Jim Palmer never gave up a grand slam in his career. Darren O'Day could say the same - until last night. The Orioles are certainly not used to seeing the dependable and reliable O'Day give it up, but he did last night. It was an ugly top of the eighth inning, but even that and two rain delays could not stop the Orioles from another win on this homestand. The Orioles beat the Reds 5-4 to claim their 80th win and reduce their magic number to 17. The Orioles seem to be on a collision course with...

LOS ANGELES - This just in: Clayton Kershaw is pretty good. Kershaw held the Nationals to just one run on three hits over eight stellar innings tonight, and his decision to go first-to-third on a single to center led to a key Dodgers rally in Los Angeles' 4-1 win. Bryce Harper provided the lone Nats run of the night with a solo shot to right-center, marking the first home run and the first RBI by a left-handed hitter off Kershaw all year. Unreal. Doug Fister gets the loss in his third straight...

Second baseman Jonathan Schoop said that was about as exciting an ending to a game he has ever been involved in. With Cincinnati down one in the ninth, the Reds had first and third with one out. Todd Frazier hit a high chopper toward second. Schoop charged the ball and in pretty much one quick motion tagged Billy Hamilton out, who was heading to second, and threw to first to turn a dramatic game-ending double play. "I think it was all on instinct," Schoop said. "Just had to make a decision....

The Orioles have won three straight series openers and 12 of their last 14. They're 29-17 in series openers, including a 16-7 record at home. Keep that in mind when you're deciding which games to attend the rest of the month. The Orioles added September speed by trading for Alejandro De Aza and selecting Quintin Berry's contract from Triple-A Norfolk. "It's just another tool that can offset something," said manager Buck Showalter. "I'm proud of the percentage at which we've stolen at,...

Good morning from Camden Yards, where the grounds crew is watering the infield following a 5-4 victory over the Reds. It hasn't rained in a while. The Orioles were delayed but not denied, posting their 80th win and improving to 38-18 since June 30. Zach Britton recorded his 32nd save, with Jonathan Schoop turning a 4-3 double play on Todd Frazier's grounder after the Reds put runners on the corners with one out. Down goes Frazier, down goes Frazier. Bud Norris withstood two delays to blank...

The Orioles offense got off to a fast start tonight. They just had to wait a while to do it. The Orioles scored four runs in the first inning on their way to a 5-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds in the opener of a three-game, interleague series. The Orioles are now 7-2 on this homestand and 80-57 for the season. Their American League East lead is 9 1/2 games over the Yankees, who lost tonight. Their magic number to clinch the division crown is 17. What appeared to be a comfortable win turned...

Bud Norris waited through a 1 hour, 46 minute rain delay tonight and went about his business. No excuses. Take the ball and get outs. Reds starter Matt Latos is out of the game after five innings and 79 pitches. The five runs allowed ties his season high. The 10 hits ties his career high. Norris shut out the Reds on four hits over six innings, with one walk, seven strikeouts and a wild pitch. His 93rd pitch resulted in a strikeout of Chris Heisey that stranded a runner. Norris has his first...

The much-anticipated match-up between Nationals right-hander Doug Fister and Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw got off to a predictable start. The pair have combined for 28 wins and are known to put up a ton of zeroes. Kershaw allowed a two-out walk in the first to Jayson Werth, but then was able to get clean-up hitter Ian Desmond on a looping 75 mph curveball that was called strike three. Fister also surrendered a two-out free pass to Adrian Gonzalez, but then got Matt Kemp to fly out to...

Adam LaRoche's back has landed him on the bench for the second time in seven games. After his bout with his back last week against the Phillies, LaRoche didn't miss a game, pinch-hitting in the one contest he didn't start, and then returning to the lineup the next five in a row before being removed from Monday's game in the seventh because of tightness. LaRoche is out again tonight against the Dodgers, as the Nationals take a cautious approach with the veteran first baseman. "His...

Poor Bud Norris. Norris pitched two innings against the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Aug. 23 before a 3 hour, 9 minute rain delay ended his afternoon. His next start went uninterrupted, but he's back in the clubhouse tonight after allowing an infield single to Reds leadoff hitter Billy Hamilton. A heavy rain began to fall with a 2-2 count on Todd Frazier. Time was called at 7:36 p.m. The game started 23 minutes late due to rain. Norris threw 10 pitches before the next storm arrived. The...