Losing 8-0 is never fun. But getting Ross Detwiler some extended work is a promising sign. Doug Fister struggled in his first start for the Nationals, surrendering seven runs, five of them earned runs, in 4 1/3 innings. Detwiler had a very difficult May 6 against the Dodgers, giving up four runs on three hits himself, over one inning. But Friday he was able to hang in there, getting out of the fifth inning for Fister. Detwiler went 2 1/3 frames, scattering three hits, one hit batter, striking...

OAKLAND - The good news is that Doug Fister seemingly made it out of his first start back off the disabled list in good shape from a physical standpoint. The not-so-good news is that Fister was hit around in his Nationals debut, and the Nats dropped an 8-0 ballgame to the Athletics in the opener of this three-game set. Fister allowed seven runs (five earned) on nine hits over 4 1/3 innings. He struck out two, walked none and allowed three home runs, tying for the most homers he's ever...

Chris Davis will report to Double-A Bowie on a rehab assignment for the second time in his career. Davis also played two rehab games in September 2011, going 3-for-6 with a double. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to qualify for the Eastern League All-Star team. It's conceivable that the Orioles will activate Davis from the disabled list on Sunday, the first day that he's eligible. Otherwise, he should be back in the lineup by Monday. Who would have imagined such an early return after his...

Watching Manny Machado, LJ Hoes and Jonathan Schoop all play in the same game last night, I could have been easily confused and thought I was watching a game at Single-A Frederick or Double-A Bowie. But this was Baltimore, this was the big leagues, and those O's developed players all had good moments in the game last night. Schoop's single put the Orioles ahead in the seventh. Schoop has four RBIs his last three games. When he bats eighth, Schoop is hitting just .146 but as the No. 9 hitter...

A lot of Orioles came through tonight in a 4-3 win over Houston. That included 22-year-old rookie second baseman Jonathan Schoop. His two-out single in the seventh broke a 2-2 tie and was a clutch hit for the Orioles. "Just was looking for a pitch I could hit to put us on top," Schoop said. "Think it was a fastball or a cutter. I was ready for it and drove it up the middle. "I am trying to be more relaxed if I can and don't try to do too much. Go up there, look for your pitch and hit...

Doug Fister was in line to start his Nationals debut with an easy first inning - that is, when nerves, enthusiasm or whatever other emotion he took into tonight's contest appeared to get in the way. Fister got John Jaso and Jed Lowrie to fly out to start the game before Josh Donaldson singled back to the pitcher. Fister didn't eat the grounder or make a safe throw to first. He fired wide of the bag and up the right field line, awarding Donaldson an additional two bases on the error. Brandon...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter laid out the plan for Chris Davis, who will play first base and bat second Saturday night at Double-A Bowie in his first injury rehab game. He's expected to go seven to nine innings. "I don't want him hitting leadoff and I don't want him to have the problem of getting enough at-bats before he may or may not come out of the game," Showalter said. Showalter said Davis could serve as Bowie's designated hitter on Sunday, but they will meet after Saturday's game...

Adam LaRoche has been hampered by a strained quad for a couple of weeks now, and the latest indication that it isn't better yet came Friday when the Nationals started their sure-handed first baseman as the designated hitter in Oakland. LaRoche said he sees it trending in the right direction, but he's not surprised it has stuck around this long. "If it wasn't (getting better), I'd probably try something different and it's day-to-day. Some days, I'll move a lot more on it and it's way...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter was talking about the clutch nature of two-out, run-scoring hits before tonight's game. Then his team went out and came up with a couple of big ones to lead the O's past Houston 4-3 tonight in front of 28,875 at Camden Yards. After Houston tied the game 2-2 in the top of the seventh, the O's untied it off reliever Jerome Williams in the bottom half. J.J. Hardy led off the frame with a double and was at third with two outs. Then Jonathan Schoop lined a sharp...

For the first time this season, the Nationals rotation is just as they drew it up. Right-hander Doug Fister will make his first start since the Dec. 2 trade that brought him to Washington from Detroit, having overcome elbow inflammation and a lat injury that sidelined him for the first month of the season. Manager Matt Williams expressed excitement to have Fister healthy - and rightfully so - when talking to the media at O.co Coliseum in Oakland before tonight's game. "It's good for him,...