The Orioles are trying to avoid a three-game sweep in Detroit today before heading to New York for another supreme challenge. So much for easing into the 2014 season. Maybe they've got another five-run ninth-inning rally in them, which is fine if they're trailing by four. Yesterday's game produced the highest-scoring ninth inning for the Orioles since they also tallied five runs in the ninth on April 10, 2013 in Boston, according to the teams' public relations staff. Chris Davis homered,...

The Washington Nationals today placed outfielder Scott Hairston on the 15-Day Disabled List with a left oblique strain and recalled first baseman/outfielder Tyler Moore from Syracuse of the Triple-A International League. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. The 27-year-old Moore joins the Nationals after hitting .265 (13-for-49) with a double, home run and six RBI in 20 Grapefruit League contests for Washington. He also played in one...

The injury bug has struck the Nationals again. The Nationals have placed outfielder Scott Hairston on the 15-day disabled list with a left oblique strain and recalled infielder/outfielder Tyler Moore. The Hairston injury comes one day after third baseman Ryan Zimmerman was removed after the fifth inning with right shoulder soreness. Zimmerman will not play today as he is awaiting an evaluation of his shoulder. In addition to Zimmerman not playing, manager Matt Williams is also giving...

Ryan Flaherty is back in the Orioles lineup today, playing third base and looking for his first hit of the 2014 season. David Lough is leading off and Nick Markakis is batting second. For the Orioles David Lough LF Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Nelson Cruz DH Matt Wieters C J.J. Hardy SS Ryan Flaherty 3B Steve Lombardozzi 2B Chris Tillman RHP For the Tigers Ian Kinsler 2B Torii Hunter RF Miguel Cabrera DH Victor Martinez 1B Austin Jackson CF Tyler Collins LF Nick...

Despite the fact that the Nationals picked up a sweep of the Mets on the road earlier this week, it sure hasn't been the smoothest start to the season for Matt Williams' ballclub. Doug Fister is on the disabled list with a strained right lat, and while he's slowly progressing, the right-hander is still a ways away from sliding back into the Nats rotation. Wilson Ramos played just seven innings on opening day before fracturing the hamate bone in his left hand, and the Nats will be without...

Nationals left fielder Bryce Harper's frustrations early this season at the plate reached a boiling point after striking out to lead off the eighth inning of a 6-2 Braves win Saturday night. One video replay appeared to show him throwing his batting helmet as he walked down the steps into the dugout and then toward the clubhouse after the strikeout. On Saturday, he went 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts, dropping his average to .143. "I feel terrible, plain and simple," Harper said, still...

Ryan Zimmerman left tonight's 6-2 loss to the Braves with right shoulder soreness, manager Matt Williams said after the game. Zimmerman was pulled from the game after the fifth inning, with Danny Espinosa replacing him in the fifth spot in the batting order and Anthony Rendon moving over to play third base. Zimmerman has dealt with shoulder issues in recent seasons, and of late, he's been struggling with his throws across the diamond during pregame warmups. Williams said that it was one...

If you're unable to watch today's game in its entirety, be sure to check out the first and ninth innings. That's usually when the Orioles do their scoring. That is, if they're able to push across some runs against Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander. I'm told he's pretty good. Verlander is 8-1 with a 3.26 ERA in 11 career starts against the Orioles. It's tough to find anyone on the roster who's had sustained success against him. J.J. Hardy is only 8-for-31, but he's hit three home...

After five games last season, the Orioles had a 3-2 record. Fans would take that about right now after the team fell to 1-4 with Saturday's loss to Detroit. The one thing to keep in mind is that the O's have played just three percent of their season. Three percent. Yes they need to pitch better and the bats need to get going. Maybe we saw the beginnings of that in the ninth inning on Saturday. As I wrote yesterday, their start so far, while frustrating to the fans, is not too damaging....

As the Nationals and Braves tangle in the second game of their initial three-game set of 2014 on Saturday night in Washington, D.C., right-hander Stephen Strasburg is facing Braves right-hander Julio Teheran. The Nationals opened the scoring with a two-run homer by Adam LaRoche in the first inning. The mammoth shot by LaRoche came on a 2-2 pitch off of Teheran and reached the upper deck down the right field line, landing in what appeared to be the first row above the Jackie Robinson No. 42 sign...