Shortstop J.J. Hardy is batting sixth tonight in his return to the Orioles lineup after being sidelined by a spasm in his lower back. David Lough is starting in center field and Adam Jones is serving as the designated hitter. Last night, Nick Markakis was given some rest by being the DH. Kelly Johnson will start at third base tonight. For the Orioles Nick Markakis RF David Lough CF Adam Jones DH Nelson Cruz LF Chris Davis 1B J.J. Hardy SS Kelly Johnson 3B Caleb Joseph C Jonathan Schoop...

Ryan Zimmerman is continuing the strengthening phase of his recovery from a torn right hamstring, and Nationals manager Matt Williams said Wednesday that the team would re-evaluate the next steps in the process once they return to D.C. on Friday for a six-game homestand against Philadelphia and Atlanta. "The last MRI was good," Williams told reporters in Los Angeles before the Nats faced the Dodgers in the finale of a three-game series. "He's continuing his strengthening. He's jogging and...

LOS ANGELES - That sore back will cost Nationals first baseman Adam LaRoche his second consecutive start. Tyler Moore is at first base for the finale of a three-game series at Dodger Stadium. LaRoche's absence means shortstop Ian Desmond moves to the cleanup spot, with left fielder Bryce Harper hitting fifth. The Nats are hoping to take the series from the Dodgers, who are in first place in the National League West, and improve to 4-5 on their current road swing. For the Nationals CF Denard...

LOS ANGELES - Over the last few weeks, Bryce Harper has looked more like the guy he expects to be and the world expects to see. After missing two months with a torn ligament in his thumb, the Nationals cautioned that Harper wouldn't return and be full-go right out of the gates. He needed a bit to get his timing back, to get his body back in gear and to regain strength in his hand. Looks like that process is coming along nicely. Over his last 23 games, Harper is batting .310/.352/.571. And over...

When you've got a team like the Nationals, who started in 2005 and didn't really start getting good until 2012, team storylines tend to take on a life of their own. If a team isn't losing, that's one topic of conversation. If a team is so bad that there players are laughable, that's another. But throughout the Nats' time, they dug their way out of the gutter and become a feel-good story of sorts. In 2005, when Ryan Zimmerman was called up, he became a story. His prowess down the line,...

As each week passes by, I can't help but feel increasingly excited and more confident about what awaits this magical Orioles team. As is so often the case when your team has held a division lead for a significant period of time, the pessimist inside can't help but worry that they could slip up down the stretch and allow the unthinkable to occur. At the conclusion of play last Wednesday night, the Orioles held a six-game division lead over the Yankees - a figure that had shrunk from a...

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,...