Tanner Roark's night has taken a turn for the worse in the second inning. The Braves lead the Nationals 4-0, a three-run homer by shortstop Ramiro Pena capping off a four-run second. Pena is in the lineup because regular shortstop Andrelton Simmons is out with a wrist injury. Atlanta took a 1-0 lead when Justin Upton singled, Dan Uggla was hit by a pitch and Evan Gattis followed with a run-scoring single to center. Pena worked the count to 2-2 before crushing a pitch from Roark into the right...

Chris Davis hasn't hit a home run this season, but he's got the right opponent to break the streak. Davis has belted 16 homers against the Blue Jays since the start of the 2012 season, and Adam Jones has 14. No other major league player has collected as many as 10 against Toronto during that span. Davis and Jones each have hit at least seven homers against the Jays over the past two seasons. According to the Society for American Baseball Research, they're the second pair of teammates in...

Injured right-hander Doug Fister threw 35 pitches during a bullpen session in Atlanta this afternoon and came through without any issues from his strained right lat or the right elbow that troubled him during spring training. "It was really impressive," said Nationals manager Matt Williams. "He threw it where he wanted to, he had good life, he felt good after. So we'll progress from there, but it's a really encouraging sign." While Fister threw mostly fastballs and changeups, he also...

The Orioles are 3-0 this year when the opposing starter has been Jon Lester, Justin Verlander or Masahiro Tanaka. So how difficult can it be to beat Dustin McGowan? Actually, it doesn't work that way and the O's will have to earn a win tonight if they get one. But McGowan is 0-3 with a 6.99 career ERA against the Orioles in 13 games, six as a starter. Chris Tillman starts for the Orioles. He is 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA through two starts. Over his last 24 starts dating to June 4, Tillman is 13-5...

Chris Davis was a rookie and top prospect once. So he can relate to Jonathan Schoop as the Orioles' 22-year-old infielder begins to settle in as a big league player. "I think he's starting to find it a little bit," Davis said. "The first few games he was swinging at a lot of pitches. The more he's up here, the more he gets a chance to understand what they are trying to do to him. "From what I've seen so far, his work ethic hasn't changed, which is good. He's kept his approach. I...

The Orioles are 3-0 this season when the opposing starter works seven or more innings. Those starters? Jon Lester, Justin Verlander and Masahiro Tanaka. The Orioles batted .354 in the three games at Yankee Stadium to raise their team average from .229 to 274. They were 12-for-32 (.375) with runners in scoring position to raise their average from .231 to 296. Matt Wieters has hit safely in his first eight games, the third straight year that an Oriole has hit in eight or more games to open a...

Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy will not be in the starting lineup tonight for the fifth game in a row and for the sixth time in seven games. He's been out due to lower back spasms and stiffness. After being hopeful of playing the last few games, Hardy hopes this time he really is one day away from rejoining the lineup. "I've made a bunch of big strides the past couple days," he said this afternoon in the Orioles clubhouse. "I came in today early and took some ground balls and took some...

Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy underwent an MRI on his lower back and also received a cortisone injection during yesterday's off-day. The MRI turned out "pretty good," according to manager Buck Showalter, who added that Hardy is available tonight and should be able to start on Saturday. Outfielder David Lough also is available tonight, according to Showalter. Lough underwent concussion tests Wednesday in Baltimore before racing back to New York and playing left field in the ninth...

ATLANTA - The Nationals will face Braves right-hander Julio Teheran for the second time in seven days tonight at Turner Field. Teheran allowed two runs over seven innings in an Atlanta win over the Nats in D.C. last Saturday, and he also added two hits to help his own cause. The Nats will send Tanner Roark to the mound for his second start of the season. Roark picked up the win in his 2014 debut, holding the Mets to two runs in six strong innings. For the Nats CF Denard Span 2B Anthony...

J.J. Hardy is out of the Orioles lineup again tonight, marking the sixth time in seven games that has been the case. Ryan Flaherty is starting again at shortstop. Hardy was supposed to work out yesterday to test his lower back and remained hopeful that he would start tonight. Update: Hardy fielded ground balls today and will take batting practice later. He expects to be in the lineup Saturday. Hardy was told to rest Thursday, which is why he didn't work out, but he says his back is feeling...