NEW YORK - Future Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera has lost nine times to the Orioles in his illustrious career. No other team has beaten him in more than seven games. Then again, he's faced the Orioles more than any other team, as well. The Orioles avoided a three-game sweep today on Adam Jones' two-run homer off Rivera in the ninth inning, giving them a 2-1 win over the Yankees before 40,218. The Orioles had three hits going into the ninth, all of them against starter Hiroki Kuroda....

When it comes to All-Star Games, Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond hasn't had good luck. Last season, he was selected as a reserve for the National League team, but couldn't make the trip to Kansas City because of injury. This season, he deserves a spot on the NL's 34-man squad, but he has to go up against Dodgers rookie Yasiel Puig, 24, in the fans' voting for the final roster spot. Puig is a five-tool player who has developed into a rock star sensation since coming to the big leagues a...

Right-hander Lucas Giolito, the top prospect in the Nationals system, will make his next start for the Gulf Coast Nationals on Tuesday afternoon against the GCL Cardinals, according to Nationals director of player development Doug Harris. In his season debut last week, Giolito was pulled after only 1/3 of an inning in which he allowed two hits, two runs, one earned, two walks and one strikeout. This is positive news on two fronts. First, this means that Giolito was not pulled the first...

Two outs away from a 1-0 loss and a 1-5 road trip, the Orioles handed Mariano Rivera a blown save and the Yankees a bitter loss. Adam Jones' two-run homer to left off the Yankees closer pulled the Orioles off the deck today and gave them a 2-1 comeback win over the Yankees. The O's were two outs away from a fourth straight one-run loss. But Nick Markakis singled to center and Jones hit his two-run shot to left for his first homer since June 18 vs. Detroit. Jones had gone 15 consecutive...

A day after being selected for the 2013 All-Star Game and with the game on the line in New York, Manny Machado knocked a grounder toward the dugout, picked it up and made an amazing throw off of his back foot to end the sixth. Your browser does not support iframes. Immediately, national writers took notice. Here are just a few tweets in reaction to Machado's amazing play. Somewhere, Brooks Robinson is saying: I can't believe Manny Machado got to that ball.— Buster Olney...

NEW YORK - Orioles starter Jason Hammel gave up one run today. That's the good part. Hammel lasted only five innings, threw 102 pitches and left with the Orioles trailing the Yankees 1-0. Those are the bad parts. Hammel hasn't won since May 27 in Washington. His winless streak has reached seven starts. Rule 5 pick T.J. McFarland replaced Hammel to begin the bottom of the sixth inning. McFarland hasn't pitched since June 28, when he started against the Yankees and allowed three runs and...

Apparently, all Davey Johnson needed to do to get Bryce Harper back on track was threaten to take him out of the lineup. Since Johnson did so, Harper has four RBIs in five at-bats. His last four plate appearances have all resulted in an RBI. Harper went 1-for-2 with three RBIs yesterday, and he came through again in his first trip to the plate this afternoon, slapping a run-scoring single to left that plated Denard Span. It was the type of run we haven't seen the Nationals put up many times...

NEW YORK - The Yankees have claimed first baseman Travis Ishikawa off waivers, according to an Orioles official - the exact scenario that the club envisioned while debating what to do with him. The Orioles didn't allow Ishikawa to opt out of his contract at Triple-A Norfolk, summoning him to Detroit on June 18 while placing Miguel Gonzalez on paternity leave. They designated him for assignment on June 29 after recalling Jair Jurrjens and tried unsuccessfully to trade him. The Yankees lost...

The Washington Nationals today placed left-handed pitcher Ross Detwiler on the 15-Day Disabled List, retroactive to July 4, with a low back strain. Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Detwiler, 27, is 2-7 with a 4.04 ERA in 13 starts with Washington this season.

The Nationals have made it official, putting left-hander Ross Detwiler on the disabled list with a lower back strain. Detwiler's DL stint will be retroactive to July 4, meaning he'll be eligible to come off the DL on July 19, the Nationals' first game after the All-Star break. It's unclear, however, how much time Detwiler will need to get past the lingering back stiffness that has been an issue for the last 10 days or so. Right-hander Dan Haren will come of the disabled list Monday and...