Two games with Single-A Hagerstown on a injury rehabilitation assignment have shown the Nationals what they needed to see. As a result, center fielder Denard Span has been activated off the seven-day concussion disabled list. He'll be in today's starting lineup against the Cardinals. Span was injured last Friday in a collision between first and second bases with Atlanta's Dan Uggla. Because of Span's history of concussion problems - he missed most of the 2011 season with the Twins after...

BOSTON - The Orioles are 16-9 at Fenway Park since the altercation between former reliever Kevin Gregg and David Ortiz on July 8, 2011. Coincidence? Probably, but it's still an interesting note. The Orioles are going for their fourth straight victory today, their longest streak since they won five in a row from July 14-22, 2013. Chris Davis is 8-for-18 with a home run against Red Sox left-hander Felix Doubront, and Nick Markakis is 6-for-13. However, Adam Jones is 2-for-19, Matt Wieters...

BOSTON - With left-hander Felix Doubront on the mound for the Red Sox this afternoon, there's a good chance that David Lough will begin the game on the bench. The Orioles are more likely to put Nelson Cruz or Delmon Young in left field, which would put Lough on the list of reserves. Lough wasn't in last night's lineup, though the Red Sox started right-hander John Lackey. Manager Buck Showalter went with the hotter hand of Young. Lough is 4-for-32 in 11 games, with a triple, two RBIs, two...

Considering the Orioles are playing without Manny Machado, Ubaldo Jimenez is 0-3 with an ERA of 7.31, J.J. Hardy missed six games, Chris Davis and Adam Jones have one homer each and the O's started 1-4, an 8-7 record looks pretty good about now. It sure does, as the Orioles have suddenly won seven of their last 10 games. They've won three in a row, outscoring the Rays and Red Sox 18-5. Meanwhile the question that fans keep asking reporters is what happens when Machado returns? Good...

BOSTON - Chris Tillman keeps beating the Red Sox and they keep working him over. Tillman was pushed to 122 pitches in five innings in an 8-4 win over the Red Sox, who lost to him for the fourth time in five decisions since the beginning of 2013. He's posted a 2.85 ERA in that span. "It was a struggle," he said. "I knew it was going to be a struggle from the get-go. It was a night where I was battling myself the whole time. Luckily, I was able to execute some pitches when I was in trouble...

BOSTON - Orioles manager Buck Showalter tried hard to get starter Chris Tillman through five innings tonight, knowing his bullpen could easily burn out in a four-game series. Tillman needed 122 pitches to clear the fifth, and he earned the win in the Orioles' 8-4 victory over the Red Sox. "You're trying not to use four or five guys out of the 'pen in the first game," Showalter said. "We've got Toronto behind them and they're tough everywhere, especially up there. That was something I...

Several Nationals played key roles in Friday's 3-1 win over the Cardinals. Third baseman Anthony Rendon hit a solo shot to give the Nationals an early 1-0 lead. He talked about the win and the curveball that Michael Wacha threw him, which resulted in the first run of the game. "It was a good win. Obviously, they are a tremendous team. They got the best of us in the past. We are trying to change that," Rendon said. "He has a pretty big curveball. I think he left a little bit up. I was just...

A night after the Nationals were shut out and made three errors in an 8-0 loss, they scratched out a tough 3-1 victory against the Cardinals, a well-played game that saw much crisper defense and tremendous pitching. It wasn't easy - few games against St. Louis ever are - but the Nats picked up the win, marking the first time they've beaten the Cardinals since Game 4 of the National League Division Series in 2012. Here's manager Matt Williams after the game: On the win: "Gio (Gonzalez)...

Chris Tillman had to struggle to get through five innings tonight. Jonathan Schoop did not struggle tonight, and he came up with his first career four-hit game. Tillman notched his second win as the Orioles beat Boston 8-4 to open a four-game series at Fenway Park. Schoop went 4-for-5 with two doubles and two RBIs. He has now hit safely in seven straight games, going 12-for-28 (.429) with six doubles, a homer and seven RBIs. The Orioles go over .500 at 8-7 with their third win in a row and...

BOSTON - Orioles right-hander Chris Tillman threw 122 pitches tonight, three short of his career high. And he did it in only five innings. The Red Sox do have a knack for driving up a pitch count. Tillman allowed three runs and seven hits, walked four and struck out five. Seventy-one of his 122 pitches were strikes. Tillman threw 125 pitches in 8 1/3 innings on July 4, 2012 in Seattle. Tillman has gone seven innings or more in seven of his last 12 starts. Of the five starts when he...