Right-hander Steve Johnson is headed to Triple-A Norfolk today and will start Wednesday night against the Toledo Mud Hens at Harbor Park. Johnson has been on the disabled list with shoulder tendinitis. He's made one start with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Orioles and three with short-season Single-A Aberdeen, never going more than three innings. Johnson will remain on a strict pitch count Wednesday night, likely topping out at 50. In his most recent start with Aberdeen, Johnson allowed...

It was immediately evident when Bryce Harper hopped into the batting cage at Nationals Park yesterday afternoon that the 21-year-old had made some changes to his stance since we last saw him prior to the All-Star break. Harper was standing taller, without much knee-bend at all, and didn't have his hands perched up behind his head like he typically does. I thought that it looked similar to the stance that Steve Lombardozzi used during his time with the Nationals, and others compared it to one...

Well, some Orioles fans may be waking up this morning still feeling that gut punch from just after midnight. The Oakland A's entered the last of the ninth behind 4-2 and Zach Britton came on. He entered with an ERA of 1.30 and was riding a 10-inning scoreless streak. But an impressive win turned into a tough loss in a span of six pitches. Yoenis Cespedes came up with an infield single on an 0-2 pitch. Brandon Moss blooped a single on a 1-0 pitch. Josh Donaldson hit a walk-off three-run homer...

The Orioles opened the second half of their season last night - not the mathematical one, but the one dictated by their schedule - with a rotation that accounted for 543 1/3 innings, the fewest for any team with a winning record. The starters' 4.09 ERA ranked 23rd in the majors and 11th in the American League. Yes, there's been a surge. Before last night, the rotation had posted a 3.18 ERA in 33 games since June 9. Chris Tillman allowed two runs in 6 2/3 innings last night and has notched...

What looked like an impressive win rapidly turned into a stunning loss in the bottom of the ninth inning. Down 4-2 when the inning began, Josh Donaldson hit a three-run, walk-off homer off Zach Britton as the A's stunned the Orioles 5-4 in the series and road trip opener. The Orioles had taken a 4-2 lead on Manny Machado's two-run homer in the top of the seventh. Britton came on to start the ninth and Yoenis Cespedes reached on an infield single to third. Brandon Moss followed with a bloop...

For those of you keeping score at home, Oakland pitchers have hit three Orioles in tonight's game. Starter Jeff Samardzija nailed Caleb Joseph and J.J. Hardy, the latter taking a shot to the back of the helmet. Not to be outdone, reliever Ryan Cook hit Adam Jones on the left shoulder in the top of the eighth inning, the ball coming dangerously close to the face. I'm not suggesting that the pitches were intentional, but that's not going to make the Orioles feel much better. Factor in...

Right-hander Stephen Strasburg took the 4-2 loss Friday night against the Brewers. Two early home runs by Scooter Gennett and Khris Davis set the tone. But a two-out walk turned into a huge play in the game. It came in the third, with Milwaukee already leading 2-0. Strasburg had set down Kyle Lohse and Carlos Gomez to begin the inning. But it only took four pitches to get Gennett on base. Ryan Braun followed with a double. Aramis Ramirez then blooped a single down the right field line that...

This was a bit of a strange ballgame from the get-go. We had a weird umpire ruling in the bottom of the first when Denard Span was called out for unintentional defensive interference and Anthony Rendon was allowed to take first base despite being thrown out on the play. We had two Nationals relievers get the laces dangling off the gloves trimmed by head trainer Lee Kuntz at the directive of the umpires. We had Stephen Strasburg striking out nine and walking just one, but still allowing seven...

Double-A Bowie was being no-hit for eight innings tonight by Altoona's Adrian Sampson before Mike Yastrzemski doubled with one out in the ninth - his fifth hit in two games with the Baysox. First baseman Christian Walker picked up his first Triple-A hit tonight in his second game with Norfolk. He drew three walks last night. Single-A Frederick's Parker Bridwell allowed one run and four hits in seven-plus innings. Hunter Harvey allowed one run and two hits in five innings for Single-A...

Right-hander Stephen Strasburg allowed a grand slam to Scooter Gennett and another home run to Khris Davis on June 25 in a 9-2 Brewers victory over the Nationals. Fast forward to July 18, Strasburg allowed early home runs to Gennett and Davis and the Brewers lead 2-0 over the Nationals after 1 1/2 innings. The Brewers can hit home runs. Six of their starting nine had nine or more home runs this season before first pitch. Now Gennett has eight. The Nationals got called for a peculiar out in...