Orioles manager Buck Showalter is keeping Steve Pearce's hot bat and mitt in the lineup as his club opens a three-game series tonight against the Astros at Camden Yards. Pearce homered twice at Tropicana Field, the second time he's hit two in the same series in his major league career. It also happened Sept. 23-25, 2008 in Milwaukee while playing for the Pirates. Nick Markakis is batting .328 (20-for-61) during a 15-game hitting streak. He's four games shy of tying his career high set in...

SAN FRANCISCO - Good morning from the West Coast, where it's been cool and drizzly for most of the last 24 hours. The Nationals flew here after Wednesday's game in order to give them time to get acclimated to the Bay Area and the time change. It would have been great to get yesterday's off-day back at home, but a day off in San Francisco ain't half bad, either. Tonight, it's back to business. Doug Fister will take the mound for his Nationals debut, while the Athletics will send former Nats...

Single-A Frederick right-hander Matt Hobgood is seeing a doctor today after leaving his relief outing last night with shoulder tightness and stiffness. The Orioles' 2009 first-round draft pick came on to pitch in the sixth inning against Winston-Salem, gave up a single and then got a strikeout before leaving the game. After pitching at a velocity between 92 and 95 mph most of this season, his fastball was only touching as high as 88 mph last night. "He just felt some stiffness in his shoulder...

Goodbye dateline, hello homestand. The Orioles should make it through the day without a roster move unless manager Buck Showalter suddenly grows tired of having four southpaws in his seven-man bullpen, which I still envision to be an issue at some point. Showalter had to use Ryan Webb and Darren O'Day last night. He doesn't want to do it, but circumstances will force his hand. In honor of the NFL draft, we'll refer to the duo as need picks in a 3-1 win. The bullpen allowed only one run in 10...

The Washington Nationals are looking to grow their fan base this Mother's Day, May 11. In partnership with MedStar Health, the Nationals will provide each family of babies born on Mother's Day in MedStar Health Hospitals serving the Washington, D.C., region a baseball-themed gift bag--containing a Nationals-branded onesie and bucket hat for the newborn baby, as well as baseballs caps for new moms and dads. MedStar is the official medical partner of the Washington Nationals, and Mother's...

Gio Gonzalez said this winter that he was a "big, big fan of Doug Fister." The acquisition of the 6-foot-8 right-hander, according to Gonzalez, was like "knowing that you just got the brand-new car you wanted for Christmas." "For me," Gonzalez said, "when you've got someone with that kind of presence, he's going to set the tone in the fourth spot, fifth spot, first spot, second spot. It doesn't matter where he is in that rotation. He's just going to be to us an ace." Ross Detwiler,...

Getting a knot in your stomach while watching your team's closer, like tying your shoes, quickly becomes second nature. Orioles closer Tommy Hunter has had my insides tangled from day one of the 2014 season. This week's series with the Rays was particularly challenging. In two innings pitched, Hunter faced 12 batters and allowed four hits, two walks and one run. He left the bases loaded in a two-run victory on Tuesday and stranded runners on first and third in a one-run victory on Wednesday....

First baseman Adam LaRoche delivered one of the biggest hits of Wednesday's 3-2 won over the Dodgers, but then had trouble moving around the bases. LaRoche was unable to score from first following a long double. This was a clear sign that he can hit with his very sore quad, but he can't run as fast as he would like. It also bothers other parts of his game. "That is another frustrating thing part there," LaRoche said. "It obviously hinders me on the base paths. It is tough to move...

Tommy Hunter had pitched in five of the last seven games and Zach Britton had pitched in three in a row. Even without two of their key bullpen arms, the O's relievers did a great job in closing out that game last night. Ryan Webb, Brian Matusz and Darren O'Day pitched the final 3 2/3 innings without allowing a run and giving up just two hits. Both hits came off O'Day to start the last of the ninth, but three quick outs followed over the next six pitches and the sweep was secured. The O's...

TAMPA - I'm filing this morning's blog entry from the Tampa Airport Marriott before boarding my flight home. It's a tradition of sorts. Turn in the rental car the previous night, check into a room, get a few hours sleep and stumble to my gate. Showering is optional. It's one way to make certain that the middle seat remains unoccupied. Manager Buck Showalter kept wondering why last night's game wasn't played in the daytime, since the Orioles would be traveling after the final out. It's an...