Jordan Zimmermann showed no mercy against the Marlins on Friday night. He opened the game with 5 2/3 hitless innings and finished his night by surrendering just two hits in a complete-game shutout. With his 19th win of the season, Zimmermann temporarily tied Max Scherzer for the most wins in the majors. So how exactly did the Nationals congratulate the National League leader in wins? Did they shower him in Gatorade or smash a shaving cream pie in his face? Why not do both? Read more about...

It didn't take Nationals manager Davey Johnson long to get the feeling that Jordan Zimmermann had a special night ahead of him. "You could tell from the first pitch of the ballgame that Zim wasn't going to be denied," Johnson said. Zimmermann's first pitch was a 94 mph fastball that Donovan Solano fouled off, and he needed just eight more pitches, seven of which were strikes, to retire the side in the first inning. Zimmermann notched two strikeouts in that first frame, had eight...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Orioles have used five pitchers tonight, including Tommy Hunter, who retired the side in order on 12 pitches in the bottom of the eighth inning. They look like slackers compared to the Rays. Fernando Rodney, who will work the top of the ninth, is the seventh pitcher summoned by manager Joe Maddon. Welcome, again, to September baseball. The Orioles bullpen hadn't allowed an earned run since Sept. 11 before the Rays tied the game against Kevin Gausman in the...

Winning pitcher Jordan Zimmermann may deny it, but his Nationals teammates certainly believe that he wants to get to 20 wins on the season, and they think he can get there. Zimmermann tossed the second complete-game shutout of his career Friday night, allowing two hits, striking out nine and walking one an 8-0 victory over the Marlins, earning his 19th victory. Center fielder Denard Span had a good look in on defense watching Zimmermann work and was glad he didn't have to face him in the...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Both starting pitchers are out of tonight's game as we finish up the bottom of the sixth inning. Jason Hammel retired 12 of the last 14 batters he faced, but will remain winless since May 27. The Orioles have scored a run in each of the last two innings and trail the Rays 3-2. Hammel allowed three runs (two earned) and six hits in five innings, with no walks and three strikeouts. He threw 77 pitches, 52 for strikes. Troy Patton replaced Hammel, his first appearance...

The crowd at Nationals Park might have been down for a few minutes after Jordan Zimmermann's no-hit bid was spoiled with two outs in the sixth on Donovan Solano's single to center, but the Nationals lifted their fans' spirits with a huge seven-run bottom half of the inning. They got seven hits and a walk in the sixth inning alone, batting around and quickly turning what was a scoreless game into a laugher. Denard Span started the merry-go-round with a leadoff single, giving him a one-game...

Jordan Zimmermann is all kinds of locked in tonight, and he's running through a soft Marlins lineup. Zimmermann has yet to allow a hit through four innings of work. He's struck out eight. He's thrown 40 of his 54 pitches for strikes. The fastball is sitting in the mid-90s. The slider has been tight and has touched 89 mph. And the curveball has been sharp. Zimmermann struck out two in the first inning, including Giancarlo Stanton to end the frame. He struck out the side in the second. And...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Orioles pitcher Jason Hammel took the mound tonight at Tropicana Field in search of his first victory since May 27 in D.C. It took the Rays two batters to get on the scoreboard and three batters for pitching coach Bill Castro to visit Hammel while T.J. McFarland began to throw in the bullpen. It's September baseball, folks. David DeJesus and Ben Zobrist hit back-to-back doubles to give Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead. Evan Longoria followed with single to put runners on the...

After playing catch on flat ground and doing some running this afternoon, a normal day-before-start routine, Stephen Strasburg has been cleared to start tomorrow against the Marlins. Strasburg has been scratched from scheduled starts twice in the last week due to tightness in his right forearm. The right-hander was originally scheduled to start last Friday against the Phillies, but had that start pushed back to Thursday. When Strasburg had trouble getting loose before a throwing session...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Though the Orioles rotation appears to be set with the inclusion of Miguel Gonzalez on Saturday, it's possible that manager Buck Showalter will have to make another adjustment this weekend. Bud Norris has been available in the bullpen, but he could make a start against the Rays. It's up in the air. One of the pitchers is dealing with a serious illness in his family, and Showalter referred again today to a "constantly developing situation that we have to cover...