The Orioles don't have a game tonight and it has nothing to do with rain. There's an open date on their schedule. Triple-A Norfolk has one, as well, and should savor every second of it. After today, the Tides have one off-day scheduled prior to the All-Star break. They play on 54 of the next 55 days. Heath Bell made his Norfolk debut yesterday and retired the side in order on eight pitches, including six strikes. Fans ask why the Orioles would bother signing Bell, who hasn't really been good...

You have to think Wilson Ramos was trying to make up for lost time on Sunday. Way back on opening day, March 31 in New York against the Mets, the Nationals catcher had only three at-bats before he was removed with a hand injury. That hand injury turned out to be a fractured hamate bone in his left hand. Ramos missed 32 games. On Sunday, in only his eighth game since returning from injury, Ramos had a big day at the plate against those very same Mets. Ramos had a two-run double in the third and...

The Nationals won a ballgame today and then got some good news on starter Gio Gonzalez. Gonzalez does not have any structural damage to his injured left shoulder, according to manager Matt Williams. An MRI taken today revealed that Gonzalez merely has inflammation in the shoulder, which will lead to Gonzalez needing some time to rest. The left-hander was placed on the 15-day disabled list earlier today. "He'll be shut down for four or five days," Williams said. "No throwing, no nothing....

Alex Gordon began today with just one homer on the year in 160 at-bats. The Orioles began the game with an ERA of 0.69 in the first three games of this series. Ubaldo Jimenez had allowed one run in three starts this month. That all changed in the fifth inning this afternoon. Gordon hit the first of his two three-run homers today as Kansas City came from trailing by two runs to beat the Orioles 8-6. Trailing 8-3 in the ninth inning, Adam Jones hit a three-run homer to bring the Orioles within...

Start with playing on Sundays. What is it with the Orioles and Sundays? In the past, it could be traced to managers playing seldom-used reserves while resting certain regulars. Matt Wieters always seemed to sit on that day. That's not necessarily the case anymore, though Wieters has no choice while being on the disabled list. Doesn't matter who's in the lineup. The last day of the weekend brings the same old result. The Orioles lost five of their six Sunday games before today and they...

James Shields didn't flirt with perfection. Not even a wink. The Orioles didn't get their first baserunner off Royals left-hander Danny Duffy last night until Adam Jones singled with two outs in the top of the seventh inning. Shields retired the first six Orioles today before J.J. Hardy singled leading off the top of the third. That won't get your face slapped. David Lough singled, Jonathan Schoop reached on a bunt single and Nick Markakis delivered two runs with a single into right...

Ian Desmond led off the bottom of the second inning with a homer to left, pulling the Nationals into a 1-1 tie with the Mets. Those early-season plate woes may finally be turning for the Nats shortstop. In his last seven games, Desmond is 8-for-23 (.348) with a triple, three homers and eight RBIs. That kind of punch comes in handy when you're missing the likes of Ryan Zimmerman, Adam LaRoche and Bryce Harper. The Mets took a 1-0 lead against Jordan Zimmermann in the top of the inning. Lucas...

Can the Orioles get their bats going today at Kansas City? We keep waiting. The Orioles have scored just six runs in this series, just 15 over their past seven games and just 39 over the last 14 games. In six games on the season against Kansas City pitching, the Orioles are batting .205 with 12 runs scored. They are 4-for-27 (.148) with runners in scoring position and have drawn just nine walks compared to 48 strikeouts. But their pitching has been outstanding in this series. The Orioles have...

Remember last night, when Matt Williams said there was nothing physically wrong with left-hander Gio Gonzalez, who sounded as if he was contradicting his manager by saying he just had to pitch through an unspecified issue? Well, chalk one up for Gonzalez, who this morning was placed on the 15-day disabled list for the first time in his career. The problem: left shoulder inflammation. Since joining the Nats in 2012, Gonzalez's 35 victories are tied for the most in the majors by a southpaw with...

In 17 games this month, the Orioles rank third in the majors with a 3.02 ERA and a 2.87 starter ERA. Now, if they could start scoring some runs... The Orioles lost their first 1-0 game last night since Sept. 20, 2008 in the Bronx. It was their first 1-0 game since Oct. 2, 2012 at Tropicana Field, when Chris Davis homered off James Shields, who struck out 15 batters. Shields starts today for the Royals. The last time the Orioles lost a 1-0 game when the first batter of the game scored was...