NEW YORK - Not to heap any pressure on Scott Feldman today, but he's got to register a quality start against the Yankees. He's got to give the Orioles innings - good ones - and hand a late lead to the bullpen. He's got to be a stopper. He's got to stop the Yankees from moving into third place in the American League East, which will happen if the Orioles lose today. But no pressure. The Orioles' rotation has allowed 18 runs in 20 innings over the first four games of this all-important...

The Orioles have a record of 26-28 against the AL East, 18-19 since the All-Star break and 6-10 in the last 16 games. These do not seem to be numbers that a playoff team would have. Yet, the Orioles are still in the hunt, even after their latest disappointing loss. They have a chance to make a run, but we keep waiting for them to do it and now there are just 29 games to play. It was very disappointing that Miguel Gonzalez got hit so hard in the last of the fifth, failing to get an out in that...

Bench coach Randy Knorr had some critical comments in regards to Bryce Harper's hustle, or lack thereof, on an eighth-inning groundout to second base in tonight's 3-2 loss to the Mets. Knorr said that even if Harper sprinted out his grounder at Daniel Murphy with two outs in the eighth, Murphy probably collects the ball after his initial bobble and throws Harper out. But in Knorr's mind, Harper gets frustrated when he doesn't perform at times, which affects his effort level. Knorr went...

NEW YORK - As I pointed out earlier, Miguel Gonzalez had allowed eight earned runs in five career starts in the Bronx covering 32 2/3 innings. Tonight, he gave up seven in four-plus innings. Gonzalez couldn't get the ball down, as he pointed out more than once during his postgame session with the media. He also was adjusting to a schedule that kept him from starting since Aug. 20. Gonzalez was cruising through the third, facing the minimum number of batters. Alfonso Soriano hit a two-run...

NEW YORK - Orioles manager Buck Showalter said it's a possibility that Michael Morse will arrive here in time to be included in Saturday's lineup. "We'll see," Showalter said. "Trying to." If he can pitch, get him on the next flight to New York. Here's a sampling of Showalter's comments following tonight's 8-5 loss to the Yankees: On what happened to Gonzalez again in the middle innings: "It hasn't happened at Yankee Stadium much. You can make a trend look any way you want to....

Nationals manager Davey Johnson left the dugout around the fourth inning of tonight's 3-2 loss to the Mets due to dehydration, although Johnson said afterwards that he'll be fine. The 70-year-old Johnson had been feeling under the weather today, and when he started feeling light-headed a few innings into tonight's game, he decided to head up into the Nats' clubhouse to get some medical treatment. Bench coach Randy Knorr took over the Nationals' managerial duties from there. "I think...

The Mets beat the Nationals 3-2 Friday night, thanks, in part, to a critical base hit by Andrew Brown in the eighth inning. With two outs and a man on second, Brown's liner down to third base was fielded in foul territory by Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who whirled and fired to Adam LaRoche at first base. LaRoche had to come off first base to make the play and then bobbled it a bit. Daniel Murphy, who started the play on second base, never stopped running and slid safely into home...

When Miguel Gonzalez sailed through the first three innings on just 30 pitches tonight, he looked like he was on his way to a strong outing. He was pitching at Yankee Stadium, where he was 2-1 with a 2.45 ERA in four regular season starts. He had an ERA of 2.48 in five career outings against New York. But the Yankees scored twice off Gonzalez in the fourth and knocked him out of the game with a five-run fifth as the Yankees beat the Orioles 8-5 tonight at Yankee Stadium. The Orioles fall to...

NEW YORK - Danny Valencia must have cringed each time it was written or stated that the Orioles needed another right-handed bat. His latest response came tonight against Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia. Valencia homered into the Yankees bullpen in left-center field in the top of the fifth inning after Nick Markakis led off with an infield hit, giving the Orioles a 3-2 lead. He was 4-for-20 lifetime against Sabathia, including a ground ball in the third inning. The Orioles increased their...

For whatever reason Dillon Gee has the Nationals' number. Gee has a career 3.94 ERA. He's a solid pitcher, for sure, and has put together a nice season for the Mets. But when Gee faces the Nationals, he turns into Cy Young. The Nats have just two hits and a run off Gee through five innings tonight, and they've gotten just three balls out of the infield. The right-hander has now gotten 13 of his 15 outs on groundballs (if you count a 6-3 double play as two outs on the ground), and just one...