Nationals manager Matt Williams worked him into two games last week as a designated hitter. However, lingering shoulder soreness led to McLouth being scratched from last Saturday's lineup and he hasn't returned since leaving his availability for the start of the...

FORT MYERS, Fla. - The Orioles have optioned right-hander Mike Wright to Triple-A Norfolk, reducing their spring training roster to 44 players. In four spring training games, Wright allowed two runs on five hits with one walk and eight strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings. More cuts could be coming after today's game. Manager Buck Showalter also said that Matt Wieters will not serve as the Orioles designated hitter on Sunday, as was originally planned. Wieters won't play before Wednesday at the...

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Right-hander Max Scherzer is scheduled to throw five innings or around 70 pitches in his fourth spring start today. He's been very solid so far, allowing just two runs on nine hits with eight strikeouts and one walk in nine full innings this spring. Dan Uggla starts at second base. He's batting .273 with a homer, two doubles and four RBIs while competing for a bench spot behind starter Yunel Escobar. Mike Carp needs a late spring push to make the roster. Carp, who signed a...

SARASOTA, Fla. - David Lough is starting in center field for the Orioles today after sitting out a few games with a sore left hamstring. Henry Urrutia is in right field one day after hitting a tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning. Ryan Lavarnway is behind the plate and Steve Clevenger is serving as the designated hitter. For the Orioles Everth Cabrera SS David Lough CF Jimmy Paredes 3B Travis Snider LF Henry Urrutia RF Steve Clevenger DH Chris Parmelee 1B Ryan Lavarnway C Ryan Flaherty...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles haven't posted their lineup and the bus left for Fort Myers a while ago. Guess we're in a holding pattern. Many of the regulars are staying back, of course. Adam Jones sat at his locker this morning, amusing reporters with various quips. Chris Davis and Manny Machado also are in the clubhouse. David Lough made the trip and said he's starting today. Manager Buck Showalter held him out of the lineup for a few days because of a sore left hamstring. "I'm fine,"...

VIERA, Fla. - Nationals outfielder Jayson Werth injured his right shoulder seven months ago when he crashed into the right field wall at Nats Park while making a catch. He missed a handful of games, had a couple of cortisone shots and was in the lineup for the remainder of the season and the playoffs. When the shoulder wouldn't heal, the 35-year-old finally opted for surgery in January. The original timetable for his full recovery was 60 to 90 days. But Werth will see his first action in a...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Matt Wieters remains hopeful that he can return to catching on Wednesday after an X-ray on his elbow yesterday didn't reveal any structural damage. Wieters is letting the elbow "rest" after being diagnosed with tendinitis following his Grapefruit League debut behind the plate on Tuesday. Asked whether he's concerned, Wieters replied, "No. It's a matter of we put in a lot of work in the nine months of rehab and the body was just telling me, 'OK, we've put in a lot of...

SARASOTA, Fla. - When the 2015 season begins, Orioles starting pitchers have a goal in mind - to pitch more innings than last year, get deeper in games more often and pursue the goal of a 200-inning season. Last season, while O's starting pitchers ranked fifth in the American League with an ERA of 3.61, the Orioles were 10th in starter innings at 953 2/3. Detroit led the AL with 1,007 starter innings. Chris Tillman has reached the 200 mark each of the last two years, pitching 206 1/3 innings...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Left-hander Brian Matusz is making another start today for the Orioles after throwing three scoreless innings with no walks on March 14 against the Rays. Matusz hasn't issued a walk in 6 1/3 innings this spring. He's allowed one run and five hits and struck out eight batters. Whether he stays in the organization is another matter. The trade rumors continue to swirl. I'll be at Twin Lakes Park today, where Kevin Gausman and Wei-Yin Chen are pitching in separate Single-A...