The Nationals have allowed three runs or more in 10 of their 42 games this season. Yes, 10 of their 42. I'm sure that's both shocking and frustrating to manager Matt Williams and company. What can be done to fix it? Well, the Nats say that they've gone back and looked at how their starters are warming up compared to previous years. They've studied the number of pitches their starters have thrown in the bullpen. They've looked at how their starters are getting loose before an outing. And...

The Orioles have been held to two runs or fewer in five of their last seven games, which tends to put more pressure on their starting pitchers. Such a small margin for error. It may not matter to Ubaldo Jimenez, who has been a completely different pitcher this month. He's no longer coming up small. Jimenez was 0-4 with a 6.59 ERA in five starts in April, with 17 walks and 21 strikeouts in 27 1/3 innings. Opponents batted .300 against him. Check out what he's done in May. Jimenez is 2-0 with a...

I'll continue to insist that I don't possess the powers to jinx anyone or anything, but as soon as I tweeted tonight that the Orioles didn't have a baserunner through the sixth inning against the Royals, Adam Jones singled up the middle to destroy Danny Duffy's bid for a perfect game. Pure coincidence, but also uncanny. I take a night off and the Orioles almost became a part of history. Duffy, making only his third start this season, retired the first 20 batters. It started to get real...

It took awhile in this 2014 season, but left-hander Troy Patton once again seems to be a key member of the Orioles bullpen. Suspended for the season's first 25 games after testing positive for an amphetamine in violation of Major League Baseball's joint drug prevention and treatment program, Patton finally made it on the roster on May 1. Since he gave up a run in 1/3 of an inning in his first appearance, he has thrown 4 2/3 scoreless innings over six games, giving up just two hits. Opposing...

Danny Duffy took a perfect game into the seventh inning tonight as the left-hander pitched Kansas City to a 1-0 win over the Orioles at Kauffman Stadium. This was the Orioles' first 1-0 loss since Sept. 20, 2008 against the Yankees in New York. They were held to a season-low three hits. The Orioles had a chance against Royals closer Greg Holland in the ninth. With one out, Manny Machado singled, sending Nick Markakis, who had walked, to third base. But Holland struck out Adam Jones for the...

Over his last two outings, spanning just 7 1/3 innings, Gio Gonzalez has allowed 12 runs on 16 hits. Not what we're used to seeing from the Nationals left-hander. Gonzalez gave up five runs over three innings today against the Mets, taking his second straight loss and watching his ERA balloon to 4.62 in the Nats' 5-2 defeat. He allowed three runs in the first in a 37-pitch frame, then gave up a two-run homer to Juan Lagares in the third that provided the crucial cushion for the Mets. The...

Manager Matt Williams said in his postgame news conference following a 5-2 loss to the Mets Saturday that Gio Gonzalez's shoulder issue from earlier in the season is not the reason for the Nationals left-hander's two rough outings in a row. But if it is not a health reason for Gonzalez's problems on the hill, what is it? "I can't put a finger on that because I don't know," Williams said. "There's no difference in velocity. He's running it in there at 94 mph. It doesn't feel like...

Bud Norris (2-3, 3.98 ERA) takes the mound for the Orioles tonight. He is making his eighth start of the season and first since he was ejected in the eighth inning Monday night for hitting Detroit's Torii Hunter. Norris said it was the first ejection of his career and he didn't feel it was justified. He hit Hunter following a two-run homer by Ian Kinsler that gave Detroit a 4-1 lead. Norris has allowed three earned runs or fewer three times this year, has two quality starts and has gone six...

The first inning proved to be a problem for Gio Gonzalez for the second straight start. Gonzalez allowed three runs on four hits and two walks while needing 37 pitches, 21 for strikes, to get through the first frame today against the Mets. So down 3-0, the Nationals will need to come from behind yet again if they'll make it two wins in a row over New York. On Sunday, Gonzalez had his worst performance of the season, allowing seven runs on nine hits in 4 1/3 innings. Most of the damage came...

The Orioles are breaking out their right-handed lineup tonight against Royals left-hander Danny Duffy. Jonathan Schoop starts at second base and Caleb Joseph is behind the plate. Nelson Cruz is in left field and Delmon Young is serving as the designated hitter. Brian Graham, serving as bench coach tonight, is wearing No. 43 if you're into that sort of thing. For the Orioles Nick Markakis RF Manny Machado 3B Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Nelson Cruz LF J.J. Hardy SS Delmon Young DH Jonathan...