Orioles third baseman Manny Machado is out of the lineup today for a second consecutive game due to a strained right groin. J.J. Hardy is batting second today. Jonathan Schoop moves down to ninth. David Lough is on the bench. Nelson Cruz gets the start in left field while Delmon Young serves as the designated hitter. For the Orioles Nick Markakis RF J.J. Hardy SS Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Nelson Cruz LF Steve Clevenger C Delmon Young DH Ryan Flaherty 3B Jonathan Schoop 2B Ubaldo Jimenez...

The low Single-A Hagerstown Suns have now placed a "to be determined" for Sunday's starting pitcher against Asheville. Previously, Nick Pivetta was in that spot, but he was placed on the disabled list Friday. Pivetta is 7-2 with a 3.27 ERA. Nationals top pitching prospect Lucas Giolito, who hasn't pitched in a game since May 11, is a candidate for Sunday's start. Monday's pitching probable is also listed as "TBD", so that could also be Giolito's turn. The Nationals told me they are...

Orioles right-hander Darren O'Day and his wife Elizabeth are hosting a barbecue at Camden Yards before Sunday's game and proceeds are going to benefit the USO. Net proceeds raised through this event will go directly to USO programs that support deployed troops, military families, wounded, ill and injured troops, as well as their caregivers and families of the fallen. O'Day provided some background on how he came to be involved with the event. "Last summer, my wife told me about the USO...

PITTSBURGH - There's no doubt the Nationals have hit a rough stretch from an offensive perspective. Denard Span has actually gotten hot of late, and he added two hits (including a double) today, but he addressed his team's overall struggles with runners in scoring position lately. "We could do better," Span said. "We definitely could do better with guys in scoring position. You look up at the scoreboard, the number of guys left on base is very high. So we could definitely do better. But...

PITTSBURGH - The Nationals have now dropped three in a row and four of their last five. It's not for a lack of scoring opportunities, that's for sure. The Nats had eight hits and drew six walks tonight. They had chances. They just couldn't come through enough times and dropped a 4-3 ballgame to the Pirates. The makings of another late-game comeback were there, as the Nats scored once in the sixth and twice in the eighth to cut a 4-0 deficit to 4-3. But Ian Desmond's drive to the wall in...

We have an early game today. Don't become confused and think it's Sunday. Ubaldo Jimenez has never faced the Indians or Rockies, his two former teams. He's 0-3 with a 4.81 ERA in four home starts this season. The Indians are starting right-hander Corey Kluber, which could return Ryan Flaherty to second base unless Manny Machado sits out another game with his strained right groin. Otherwise, Jonathan Schoop remains at second base and Flaherty starts at third. Schoop went 0-for-5 last night...

Here are some clubhouse quotes after the Orioles beat Cleveland 8-4 tonight. The Orioles have scored 38 runs on 63 hits with 13 doubles and 10 homers over the last five games. Chris Davis on the offense and his hot bat lately: "I think it was just a matter of time. We've been doing a good job of stringing good at-bats together lately and scoring some runs. I'm proud of the guys and the way they battled. "I think I'm just putting together better at-bats. Early in the year, I felt like I...

The Orioles won tonight for only the second time in their last six games, again relying on an offense that's doing some major damage. Six runs or more in the last five games. Twelve hits or more in the last five games. Nick Markakis registered his first four-hit game of the season to raise his average to .306. He ranks eighth on the club's all-time hits list with 1,429. Brian Roberts is seventh with 1,452. "Nick's one of those guys that you only really miss him when he's gone, when...

Chris Davis continued his four-game run of torrid hitting tonight with a two-run double and two-run homer as the Orioles beat Cleveland 8-4 to even this series at a win each. The Orioles finished with 14 hits and now have recorded five straight games of 12 or more for the first time since they had a club-record seven in a row from May 26-June 1, 2004. The Orioles have scored 38 runs their last five games. A crowd of 39,602 looked on as the Orioles moved to 24-22 and avoided falling back to...

Anyone still worried about Chris Davis? The Orioles first baseman has two hits tonight - a two-run double in the third inning and a two-run homer in the fifth that gave the Orioles a 5-4 lead. Indians rookie T.J. House could use some insurance against the type of damage inflicted by Davis. He's not alone. Davis is 8-for-16 with four home runs and 10 RBIs in his last four games. He hit three homers off three different Pirates pitchers on Tuesday. Beast mode. The Indians took a 4-3 lead in...