PHILADELPHIA - The Nationals have struggled mightily against left-handed pitching this season, and they'll face one of the toughest left-handers in the bigs tonight when they take on Cliff Lee. Lee is 10-2 with a 2.73 ERA this season, and he held the Nats to two runs over eight strong innings back on June 18 in a Phillies win here at Citizens Bank Park. The Nats are hitting .215/.281/.336 against left-handers this season. What's there to that? "I don't know," Adam LaRoche said last...

After missing almost two months with a strained right oblique, Wei-Yin Chen will make his first start since May 12 for the Orioles tonight. Prior to his injury, Chen was 3-3 with a 3.04 ERA in eight starts. In his only start against the Rangers last season, Chen allowed two runs in 7 2/3 innings. Brian Roberts gets the start at second base while Chris Dickerson will serve as the designated hitter. For the Orioles: Nate McLouth LF Manny Machado 3B Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Chris Davis...

The Orioles and OriolesREACH have partnered with the Casey Cares Foundation to host the fourth annual Casey Cares 5K run/walk at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Saturday, August 3. Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis and his wife Christina will serve as race ambassadors. Keith Mills, Sports Director of 98 Rock and WBAL Radio, will be the event's emcee. "We are thrilled to partner with such a fantastic organization as the Orioles for our 5K," said CASEY BAYNES, Founder and Executive Director...

The Orioles have come to terms with another draft pick, reaching an agreement with lefty pitcher Max Homick, their 32nd round pick out of the University of San Diego. Homick agreed to a bonus under the allotted amount of $100,000 for a pick from round 11 on. This season as a sophomore, Homick went 5-2 with a 3.34 ERA and six saves with 57 strikeouts in 70 innings. The Orioles have come to terms with all 15 of their top picks and have signed 30 picks in all. The list is below. I reported...

PHILADELPHIA - Two days ago, the Nationals deficit in the National League East had been cut to four. Just like that, it's back to six. Two Nats losses here in Philly coupled with two Braves wins over the Marlins, and there goes the momentum again. The good news for the Nats is that they'll now send Gio Gonzalez and Jordan Zimmermann to the mound in the final two games of this series against the Phillies. Want to know just how good that news is? Let's go to the numbers. When either...

The Orioles will recall pitcher Josh Stinson from Triple-A Norfolk as the replacement for Kevin Gausman, who was optioned last night. An announcement will be made later today. Stinson is 4-4 with a 4.23 ERA in 15 starts for Norfolk, with 94 hits allowed, 34 walks and 58 strikeouts in 89 1/3 innings. Stinson went seven innings on Saturday and would be working on short rest if used tonight. Manager Buck Showalter prefers having a right-hander to back up a left-handed starter. Wei-Yin Chen...

Coming off of a four-game winning streak the Nationals have dropped the first two in a four-game series to Philadelphia and there is nothing to worry about. But because it is D.C., people are going to worry. After this weekend, the Nationals suddenly found themselves only four games back from the Braves in the division, after the Braves lost two of three to the Phillies, and the Nationals swept the Padres. But then the Nationals played the Phillies while the Braves played the Marlins, and now...

Adam Jones, at his current pace, will finish with the following statistics at the end of the 2013 regular season: A batting average of .291 with 39 doubles, 28 homers, 16 steals, 107 runs and 109 RBIs. He has made his third All-Star team and was the leading vote getter among outfielders in the American League. If his numbers remain the same, he will set career highs in batting average and RBIs and it would be his second highest homer total. Six of Jones' last eight homers have come against...

Brian Roberts snapped a 1-for-18 streak last night with a game-tying RBI single in the second inning. He was back at second base after serving as the designated hitter in three of the past four games. Orioles manager Buck Showalter has been easing Roberts back onto the field since the hamstring surgery and extended absence. Ryan Flaherty was getting the bulk of the starts at second in Roberts' absence. Alexi Casilla would get some starts against left-handed pitching. Asked if he's...

PHILADELPHIA - Davey Johnson can't really explain why the Nationals look so locked-in offensively one day and then produce so little the next. Neither can Adam LaRoche, who admits it's a bit frustrating the way the Nats have been so feast-or-famine offensively of late. "A little bit," LaRoche said. "We'll get into a game and we'll be in the sixth, seventh inning with two or three hits. Where the night before we had 15 hits. I can't explain it. It's one of those things you try to go...