Heading into the final series of the season with the Atlanta Braves last September, the Nationals were 4-12 against their National League East rivals, with an 0-6 record against the eventual division winners in games played at home in the nation's capital. Then-Nats skipper Davey Johnson was determined to send the Braves a message at the end of a fairly contentious, season-spanning battle between the two teams which saw several players hit with pitches intentional and questionable, ejections...

Manager: Joe Girardi, seventh year Record: 38-33 Last 10 games: 7-3 Who to watch: 1B Mark Teixeira (.250/.367/.460, 11 HR, 33 RBIs); CF Jacoby Ellsbury (.279/.346/.396, 21 XBH, 31 RBIs, 20 SB); C Brian McCann (.223/.288/.367, 8 HR, 33 RBIs); RHP Masahiro Tanaka (11-1, 1.99 ERA, 0.95 WHIP) Season series vs. O's: 1-2, 13 runs scored, 21 runs allowed Pitching probables June 20: Hiroki Kuroda vs. Ubaldo Jimenez, 7 p.m., MASN HD June 21: Vidal Nuno vs. Bud Norris, 1 p.m., MASN HD June 22:...

The Nationals came into this four-game series against the Braves having won 12 of their last 16 games. They sent Jordan Zimmermann, a guy who had allowed just one run in his last 26 innings, to the mound last night. The Braves entered the series losers of 13 of their previous 21. They had just gotten swept by the Phillies in Atlanta, and were playing last night's game without left fielder Justin Upton, who didn't start because of dizziness. Even though a number of factors seemed to be in...

The Nationals lost their sixth game in seven attempts against the Braves on Thursday, a 3-0 shutout at Nationals Park. First baseman Adam LaRoche does not know the answer as to why Atlanta has had the Nationals' number recently, besides the obvious of playing a little better baseball at the right time. "I don't know what it is," LaRoche said. "You got to think losing that many games it's not all coincidence. They play us tough, you know, plain and simple. They come up with some big...

After putting up six runs in each of their last two games against the Astros, the Nationals managed just three hits in a 3-0 loss to the Braves tonight, pushing Atlanta back to within 1/2 a game of Washington in the National League East and adding to the Nats' issues against their top division rival. Two of the Nats' three hits today were of the extra-base variety. Denard Span doubled with two outs in the sixth and Jayson Werth doubled leading off the seventh. Neither guy went any further...

The Orioles are in New York tonight to open a three-game series against the Yankees, but YES Network analyst Ken Singleton is vacationing with his family in Hawaii. Singleton isn't completely detached from the baseball world. For instance, he knew that right fielder Nick Markakis recently passed him on the Orioles' all-time hits list. Markakis needs 115 more hits to tie Boog Powell for sixth place. "I did see it," Singleton said in a phone interview while, as he described it, gazing at the...

If the Orioles can get their offense going consistently and keep up some of the pitching we've seen recently, maybe they can finally go on a long winning streak or a long stretch where they win a large percentage of their games. That is probably what it is going to take for the club to create some distance above the .500 mark. The most games under .500 the O's were this year was three games twice early in the season. The most games over .500 is six at 20-14 on May 10. The club's longest win...

The much anticipated Nationals versus Braves series is upon us. Atlanta has won five of the first six meetings between the two clubs this year and had held the top spot in the division until a recent downward turn. The Nationals bounced back from a four-game skid to post a pair of 6-5 wins against Houston to begin the homestand. But this is the Braves, and the Nationals have a combined record of 3-10 record against Atlanta and St. Louis this season. Right-hander Jordan Zimmermann allowed a...

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper completed batting practice Thursday prior to the team's game against the Braves. Harper came out of it with a positive update on his thumb. He has been on the disabled list since April 26 with a left thumb sprain. "I feel good," Harper said. "But still trying to see where my swing's at and trying to get in shape in the outfield. And just trying to feel how I go about everything every single day and try to get a strong as I can." Manager Matt Williams said...

Orioles fans of a variety of ages and abilities will enjoy a week filled with once-in-a-lifetime experiences at the team's 2015 Dream Week. Held at the Orioles' two-site complex in Sarasota, Florida (Ed Smith Stadium and the Buck O'Neil Baseball Complex) from January 25-31, 2015, Dream Week offers participants the full major league treatment, playing daily doubleheader intrasquad games and receiving instruction from former Orioles including Hall of Famer Jim Palmer, Mike Borddicker, Al...