The way you come out and play defense can set the tone for the game and send your teammates the clear signal that you will do everything in your power to make it a tough afternoon for your opponent. Center fielder Denard Span set the tone early for the Nationals in Game 1 of the National League Division series against the Giants by making some big catches in the first inning behind starter Stephen Strasburg. Span tracked down long drives by the first two Giants hitters, Gregor Blanco and Joe...

You want a real unsung hero from the first two games of the American League Division Series? How about Orioles third base coach Bobby Dickerson? He had aggressive sends of Alejandro De Aza in the eighth inning Thursday night and J.J. Hardy in the eighth yesterday. Both players scored critical runs in what were, at the time, close games. When you coach third and a runner gets cut down at home, the fans notice and are often critical and questioning of the move. So Dickerson should get some props...

If I'm Tigers bullpen coach Mick Billmeyer, I'm pretending that the phone is on vibrate and I never heard it ring. Manager Brad Ausmus may not buy that excuse, but what does Billmeyer have to lose? The Tigers have lost the first two games of the American League Division Series because their relievers can't hold a lead or keep a game close. The Orioles have scored 12 runs in the eighth inning alone. They scored 10 in the entire 2012 ALDS against the Yankees. Joba Chamberlain and Joakim Soria...

The Giants defeated the Nationals 3-2 in Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Friday, with Jake Peavy outpitching Stephen Strasburg. But it wasn't like the Giants were teeing off on Strasburg. They had no extra-base hits until Strasburg had departed, but their eight singles were damaging enough. In turn, the Nationals were unable to avoid the Giants' gloves, minus two huge home runs from Bryce Harper and Asdrubal Cabrera. Strasburg did not believe the location of all of the Giants...

Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond couldn't hide the disappointment. Losing the first game of the best-of-five National League Division Series was one thing, but twice failing to come through with runners in scoring position and striking out on both occasions obviously left a bad taste in his mouth. "We were in it the whole way," he said after the Nats' 3-2 loss in Game 1 of the NLDS at Nationals Park. "We battled back. It just wasn't enough today." The Nationals may have rebounded from a...

The Nationals had the last four days to look ahead to this afternoon's ballgame. The last two and a half weeks, if you count the time since they clinched the National League East title. They had a couple of days to wonder about whether they would face the Giants or the Pirates, and a couple more to map out how they might match up against San Francisco. Now they have less than 24 hours to turn the page and move on to a crucial Game 2. In the regular season, the focus is on the big picture. You...

If the Orioles can't close out the American League Division Series on Sunday, you'll need to know the starting times for Game 4 and a possible Game 5. Game 4 on Monday at Comerica Park will begin at 12:07 p.m. unless the Royals sweep the Angels in the other Division Series. If that happens, the Orioles and Tigers will start up at 1:37 p.m. Either way, the baseball gods are testing the Orioles' ability to win day games. Game 5 on Wednesday at Camden Yards would begin at 5:37 p.m. if the...

Zach Britton admitted that for a brief moment today, he was like a fan. While he was warming up in the last of the eighth inning Delmon Young came to bat. Seconds later, Young lined a pitch into left field to score three runs and give the Orioles a 7-6 lead. Britton let out a cheer in the bullpen and then realized now he was going into the game and it would be a save situation in the ninth. So it was an interesting few minutes for the O's closer. He took a moment to notice how crazy the...

Fans kept chanting "We Won't Stop" today as the Orioles rallied in the bottom of the eighth inning to take the lead. They didn't stop until the final out. The Orioles may not stop until late October. Delmon Young's pinch-hit, bases-loaded double in the eighth gave the Orioles a 7-6 victory over the Tigers in Game 2 of the American League Division Series before 48,058 at Camden Yards. They hold a 2-0 lead in games as the teams head to Detroit. Young was 10-for-20 as a pinch-hitter during...

Delmon Young was asked if it was Orioles magic. "Magic is the word to use, but we are just trying to beat a very good ballclub in Detroit," Young said. "We did it yesterday and we've been doing it all year against teams in our division. When we get guys on, we feel like we can win. "They gave us an opportunity with (Adam) Jones getting hit by the pitch. Nelson (Cruz) and (Steve) Pearce came through with base hits, so we had the opportunity." Made it sound simple anyway. But Young...