The Orioles begin a key weekend series in San Francisco tonight, but the Giants don't have a record like the Giants teams that won the World Series in 2010 and 2012. They are 51-63 and have lost four of their last six, and nine of their last 14 games. San Francisco is 3-8 against the American League and just 7-17 in its last 24 home games. Some other O's and Giants notes: * Chris Davis is batting .488 (20-for-41) in 11 interleague games, with six doubles, five homers and nine RBIs. His...

Coming into tonight's game, John Lannan had allowed just two runs in 13 innings against the Nationals this season. Back in D.C. for the first time since being non-tendered by the Nats last winter, Lannan is getting smacked around pretty good early on. The Nats have put up four runs on six hits through just three innings, with Anthony Rendon and Ryan Zimmerman combining to do the bulk of the damage. Rendon crushed a 2-2 Lannan fastball just over the high wall in center field for his sixth...

After Wednesday's loss to Atlanta, a defeat that wrapped up a three-game sweep at the hands of the Braves, we started to see the tone change in comments by Nationals players. Gone was the talk about how the Nats had too much talent to be playing at such a mediocre pace for much longer. Gone were the comments about how the National League East title was still up for grabs. At 15 1/2 games back in the division and nine out of the final wild card, the Nats are starting to see that their chances...

Nate McLouth returns to the leadoff spot tonight, as the Orioles begin a three-game series in San Francisco. Nick Markakis is hitting third. Brian Roberts continues to bat eighth during interleague games, with pitcher Chris Tillman batting ninth. For the Orioles Nate McLouth LF Manny Machado 3B Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Matt Wieters C J.J. Hardy SS Brian Roberts 2B Chris Tillman RHP For the Giants Marco Scutaro 2B Brandon Crawford SS Brandon Belt 1B Buster Posey C Hunter...

A handful of Nationals players and staff used their off day yesterday to hit the links, playing in a tournament hosted by the Lerner family. Manager Davey Johnson was one of those who participated, and he struck it pretty well, posting four bogeys and a birdie on the front nine. "Just sweet-stroking it," Johnson said. Johnson had to take the last few holes off because his back was starting to act up, but even at 70 years old, he was able to out-drive Jordan Zimmermann for much of the...

The Washington Nationals will host a first-of-its-kind, interactive Instagram contest, the third of four social media promotions hosted this season in an effort to provide the ultimate interactive fan experience at Nationals Park. Nationals fans can enter the contest by posting a photo to Instagram using the designated hashtag #NatsCaveCrasher. Five finalists will be selected on a rolling basis, with one submission picked on Aug. 12, Aug. 14, Aug. 16, Aug. 19 and Aug. 21. All five finalists...

The Nationals will face old buddy John Lannan again tonight. But, first baseman Adam LaRoche will take a seat against the lefty. Chad Tracy will play first base tonight. Without Tyler Moore around, the Nats lack a right-handed complement to LaRoche at first base. Lannan returns to D.C. today for the first time since being non-tendered by the Nats this winter. Update: Change of plans. LaRoche is now in the Nats lineup, hitting sixth. For the Nationals: CF Denard Span 3B Ryan...

Chris Tillman is seeking his eighth road win tonight. Since the start of the 2000 season, only four Orioles pitchers have recorded eight or more road wins in a season, according to the club's PR staff: Erik Bedard (eight in 2007), Daniel Cabrera (nine in 2004), Rodrigo Lopez (nine in 2005 and eight in 2002) and Sidney Ponson (eight in 2003). How many fans would have overlooked Cabrera while trying to compile that list? Also with a win tonight, Tillman would become the 29th Orioles pitcher to...

Bowie right-hander Mike Wright has recently turned a good season into an even better one by going deeper into games and continuing to lower his ERA for the Double-A Baysox. Wright is 9-2 with an ERA of 3.46 over 22 starts. He ranks 1st in the Eastern League with an .818 winning percentage. He is tied for fourth in wins, fifth in strikeouts and ninth in the league in ERA. But over his last six starts, Wright has pitched to an ERA of 2.27. Over 39 2/3 innings he has walked just five and fanned...

The Orioles are preparing for their third-ever series in San Francisco and the first since 2010, when they lost two of three games by a combined score of 17-9. In their only win, Jake Arrieta held the Giants to one run over seven innings. In the rubber game, Tim Lincecum struck out 10 batters in six innings. The Orioles won two of three in the first meeting back in 2002. They lost the opener when David Bell homered off Rick Bauer in the eighth inning to break a 3-3 tie. The next night, Travis...