This Wednesday, we will be hosting our first video chat of the season, live on MASNsports.com. We will be have a tripleheader as Denard Span, Ryan Zimmerman and Gio Gonzalez will all be participating and answering your questions. In order for this to be successful, we need your help. Submit your questions on Twitter or Facebook with the hashtag #NatsChats or leave a comment in the section below. We also want to reward our "Touch 'Em All" participants with 15 bonus points for those taking...

Ryan Flaherty is serving as the designated hitter today against Oakland right-hander Jarrod Parker, and Brian Roberts is starting at second base. Nick Markakis is batting sixth again between Matt Wieters and J.J. Hardy. For the Orioles Nate McLouth LF Manny Machado 3B Chris Davis 1B Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Nick Markakis RF J.J. Hardy SS Ryan Flaherty DH Brian Roberts 2B Chris Tillman RHP For the Athletics Coco Crisp DH Jed Lowrie SS Josh Donaldson 3B Brandon Moss 1B Yoenis...

Following Thursday night's game, in which the Nationals blew a four-run lead and saw the Cubs tie things up with two outs in the bottom of the ninth before finally prevailing in 13 innings, I asked Anthony Rendon a question that Nats fans have probably been wondering for weeks now. Why can't the Nats just have a nice, quiet, 5-0 win one of these days? Why does it always have to be so dramatic? "That's what I'm saying!" a smiling Rendon said. "Where those games at? But that's baseball....

There were a few positives that came out of last night's win for the Orioles over the Athletics. From a team standpoint, they moved to within two games of Oakland for the second American League wild-card spot and within 4 1/2 games of first in the AL East. But seeing Jim Johnson buzz through the top of the ninth with no drama and get the A's three up and out on just nine pitches was a real plus and big lift for the team. Johnson had suffered three consecutive blown saves until getting No....

The Orioles won their second consecutive game last night, which raises the age-old question of whether two in a row constitutes a streak. What's the minimum length for acceptable use of the term? Does it have to be three or more? Four? The Orioles are 11 games above .500 at 69-58. They trail Oakland by two in the wild card race. They're in the thick of the chase, and yet, they haven't won more than five straight this season. And it happened only once, beginning July 14 and ending July 23...

After he picked up his first save since Aug. 6 with a 1-2-3 ninth inning on just nine pitches, Jim Johnson was asked what made this outing different from the recent ones where he suffered blown saves. "Command. I was able to command both sides of the plate. And getting later action," he said. "There were a couple of games where it looked like the ball was reacting too soon. These guys are really good and if they see it move too early, they can make the adjustment. Just wanted to get about...

The Orioles fell behind by three runs tonight and took the lead. They fell behind by a run and reclaimed the lead. "There are a lot of warriors out there," said manager Buck Showalter. "They've been through some battles together and you're not going to see them give in." Jim Johnson retired the Athletics in order in the ninth inning for his 40th save after three straight blown chances, and the Orioles took the opener of this three-game series, 9-7, before 36,761 at Camden Yards. Brian...

Get the lead. Lose the lead. Get the lead back. The Orioles used six- and three-run innings to do just that in a 9-7 win over Oakland in the start of this important weekend series tonight in front of 36,761 at Camden Yards. Up by two runs, Tommy Hunter pitched a scoreless eighth inning before Jim Johnson pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to record his first save since Aug. 6 and No. 40 on the year. Johnson is now 31-for-33 in save chances when the lead is two or more. Brian Roberts hit his sixth career...

The Orioles have received lots of attention and criticism for their failures with runners in scoring position this season. None of the fingers can be pointed at second baseman Brian Roberts. Roberts' grand slam in the fourth inning tonight gave the Orioles a 6-3 lead. Bud Norris allowed two runs in the top of the fifth and was removed with the bases loaded and two outs. Troy Patton let two inherited runners score. More on that later. Roberts is 13-for-29 with 22 RBIs with runners in...

This sure isn't how the Nationals wanted to start their three-game set with the Royals after winning the last three against the Cubs. Gio Gonzalez has looked totally out of sorts through the first two innings, allowing six runs on seven hits. Five of those hits have been for extra-bases, including two homers, one by Eric Hosmer and one by former National Justin Maxwell. Gonzalez allowed three extra-base hits to the first five hitters he faced tonight, giving up three runs in the first. But...