ABERDEEN, Md. - Orioles right-hander Jason Hammel is pitching in the short-season Single-A New York-Penn League tonight. He'll make a major league rehab start at Aberdeen, his second in the minors on his way back to the Orioles. Last Thursday, Hammel was pain-free and pitched 2 2/3 shutout innings on three hits at Double-A Bowie. He threw 47 pitches. Hammel last pitched for the Orioles on July 28 against Boston and has been on the disabled list since with a right flexor mass...

The Orioles today announced that they have recalled infielder Jonathan Schoop, outfielder Henry Urrutia and right-hander Josh Stinson from Triple-A Norfolk, and infielder Ryan Flaherty from High-A Frederick. Schoop, 21, will make his major league debut when he first appears in a game. He batted .256/.301/.396 with nine home runs and 34 RBI in 289 plate appearances while playing second base and shortstop for the Tides this season. Schoop also batted .214/.313/.464 with two home runs in eight...

The Washington Nationals today selected shortstop Zach Walters and recalled outfielder Corey Brown, left-handed pitcher Xavier Cedeno, infielder/outfielder Jeff Kobernus and outfielder Eury Perez from Syracuse of the Triple-A International League. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Walters, 23, joins the Nationals for the first time after hitting .253 with 32 doubles, five triples, 29 home runs and 77 RBI in 134 games for Syracuse...

PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals made their second round of September call-ups Tuesday, bringing up shortstop Zach Walters, outfielder Corey Brown, utility man Jeff Kobernus, outfielder Eury Perez and left-hander Xavier Cedeno. All five are on the lineup card and are in the clubhouse. Walters, 23, will be making his first appearance in the big leagues. He batted .253 with 29 homers and 77 RBIs in 134 games with Triple-A Syracuse. Brown, 27, was called up to the Nats in both 2011 and 2012, but...

Right-hander Caleb Clay surged to the end of the season for Triple-A Syracuse. He began the season for Double-A Harrisburg and finished well with the Chiefs, making 13 starts at each stop. Clay finished 11-5 with a 2.96 ERA in 27 combined games, 26 of them starts. He had 110 strikeouts and 31 walks, allowing just 52 earned runs in 158 1/3 innings. The last 10 games, Clay went 3-0 with a 2.91 ERA, 36 strikeouts and nine walks allowed. Clay surrendered three earned runs or less in all 10...

PHILADELPHIA - Bryce Harper remains in the Nationals' lineup despite being bothered by what we learned last night is a hip injury. Harper said that he's fine and wants to continue playing through the ailment, and manager Davey Johnson will allow him to do so. Gio Gonzalez (8-6, 3.56 ERA) takes the ball for the Nats tonight, with right-hander Ethan Martin (2-3, 6.39 ERA) going for the Phillies. For the Nats CF Denard Span 3B Ryan Zimmerman LF Bryce Harper RF Jayson Werth SS Ian Desmond...

After being lowered to eighth in the Orioles' lineup yesterday and collecting two hits, including a home run, left fielder Nate McLouth will bat ninth tonight against the Indians at Progressive Field. McLouth has been in the ninth spot in four games this year, though he's only had five at-bats. Michael Morse is making his second start for the Orioles, and his first as the designated hitter. Nick Markakis is batting seventh, followed by J.J. Hardy and McLouth. For the Orioles Brian...

Chris Tillman won a grand total of 16 major league games over his first four seasons. Nine of those victories came in 2012. Tonight, Tillman will attempt to become the Orioles' first 16-game winner in the 21st century. Let that one marinate in your minds. The last Orioles pitcher to reach 16 wins was Mike Mussina, who notched 18 victories during the 1999 season. In 12 road starts this season, Tillman is 8-1 with a 2.93 ERA and eight quality starts in 76 2/3 innings. The Orioles are 10-2...

Here are a few notes from the final day of the regular season, which was Monday for most of minor league baseball. Short-season, Single-A Aberdeen still has two games left in the regular season after clinching its first playoff berth last night. It was a disappointing end for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides when they were shutout Monday afternoon, to miss out on their first playoff berth since 2005. Still, some credit should go to the staff and players there, led by manager Ron Johnson, who is the...

PHILADELPHIA - For the last handful of weeks, Nationals manager Davey Johnson has targeted the 90-win mark as what he feels his team will have to reach in order to have a realistic shot at the postseason. With last night's loss, the Nationals now need to go 21-4 to get to 90 wins. That's an .840 winnings percentage, or a 136-win pace. Not looking too likely, huh? Last night's loss stung for a number of reasons. The Nationals held a 2-1 lead going to the bottom of the eighth inning. They...