CINCINNATI - With the Nationals facing another right-handed starter today, Matt Williams isn't using either of his switch-hitting options at second base. Instead, right-handed-hitting Kevin Frandsen gets the start at second with the Nats taking on Reds righty Johnny Cueto. Zach Walters started at second base yesterday against a righty, going 1-for-4 with an RBI double, and Danny Espinosa also could give the Nats a left-handed bat in the lineup today because of his switch-hitting ability. But...

Orioles starters keep raising the bar. Now it's Bud Norris' turn to give it a bump. In 41 games since June 9, the rotation has posted a 3.08 ERA over 248 2/3 innings to reduce its season ERA from 4.61 to 3.97. The starters combined for 18 consecutive scoreless innings before the Mariners pushed across a run in the sixth inning last night. Until James Jones's two-out single in the bottom of the fifth inning last night, Orioles pitchers had held the Angels and Mariners hitless in 24...

CINCINNATI - I love stories about athletes who seemingly came out of nowhere, players who didn't break into the pros as heralded, hyped prospects but who worked hard and maximized their ability. Tanner Roark could certainly fit into that group. And his journey over the past few years continues to look cooler with each passing start. You've heard it all by now plenty of times. Roark came to the Nationals as one piece of the Cristian Guzman deal in 2010. He lost 17 games at Triple-A Syracuse...

The Orioles did not pin a loss on Felix Hernandez's record last night but they did beat the Mariners in a game that he started and pitched very well. Seattle had won five in a row with Hernandez on the mound, and they were 13-2 in his last 15 starts before last night's 2-1 loss in 10 innings. It is very impressive that the Mariners started Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma in back-to-back games and lost both. The Orioles have stepped up their game, going 5-3 on this tough West Coast trip....

The pitching match-up between right-handers Kevin Gausman and Felix Hernandez lived up to the hype. So did the Orioles' play this year in extra innings. Chris Davis led off the 10th with a homer to right field off left-hander Charlie Furbush to snap the 1-1 tie as the Orioles beat Seattle 2-1 in 10 innings. The game ended on a replay review. Zach Britton fielded Robinson Cano's dribbler and threw high and wide toward first base. Cano was called safe, but replay showed first baseman Davis had...

While still waiting for Endy Chavez to reach home plate... As I recall, the current West Coast trip was supposed to make or break the Orioles. Well, they're 5-3 after last night's 10-inning victory, moving them a season-high 12 games above .500. The Orioles have two games remaining before taking off Monday and returning to Camden Yards - you may remember the place - for series against the Angels and Mariners. You may remember those opponents. Bud Norris takes the ball today for the second...

CINCINNATI - Tanner Roark keeps on grooving. And so do the Nationals as a whole. Roark worked seven strong innings tonight, allowing just one run, picking up his 10th win of the year and dropping his ERA to 2.82 on the season, and the Nats picked up a 4-1 win in the opener of this three-game set with the slumping Reds. Denard Span had four hits, a run scored, an RBI and a stolen base to pace an offensive performance that saw the Nats pound out 12 hits. This was the eighth straight game...

Well, we sure have an interesting pitching matchup in Seattle tonight. The Orioles' Kevin Gausman (4-3, 4.04 ERA) faces the Mariners' Felix Hernandez (11-2, 2.02 ERA). Hernandez won the 2010 American League Cy Young Award and may be on his way to another one. He leads the AL in ERA and quality starts (19). He ranks second in innings (151 1/3), strikeouts (163) and WHIP (0.90). He is third with a .197 average against and tied for third in the AL in victories. As good as King Felix has been...

The Nationals managed only a Denard Span home run in their last meeting with Reds right-hander Alfredo Simon. In the first inning Friday night, the Nationals managed an Anthony Rendon single and Jayson Werth was hit by a pitch. With one out, the Nationals had men on first and second. But Adam LaRoche struck out and Ian Desmond grounded out to second. But at least they made Simon work in that first inning. Simon, who had been a reliever for most of his career, is starting exclusively this...

The Nationals get back to work after the off-day, starting a brutal stretch where they play 17 straight days and 33 of 34. And they'll have to go through at least a good chunk of that without third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who went on the disabled list with a hamstring injury on Wednesday. Manager Matt Williams had nothing new about the timetable for Zimmerman's return before Friday's series opener at the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. "It's really early. His plan right now is...