As a relief pitcher, it is never easy to come into a game with your team already down 7-1. But your job is always to attempt to keep the score where it is to give your guys a chance to come back. Right-hander Ross Ohlendorf was able to do that Sunday in the Nationals' 9-2 loss to the Dodgers. In a game that was decided early, it is sometimes easy to forget the contributions of a long reliever in keeping the game from getting further out of hand. Ohlendorf went six innings and allowed just...

If you thought there wasn't anything positive to take out of today's 9-2 drubbing at the hands of the Dodgers, a loss that wrapped up a three-game sweep, I've got something for you. Jordan Zimmermann's health isn't a concern. Zimmermann's neck had been bothering him for the last couple of months, but it appears that he might be over the soft tissue problem at this point. Both Zimmermann and manager Davey Johnson said the right-hander felt great today health-wise, even though he had the...

As he takes the mound tonight for the Orioles trying to pitch the team to a three-game sweep at Texas, Chris Tillman has one of the best winning percentages in the league since just before last year's All-Star break. Since June 25, 2012, Tillman (20-6, .769) has the second-highest winning percentage among AL starters, trailing only Max Scherzer (23-3, .885). Miguel Gonzalez (17-7, .708) is fourth on the list after Bartolo Colon (16-5, .762). Among AL pitchers with 95 or more innings pitched...

Chris Davis remains at first base for the Orioles tonight after fouling a ball off his right ankle last night and playing in obvious pain. Henry Urrutia is on the bench against Rangers left-hander Martin Perez, with Danny Valencia serving as the designated hitter. Since June 25, 2012, Chris Tillman is 20-6 and has the second-highest winning percentage (.769) among American League starters, trailing only Max Scherzer (23-3, .885). Tillman is 8-1 in 10 starts since May 24, tying him with...

Well, this is a nightmare of a start for Davey Johnson, Jordan Zimmermann and the Nationals. The Dodgers sent 11 men to the plate in the second inning. They notched six hits, walked twice and scored seven runs. Can the Nationals score eight times against Clayton Kershaw - the major league leader in ERA - and the Dodgers today? They'll need to plate at least that many runners to have a shot at avoiding a brutal three-game sweep. Matt Kemp started the damage with a homer to left leading off...

After missing two games with the flu, Adam LaRoche is back in the Nationals lineup today against Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw. LaRoche had been battling the flu for a few days now, an illness that left his body achy and confined him to a back room in the Nats' clubhouse during games so as not to infect his teammates. He returns in time to face the major league leader in ERA (1.98) and WHIP (0.91). LaRoche is 4-for-16 (.250) with a homer and two RBIs in his career against Kershaw,...

Anytime the Nationals offense has struggled over the last few years, Rick Eckstein's name has surfaced. The Nats hitting coach has been the target of plenty of criticism - perhaps some warranted, some not - during the rough stretches, and since Eckstein came on board five seasons ago, there have been a number of rough stretches. And so it probably shouldn't surprise Davey Johnson when he gets a question about Eckstein's job security after another loss in which the Nats scored just one run...

Ian Desmond had some interesting thoughts on the Nationals' season-long struggles and their current collective state of mind after tonight's 3-1 10-inning loss to the Dodgers. One of the more thoughtful, forthcoming players in the Nationals clubhouse, Desmond will tell it how he sees it. And tonight, after being a part of an offensive performance that again was subpar, Desmond said he felt the approach tonight was fine, but the results were just lacking. "I can only speak for myself,"...

I'm sure sabermetricians could come up with some advanced stats liked runs saved or something else to show us how good the Orioles defense is. I'm going with the old-fashioned eye test and the O's have filled up with my TV screen with Gold Glove work the last two nights at Texas. Pick a player on the field and he probably made a nice play. J.J. Hardy ranges up the middle, Brian Roberts with an off-balance throw. Adam Jones dekes a runner and gets a forceout at second on what should have...

Right-hander Craig Stammen was one of the most consistent relievers early on this season. In April and May, Stammen allowed a combined eight earned runs in 27 2/3 innings. In June, he allowed a total of seven earned runs in 15 innings. Since June 27, however, Stammen has surrendered 10 earned runs in the past 10 games. On Saturday, it was two earned runs following back-to-back doubles to the Dodgers' Adrian Gonzalez and Hanley Ramirez in the 10th inning of a 3-1 Los Angeles victory over...