It started off with Jim Hunter at Orioles FanFest. Then, along came Tippy Martinez during an O's home game. This season, we're watching our Twitter account (@masnOrioles) be taken right out from under us - but we're more than OK with it! If you're on Twitter, you know that @masnOrioles helps keep you updated on all the latest Orioles news, game updates, MASN giveaways and more. You've probably also seen our Twitter accounts being taken over by different people associated with the Orioles...

Nelson Cruz had the Orioles' first multi-homer game of the 2014 season on Wednesday. It continues a career-long streak for Cruz, who has had at least one multi-homer game in each of his big league seasons. The lone exception, if you can call it that, came in 2005 when he had seven at-bats as part of a late-season call-up with the Brewers. With Wednesday's performance, Cruz's streak of seasons with a multi-homer game has reached nine. Since I had multi-homer games on the brain, I went back...

The Nationals have hit .223 with runners in scoring position thus far this season, ranking 22nd in the majors in that category. They've left 176 runners on base, which leads the National League. The talent is clearly there. The Nats are putting runners on, getting knocks and drawing walks. They had six of their starting position players notch at least two hits last night. For whatever reason, those hits largely just aren't coming with runners in scoring position. "I think we're trying...

The last time Manny Machado played in Frederick, he was playing shortstop and Jonathan Schoop was playing second base. That was in September of 2011 when that duo led a team that used strong pitching and defense to win the Carolina League championship. Machado will be back at Harry Grove Stadium tonight for a 7 p.m. game to begin his minor league rehab assignment. After getting over 30 at-bats in Sarasota, Fla., between simulated and extended spring training games, Machado's comeback ramps up...

The Nationals certainly had opportunities in their 4-3 12-inning loss to the Padres on Thursday. It ended on a hard-hit ball by catcher Jose Lobaton that doubled Bryce Harper off of second base. That play was another example of the many missed scoring chances the Nationals had. "That is the game," Lobaton said. "I was trying to do something better after that error. I was trying to get at least a base hit, move the runner. It was a pretty good line drive, he made a nice play, and that was...

The Nationals sure gave themselves chances. They notched 16 hits, walked twice, and had two stolen bases. The opportunities were there, but the knocks in big situations weren't. The Nats went 0-for-16 with runners in scoring position in tonight's 4-3 loss to the Padres, and left 14 men on base. Jordan Zimmermann went six solid innings and the bullpen was impressive, but the Nats dropped the opener of this four-game set with San Diego. Here's manager Matt Williams after the loss: On if...

Here are a few impressions after the Orioles scored 21 runs the last two nights in back-to-back wins over Toronto, which gave them their first winning road trip since last July 19-25. * The Orioles just completed a 15-game stretch of games against American League East opponents in which they went 9-6, winning three series, losing one and tying one series. That is impressive anytime in this division, but even moreso considering the O's played all that stretch without Manny Machado and six of...

How many Orioles fans are bypassing Camden Yards tonight and heading to Frederick for Manny Machado's first injury rehab game? Machado is scheduled to play nine innings at third base. He won't be babied on this assignment. Machado is expected to spend the entire weekend with the Keys, so plan accordingly. Once Machado was cleared to slide into the bases and play in extended spring training games, the Orioles aimed for him to come off the disabled list in the first week of May. That's...

For the second night in a row, the Toronto Blue Jays hit second-inning homers to put the O's behind early. But for the second night in a row, the Orioles rallied to win at Rogers Centre. Down 3-0 after two innings and 3-2 going to the top of the seventh, the Orioles offense erupted for five runs in the seventh and four in the eighth as they routed Toronto 11-4 tonight. This is the first time the Orioles have scored 10 or more runs in back-to-back games since Aug. 14-15, 2008 at Cleveland and...

Except for Jonathan Schoop's long home run to left field, the Orioles aren't mashing the ball tonight. They're getting on base, taking the extra base and taking the lead against the Blue Jays. David Lough is the poster child for manufacturing runs. He walked in the fifth inning, stole second base, raced to third on a fly ball to left and scored. He doubled with one out in the seventh, stole third base and scored. Oh yeah, and he's playing Gold Glove defense in left field. The Orioles...