The start of tonight's game at Camden Yards was delayed 32 minutes because of rain. Once it began, Scott Feldman retired the Red Sox in order on three ground balls and 19 pitches. Adam Jones flew to center field with two outs in the bottom of the first to strand Nick Markakis, who drew a walk against Boston starter Ryan Dempster. Why do I mention Jones' at-bat? Glad you asked. Jones has homered in four straight home games for the second time in his career. It also happened July 23-Aug. 6,...

Davey Johnson has had many more gloomy postgame press conferences this season than he expected he'd have, days where he's had to sit in front of the cameras and discuss another frustrating loss. Today was not one of those days. A few minutes after the Nationals' 4-1 win over the Mets, Johnson bounded into his chair behind the press conference table with a giant smile on his face and didn't even wait for a reporter to ask a question. "How about (Dan) Haren? How about that?" the giddy...

Center fielder Denard Span finally did it: hit his first homer in a Nationals uniform, his first homer since October of last year while with the Twins. "Felt good to get the monkey off my back," Span smiled. "It hasn't taken this long to hit a home run in a while, probably since A ball. But it felt good. "It has been a long season for me offensively. Just felt good to get one over the wall. My home trot was definitely a little rusty." Left fielder Bryce Harper, who hit a two-run shot...

Scott Feldman makes his fifth start for the Orioles at Camden Yards tonight against Boston. He has delivered three quality starts and is 2-1 with a 4.73 ERA for the Orioles. Feldman has won his last two starts, pitching a total of 15 1/3 innings allowing 10 hits and five runs. When the Orioles acquired him July 2 in a trade with the Cubs, you had to figure Buck Showalter had some input on the acquisition. When Feldman pitched for the Texas Rangers in relief in 2005 and 2006 - his first two...

Right-hander A.J. Cole had an outstanding Double-A debut Thursday for Harrisburg. Cole tossed seven innings in a 2-1 Senators win at Portland. Cole allowed three hits, one run, a solo homer, one walk and struck out six batters. After a one-out single in the first, Cole ran off 11 straight outs. A club source reported that Cole "threw the ball very well. He had above average fastball command. His changeup was effective and he sprinkled in the curveball nicely." It has already been a big...

Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy didn't need the numbers recited to him as he stood at his locker this afternoon. He's fully aware that Red Sox starter Ryan Dempster has dominated him over the years. To say it's one-sided would be much too kind. Hardy is 2-for-30 lifetime against Dempster, who takes the mound tonight for the second game of their series at Camden Yards. He continues to bat seventh. He continues to search for a solution. So, about those numbers... "They're terrible," Hardy...

Brandon Snyder, the Orioles' first-round pick in 2005, returned to town to play against the Orioles last season with Texas and he's back this weekend as a member of the Boston Red Sox. Snyder lost out on making the Rangers' opening day roster, was released late in spring and then quickly signed with Boston. He was with their Triple-A Pawtucket affiliate until Boston called him up June 25. "You start to realize how much a business it is," Snyder said this afternoon in the Red Sox...

Dan Haren has been significantly better since coming off the disabled list than he was before that DL stint. And today might just have been his best start as a National to this point. Haren went seven innings, allowing just one run on three hits. He walked one and struck out six and threw 103 pitches, 73 for strikes. This was vintage Haren, folks. The veteran right-hander kept the ball down in the zone, had great movement on his offspeed stuff and his splitter, and mixed his pitches...

The Orioles have made arrangements to bring Triple-A Norfolk outfielder LJ Hoes to Baltimore, and he could be officially recalled before Sunday's game against the Red Sox at Camden Yards. Hoes isn't with the Tides, who are playing tonight in Rochester. The Orioles are waiting to find out whether they need to continue carrying an extra reliever before announcing the move. Official word could come following tonight's game. Hoes will give the Orioles a fourth bench player and another...

The Nationals had scored two runs off Dillon Gee in 18 2/3 innings against the Mets right-hander this season. They scored two runs off Gee in the second inning alone today, and they have a 2-0 lead thanks to back-to-back homers from Ian Desmond and Denard Span. The home runs came on back-to-back pitches by Gee. Desmond's homer was his 16th of the season, giving him the outright team lead. He crushed a 3-2 changeup from Gee into the red seats in center, putting the Nats on the board. Span...