For the Orioles, there are now 122 games down and 40 left to play in the 2013 regular season. They are 5 1/2 games back of Boston for the AL East lead and trail Oakland by three games for the AL's second wild card spot, as they begin play this afternoon. The chase is on for wild card berths with Cleveland 3 1/2 back of Oakland, Kansas City five games back and New York six out. Brian Roberts was asked what it is going to take for the O's to make the playoffs. "It all boils down to pitching...

ATLANTA - While everyone around him in the Nationals clubhouse was dragging this morning - players, coaches and reporters included - Kurt Suzuki was bouncing around looking ready to play at about 10:45 a.m. I guess that's what happens when you're the only position player on either team not to see action in the 15-inning marathon that went on last night. Suzuki will be behind the plate for the Nats today, giving Wilson Ramos a break after he caught all 15 innings last night. Ramos needed to...

When Troy Patton came into the game last night and walked the only batter he faced in the sixth inning, it was news. Patton had not walked any batter in any outing since May 31 against Detroit, going 26 consecutive appearances without a walk. It is the second-longest streak in club history behind Koji Uehara's run of 36 straight appearances without a walk from July 19, 2010 to April 15, 2011. Since June 1, Patton has a 2.05 ERA. He has walked one and fanned 21 over 26 1/3 innings. A player...

ATLANTA - Who's ready for some more baseball? The Nationals will take on the Braves this afternoon, about 13 hours after yesterday's game ended. Three players who played all 15 innings last night are in the Nats lineup today: Denard Span, Ian Desmond and Anthony Rendon. Jayson Werth (back stiffness) and Bryce Harper (left triceps bruise) are both in the lineup, as well. Harper was scratched from yesterday's starting lineup after he couldn't get his arm loose before the game, but replaced...

Orioles pitcher Jason Hammel will throw on flat ground again on Monday and Wednesday before progressing to a mound on Friday, assuming there are no setbacks. Hammel already has played catch twice to test his right forearm. So far, so good. Hammel will need to make a few starts on an injury-rehab assignment before the Orioles activate him from the disabled list. They can find games for him, even if the affiliates are done playing. A few of the teams are in playoff contention, and Hammel could...

Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy was a late scratch from yesterday's lineup because of back spasms and he's excluded from it today. However, his back is "100 percent better than yesterday," he told reporters, and he expects to start Monday night's series opener against the Rays at Camden Yards. "I don't feel that spasm," he said. "Maybe a little bit of tightness, but not the spasm. I took some swings, 20-25 swings. Didn't feel it at all. Moved around outside and felt some tightness. Not...

Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy isn't starting for the second consecutive game, though he's available as a pinch-hitter. Hardy said his back feels "100 percent better." The spasms are gone, but he felt a little tightness while moving around the field. Nothing when he took 25 swings. Manager Buck Showalter is being careful with Hardy, who said he could have started today if needed. Instead, the Orioles have all three second basemen in their lineup for the first time this season. Alexi...

ATLANTA - The Nationals and Braves played 15 innings last night. The game lasted 5 hours, 29 minutes, making it the longest game, time-wise, in Nats team history. Eighteen pitchers were used, including four starting pitchers. The only position player on either roster that didn't see action was Nats catcher Kurt Suzuki. The guy must have felt pretty left out. Everyone else was taking part in this awesome game, and Suzuki was the new kid in town who didn't get picked for a kickball...

ATLANTA - Perhaps not surprisingly, Stephen Strasburg didn't have much to say about his plunking of Justin Upton in the bottom of the first inning tonight (or should I say, last night, given that it's 3:00 a.m.) or his ejection after throwing behind Andrelton Simmons in the second. Asked bluntly whether he intended to hit Upton in the first, when he drilled the Braves' top power hitter with a 97 mph fastball in the backside, Strasburg declined to discuss the matter. "I'm not gonna get...

ATLANTA - Anything to discuss after this one tonight? Pretty boring night of baseball, eh? The Nationals didn't just beat the Braves 8-7 in 15 innings tonight. They outlasted them. Neither starting pitcher tonight went more than two innings. Stephen Strasburg hit Justin Upton in the first and then was ejected in the second for throwing behind Andrelton Simmons. The Nats blew a 6-2 lead and then saw their two-run advantage in the ninth disappear when Rafael Soriano surrendered a two-out,...