ST. LOUIS - It's been a bit of a rough 24 hours for the Nationals. They were eliminated from postseason contention last night, and tonight, they came within an out of being the first D.C. team to be no-hit since 1966. Ryan Zimmerman saved the Nats from that distinction with his infield hit with two outs in the top of the ninth, a chopper that deflected off Cardinals starter Michael Wacha's glove. Shortstop Pete Kozma's throw to first was just wide of the bag, and Zimmerman evaded Matt...

ST. LOUIS - Davey Johnson, a Texas A&M guy, couldn't help but be impressed with what Michael Wacha, another A&M guy, did tonight, as the 22-year-old right-hander came just inches away from a no-hitter in the Cardinals' 2-0 win over the Nationals. Wacha was one out away from being the first Cardinals pitcher to throw a no-hitter in St. Louis in 30 years, but Ryan Zimmerman's slow tapper deflected off Wacha's glove, and Pete Kozma's barehanded grab and throw pulled Matt Adams off the first...

After the loss that officially eliminated them from playoff contention, J.J. Hardy was asked if tonight's 10-inning loss to Toronto kind of summed up the whole year for the Orioles. "You could look at it like that. We look at our team as we have a good team and we still believe that, but this just wasn't our year," Hardy said. "We played all the way from Feb. 15 or whenever we started to get to the playoffs. You know, it is hard to think that, after however many games we have played...

The Orioles are officially eliminated from the playoff race. They can still finish with a winning record, but they need one more victory. They've failed in their last six attempts, losing tonight to the Blue Jays 3-2 in 10 innings. One year after finally get back to the postseason, the Orioles will be home in October. "A time like right now, that's probably one of those reflective things that I'm not probably real good at right now," said manager Buck Showalter. "I understand the math...

The Orioles' losing streak is now six games to match a season high after they lost 3-2 in 10 innings to Toronto tonight to begin the final homestand of the 2013 season. Coupled with Cleveland's comeback win tonight, the loss officially eliminates the Orioles from playoff contention. Mark DeRosa singled in the go-ahead run off Francisco Rodriguez in the 10th. It scored Jose Reyes from third. Moments earlier, on a pickoff play at second, Reyes was ruled safe. Brian Roberts had the ball in...

The Orioles don't care how early reporters were flying out of Tampa this morning. They're in no rush to leave Camden Yards. We've got free baseball, with the Orioles and Blue Jays tied 2-2 in the top of the 10th. The Orioles are 8-6 in extra innings this season. They're 9-10 when tied after the eighth. They've now scored four runs or fewer in 17 of their last 21 games. All the scoring tonight came on back-to-back home runs by Brian Roberts and Nate McLouth in the third. Including...

ST. LOUIS - Apologies for that awful pun in the headline. This is how I entertain myself over the course of a 162-game season. Cardinals starter Michael Wacha has absolutely dominated the Nationals through four innings tonight, retiring all 12 batters he's seen, six of whom have gone down on strikes. The 22-year-old right-hander, who was the Cardinals' first-round pick in the 2012 First-Year Player Draft, has touched 98 mph with his fastball, shown impressive feel for his changeup and used...

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...