Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg, making his 29th start of the season and first in two weeks, got off to a slow start Sunday night in the second game of a split doubleheader versus Miami. The Marlins' Donovan Solano led off the game with a double and later scored on a Christian Yelich grounder to first base. Miami led 1-0 after one. In the second, Justin Ruggiano crushed his 18th homer of the season, a solo shot over the wall in left-center field to extend the Marlins' lead to...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Orioles never wanted to be dependent on other teams to make the playoffs. Their remaining schedule contained games only against division opponents. Their fate rested in their hands. Now, they need a helping hand or two. Today's 3-1 loss to the Rays left the Orioles 4 1/2 games back in the wild card chase. Three teams separate them from the Indians, who currently hold the second spot. "Basically, how it's going to turn out is we're going to have to win out and...

The Nationals have said for the last week they pretty much needed to win out to have a shot at the National League wildcard. So with a 4-2 loss in the opening game of two on Sunday to the Marlins, the window for a shot at the playoff berth is almost shut. "Any loss right now makes it tougher," said third baseman Ryan Zimmerman. "Like I said before, I am not that good at math, but I am good enough to figure it out that losing makes it tougher. But, you just got to keep playing and see what...

The Nationals will mathematically remain alive into their series-opener in St. Louis tomorrow regardless of what happens tonight in the nightcap of the doubleheader between the Nats and Marlins, but this afternoon's action might've effectively ended any real chances the Nats had at a playoff spot. Their loss combined with the Reds' win puts the Nats 5 1/2 games back of both Cincinnati and Pittsburgh entering tonight's game. At best, the Nats will head on the road sitting five games back...

For the Orioles it was a matter of another day and another game with not much offense. By not much, they had a single by Manny Machado to lead off the game and just two hits after that in a 3-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in a game started by a young pitcher making his major league debut. The Orioles were shut out on one hit heading to the ninth, but scored on a two-out, RBI double by Matt Wieters that hit the catwalk on the Tropicana Field roof and landed in play. Since the eighth inning on...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - While the Orioles' bats remain in a deep freeze, the Rays scored twice in the bottom of the sixth to lead 3-0. T.J. McFarland warmed in the bullpen as Scott Feldman struggled to get three outs. Desmond Jennings led off with a bunt single and was removed for a pinch-runner after pulling up slightly as he reached the bag. Feldman threw a wild pitch while walking Ben Zobrist, and Fuld hustled all the way to third base. Matt Joyce followed with a sacrifice fly to increase...

Dan Haren is done after six innings of work this afternoon, and if not for two mistakes that turned into home runs, the veteran right-hander might've turned in a pretty strong outing. As it is, it will still officially go down as a quality start, but Haren and the Nationals trail 3-0 in the sixth. Haren gave up a two-run bomb to Giancarlo Stanton in the first inning on a 90 mph fastball over the fat part of the plate, and two innings late, it was Christian Yelich crushing an 85 mph cutter...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Scott Feldman needed to throw 10 pitches today to get Rays leadoff hitter David DeJesus out of the batter's box. He didn't intend for DeJesus to trot around the bases. DeJesus hit his seventh home run of the season to give Tampa Bay an early 1-0 lead. Feldman threw the following pitches: changeup, curveball, changeup, curveball, cutter, changeup, curveball, cutter, curveball, sinker. DeJesus was clearly sitting on the sinker. Feldman has allowed nine home runs in...

On what will likely be the last day that Davey Johnson stands in the Nationals Park dugout as manager, the Nationals honored Johnson with a ceremony lasting more than 10 minutes before this afternoon's game. The ceremony included a video tribute, the presentation of a Tiffany crystal from Nationals ownership, inscribed with, "In celebration of your decorated baseball legacy and contributions to the Washington Nationals," and interviews with some of Johnson's former and current...

As Scott Feldman takes the mound for the Orioles this afternoon, he is certainly a pitcher on a nice roll. He is 3-1 with a 1.77 ERA over his last seven starts. He is 5-4 with a 3.51 ERA in 13 starts with the Orioles since he was acquired in a July 2 trade with the Chicago Cubs. This year, between the Cubs and Orioles, Feldman is 12-10 with a 3.49 ERA over 28 starts. The 30-year-old right-hander has had a real solid season. But Feldman will be a free agent after this season. Will he be an...