For the fifth time this season, the Orioles have hit back-to-back home runs in an inning. Tonight, it allowed them to take a 2-1 lead over the Blue Jays at Camden Yards. Brian Roberts led off the bottom of the third inning with his seventh homer, and Nate McLouth followed with his 12th, depositing the ball onto the flag court in right field. Roberts also homered yesterday, creating his own back-to-back scenario. McLouth now has 100 career home runs, putting him only 662 behind Barry Bonds....

ST. LOUIS - Davey Johnson says he didn't sleep too well last night. Can't really blame him. In his last season as manager of the Nationals, he officially saw his team get knocked from the playoff picture last night. The season that Johnson labeled as "World Series or bust" back at the Winter Meetings reached bust here in St. Louis, leaving Johnson to go through all the what-ifs as he laid in bed last night. Eventually, he got to sleep, and made his way over to the ballpark earlier today....

Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette and head athletic trainer Richie Bancells confirmed today that third baseman Manny Machado suffered a torn medial patellofemoral ligament in his left kneecap during Sunday's game at Tropicana Field. The ligament is located in the inner portion of the knee. Machado, 21, did not suffer any damage to the anterior cruciate ligament or medial collateral ligament, which comes as a huge relief to the Orioles. Machado, who's currently receiving...

The Orioles announced that they officially released infielder Wilson Betemit, who was designated for assignment on Sept. 16. Alexi Casilla remains with the team, but he may not play again this season. Casilla underwent a CT scan yesterday in St. Petersburg, Fla., after slamming his head into right fielder Nick Markakis' leg while diving for a shallow fly ball. The Orioles held their bus in case Casilla was cleared to fly back to Baltimore. Casilla sat at his locker this afternoon and took...

Without Manny Machado available, it is Ryan Flaherty who gets the start at third base tonight for the Orioles. "It's nice to be in there, but under the circumstances, losing one of the most promising players in the game and one of the best teammates I've had, that is not fun to see," Flaherty said. "I feel comfortable over there. I'll do some early work and I feel good there. The throws are different, but defense is defense." Flaherty becomes the first player, other than Machado, to...

Even the most optimistic Orioles player or fan knows the club's odds of making the playoffs are an extreme long shot at this point. "We just have to win six straight and hope all the other teams lose six straight," Adam Jones said. "I don't know what the odds of that are. But there are no sad faces in here. "Our fans are frustrated that the last week played out the way it has. We haven't played the best baseball, we haven't hit. I know they are frustrated, but it's better than...

It certainly wasn't a speech about the end of his Orioles career, but when asked today if he has wondered if he does have a future with the club, Brian Roberts admitted he may not. His contract ends after this season and Roberts is embracing his time remaining with the team, even if that turns out to be just six more games. "Sure, we all think about our future and what that might hold, but I don't have any idea at this point," Roberts said. "I'm just trying to enjoy every day that I've...

The Orioles are waiting for team orthopedist Dr. John Wilckens to read the MRI on Manny Machado's left knee. The club should have an update on the third baseman's condition after batting practice. It sounds as though the news is better than anticipated. Showalter confirmed that Machado won't play again in the final six games, but he added, "I feel very confident that Manny will be playing for us early in the year next year, but it won't be this year. And I feel confident of that...

ST. LOUIS - Prior to yesterday's game, Davey Johnson said that even if his team was to be eliminated from the playoff picture, he still planned on "putting my best foot forward" by starting his regular players down the stretch. Johnson is a man of his word. The Nationals skipper is running out his normal starting lineup today in game two of this three-game set against the Cardinals. Johnson talked last night, after the Nats had been eliminated, about wanting to deliver some payback to the...

ST. LOUIS - It was a pretty innocuous question, but one that drew an interesting answer. After the Nationals were eliminated from postseason contention last night, Bryce Harper was asked how much he thinks back to the early part of the season and what could have been different when the Nats struggled to gain momentum and put together any extended period of strong play. "I wasn't there for a month," Harper replied. "I'm not going to sit here and tell you that I'm a game-changer or...