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...

Before tonight, left-handers were batting .302 this season against Orioles starter Bud Norris. Brandon Moss, a left-handed hitter, delivered an RBI single in the first inning and homered to right field in the third to give Oakland a 3-0 lead. Moss' home run came with two outs. Coco Crisp, a switch-hitter, led off the inning with a home run to right. Norris struck out the side in the third, but he won't remember the inning fondly. Crisp pulled a slider onto the flag court. Moss hit a...

The decision by Osceola County commissioners to reject plans for a new $98 million spring training complex for the Nationals may have opened the door for Brevard County to retain its status as the team's Grapefruit League home. According to this story in Florida Today, Brevard County commissioner Robin Fisher says the county will go "all in" in its attempts to keep the Nationals at Space Coast Stadium for spring training. Fisher has proposed that the county make $29 million in improvements...

In the chase for the AL's second wild card playoff berth, Oakland is leading Cleveland by 2 1/2 games, the Orioles by three and New York by 3 1/2. Another important series has arrived for the Orioles, who are 68-58 to Oakland's 71-55. The A's have lost their last two games and are 15-16 since the All-Star break. Oakland has solid pitching with a team ERA that ranks third in the AL and they've issued the second-fewest walks in the majors. But when the O's took three of four at Oakland...

When Matt Wieters threw out Kelly Johnson trying to steal to end Wednesday's game, not only did J.J. Hardy make a nice tag, but Wieters' time in getting the ball to second base was exceptional. Wieters was clocked at 1.75 seconds from the time he caught the ball to the time it took to get the ball to Hardy's glove. The major league average is right around or just under under 2.0 seconds. Buck Showalter talked about that play earlier today. "If you go through (the video), you'll see him...

Scott Feldman is available in the bullpen tonight for the Orioles, and he will start Sunday's series finale against the A's if he isn't needed in relief. The A's changed their rotation for the series. Jarrod Parker will start Saturday instead of left-hander Tommy Milone, who was scratched, and Sonny Gray will start Sunday. The Red Sox tentatively are scheduled to start Felix Doubront, John Lackey and Jon Lester in the three-game series against the Orioles that begins Tuesday at Fenway...

After getting double-switched out of Wednesday's game in the fifth inning and missing yesterday's game due to back stiffness, Ian Desmond is back in the Nationals' lineup for tonight's game against the Royals. Yesterday marked just the third game that Desmond has missed all season. His back originally tightened up on him during batting practice Wednesday. Jayson Werth will serve as the designated hitter for the Nats tonight in their interleague matchup against Kansas City. Bryce Harper...

While Buck Showalter hasn't said that Jim Johnson is still the Orioles closer, he hasn't said he isn't either. But Tommy Hunter did get the save Wednesday against Tampa Bay and it was his fourth this year. Hunter said he didn't know he would be on the mound to end the game that night, but he also doesn't feel the Orioles have any closer controversy right now either. He certainly isn't campaigning to pitch the ninth. He is happy to work whenever they hand him the ball. "I think everyone...

The Washington Nationals today recalled catcher Jhonatan Solano and left-handed pitcher Xavier Cedeno from Syracuse of the Triple-A International League. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Solano is a career .239 (17-for-71) big league hitter with five doubles, two home runs and eight RBI in 28 games for the Nationals. He debuted with Washington last season and impressed both offensively (five extra-base hits in 12 games) and...