After putting up six runs in each of their last two games against the Astros, the Nationals managed just three hits in a 3-0 loss to the Braves tonight, pushing Atlanta back to within 1/2 a game of Washington in the National League East and adding to the Nats' issues against their top division rival. Two of the Nats' three hits today were of the extra-base variety. Denard Span doubled with two outs in the sixth and Jayson Werth doubled leading off the seventh. Neither guy went any further...

The Orioles are in New York tonight to open a three-game series against the Yankees, but YES Network analyst Ken Singleton is vacationing with his family in Hawaii. Singleton isn't completely detached from the baseball world. For instance, he knew that right fielder Nick Markakis recently passed him on the Orioles' all-time hits list. Markakis needs 115 more hits to tie Boog Powell for sixth place. "I did see it," Singleton said in a phone interview while, as he described it, gazing at the...

If the Orioles can get their offense going consistently and keep up some of the pitching we've seen recently, maybe they can finally go on a long winning streak or a long stretch where they win a large percentage of their games. That is probably what it is going to take for the club to create some distance above the .500 mark. The most games under .500 the O's were this year was three games twice early in the season. The most games over .500 is six at 20-14 on May 10. The club's longest win...

The much anticipated Nationals versus Braves series is upon us. Atlanta has won five of the first six meetings between the two clubs this year and had held the top spot in the division until a recent downward turn. The Nationals bounced back from a four-game skid to post a pair of 6-5 wins against Houston to begin the homestand. But this is the Braves, and the Nationals have a combined record of 3-10 record against Atlanta and St. Louis this season. Right-hander Jordan Zimmermann allowed a...

Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper completed batting practice Thursday prior to the team's game against the Braves. Harper came out of it with a positive update on his thumb. He has been on the disabled list since April 26 with a left thumb sprain. "I feel good," Harper said. "But still trying to see where my swing's at and trying to get in shape in the outfield. And just trying to feel how I go about everything every single day and try to get a strong as I can." Manager Matt Williams said...

Orioles fans of a variety of ages and abilities will enjoy a week filled with once-in-a-lifetime experiences at the team's 2015 Dream Week. Held at the Orioles' two-site complex in Sarasota, Florida (Ed Smith Stadium and the Buck O'Neil Baseball Complex) from January 25-31, 2015, Dream Week offers participants the full major league treatment, playing daily doubleheader intrasquad games and receiving instruction from former Orioles including Hall of Famer Jim Palmer, Mike Borddicker, Al...

The Nationals will trot a hot pitcher out to the mound for the opener of their four-game series against the Braves. Right-hander Jordan Zimmermann, who will oppose Braves righty and Annapolis native Gavin Floyd, has allowed only one run in his past 26 innings. On the year, Zimmermann is 5-3 with a 2.98 ERA. Here's the Nationals lineup: CF Denard Span 3B Anthony Rendon RF Jayson Werth 1B Adam LaRoche LF Ryan Zimmerman SS Ian Desmond 2B Danny Espinosa C Jose Lobaton RHP Jordan Zimmermann

The Orioles are sending Ubaldo Jimenez to the mound Friday night at Yankee Stadium, and it's been a week since he's thrown a pitch. Jimenez is working on six days rest for the third time this season. Most recently, he tossed seven scoreless innings in Minnesota on May 2, striking out 10, to earn his first win as an Oriole. In his career, Jimenez is 11-10 with a 4.74 ERA in 27 starts with six days or more of rest. The extra rest this season has provided Jimenez with an extra bullpen session...

With the second half starting tonight in the Single-A Carolina League and Single-A South Atlantic League, the Orioles are using this time to move three players up from Delmarva to Frederick. First baseman Trey Mancini, outfielder Mike Yastrzemski and right-hander Jimmy Yacabonis are moving up and will join the Keys for tonight's game at Carolina. Mancini, an eighth-round pick last year out of Notre Dame, is batting .317 for the Shorebirds with 13 doubles, three triples, three homers and 42...

Having scored 289 runs on the season, the Nationals offense ranks eighth in the National League in runs scored. But over their last 20 games, the Nationals offense has kicked it into a different gear. For those games, they've scored 93 runs, or 4.65 runs a game, and have produced a 12-8 record. This scoring outburst also happens to include the series against the Cardinals in which they managed to score a grand total of three runs. The main complaint about the Nationals lately has been their...