Orioles pitching rehab coordinator Scott McGregor left Baltimore today and is headed to Sarasota, Fla., to watch reliever Jim Johnson throw a bullpen session Monday at the Ed Smith Stadium complex. Johnson, who lives in Sarasota, is free to sign with any team after the Athletics released him over the weekend. Manager Buck Showalter spoke of the Orioles' interest in Johnson and the former closer's solid relationship with McGregor, who spent the past two days filling in as pitching coach...

Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg appeared in control throughout, tossing seven scoreless innings in a 4-0 shutout of the Phillies. Strasburg allowed just three hits, one walk and struck out 10 batters. It was the first time he struck out 10 or more hitters since his June 4 win over the Phillies (11). "Yeah, just trying to get better, working on some things with (pitching coach Steve McCatty) in the bullpen," Strasburg said. "Just getting more comfortable." What did you work on...

Nick Markakis supplied an answer you would expect today when he was asked about reaching 1,500 career hits. He noted the achievement, but the win meant more. "It's pretty cool," Markakis said. "Lot of hard work, time and dedication and it pays off, but I don't look at things like that. The scoreboard is the main outcome. We won whether I got no hits or three hits, it's a victory." It was the first time in club history that the Orioles won a 1-0 game on a leadoff homer. It was the 28th...

The Orioles were supposed to be off today. So why am I driving to D.C. again and parking in a sketchy lot? Blame it on the rain. The Orioles and Nationals are playing a makeup game caused by a July 8 postponement. It's not a fair trade-off, since everyone drove to D.C. that night and waited out a delay that lasted approximately 72 hours. Felt like work. Anyway, Kevin Gausman is 1-1 with a 2.86 ERA in four road starts this season. His only career start against the Nationals ended poorly....

Last night, the Nationals pounded out 11 runs and cruised to a shutout win over the Phillies. Today, the shutout victory came a little tougher. Stephen Strasburg and Cole Hamels battled it out in the finale of this four-game set, each going seven strong innings and combining to allow just one run (which was unearned). Luckily for the Nats, that run was theirs, and they added three more in the bottom of the eighth to turn a tight ballgame into a fairly comfortable 4-0 win. With the win, the...

With the Blue Jays losing today in Houston, the Orioles now lead the American League East by 3 1/2 games. The Orioles improved to 43-10 when they score first, their .811 winning percentage leading the majors. Today marked the first time in club history that the Orioles won 1-0 on a leadoff home run. Nick Markakis reached the flag court in right field on the sixth pitch from Mariners starter Hisashi Iwakuma. Manager Buck Showalter can't recall winning a game after his first batter...

Given just one run to work with today, Chris Tillman made it stand up, once again beating the team that drafted him in the second round in 2006. Tillman pitched seven scoreless innings as the Orioles edged Seattle 1-0 this afternoon on a Nick Markakis leadoff homer in the first inning. It is the first time in club history that the Orioles won 1-0 on a leadoff home run. In winning for the seventh time in 10 games and the 20th time in 29 games, the Orioles concluded a 4-2 homestand and...

Had Chris Tillman been removed from today's game in the middle of an inning, he would have received a standing ovation on his walk to the dugout. Instead, Tillman will have to settle for the high praise coming from his manager and teammates following the game. Tillman shut out the Mariners on four hits over seven innings, with no walks and six strikeouts. He was removed after 101 pitches, 65 for strikes. Tillman retired 14 in a row before Kendrys Morales led off the seventh with a single....

The two San Diego County natives square off again Sunday in D.C. as left-hander Cole Hamels faces right-hander Stephen Strasburg. It is their fourth meeting. Strasburg holds a 1.37 ERA in games against Hamels, and is 1-0 with two no decisions. Strasburg was rolling in the first two innings, recording four strikeouts. The Phillies' lone hit in three frames was a Cody Asche single. The Nationals went 1-2-3 in the first and second innings against Hamels. But Jose Lobaton reached on a fielding...

The Orioles have officially optioned reliever Ryan Webb to Triple-A Norfolk. Webb was designated off the 25-man roster on Friday to make room for left-hander Andrew Miller. Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis needs one more hit to reach 1,500 for his career. His latest should have counted as two. Markakis almost deposited a Hisashi Iwakuma pitch onto Eutaw Street today, the ball landing on the back of the flag court in right field to give the Orioles a quick 1-0 lead over the...