ATLANTA - The Nationals know they're a talented team. They know they're better than what their 13-14 record indicates. So why is their play slacking? Why the 0-5 record against the Braves? What can't this team do that needs to be done right now? "I feel like we can, we're just not," said Ian Desmond, who went around to a number of players after the game to have brief one-on-one chats with them. "I mean, everyone's trying to do better for the team, but I feel like you have to put...

The Orioles Hall of Fame will make room a player later this summer who's already been elected into Cooperstown. Former second baseman Roberto Alomar will be honored on Aug. 2 prior to the Orioles game against the Seattle Mariners at Camden Yards. Former Orioles scout and baseball operations executive Don Pries will be inducted as this year's Herb Armstrong Award winner. Alomar played for the Orioles from 1996-1998, compiling a .312 batting average, 50 home runs and 210 RBIs in 412 regular...

As a disappointing 13-14 April comes to an end for the Nationals, the only thing that went right was Bryce Harper. An April OPS of 1.150 is only so impressive on its own, but consider that the tops in all of baseball last season was Miguel Cabrera with .999 and the only regulars with better than that in April 2012 were Matt Kemp, Bryan LaHair, Josh Hamilton and David Ortiz. Harper is off to a hot start, but there are signs that it won't be ending anytime soon. Watch Harper at the plate....

ATLANTA - For the fifth time this season, Davey Johnson met with reporters following a loss to the Braves. "Do we have to talk about this one?" Johnson said with a smirk on his face. Had the Nationals not just finished the month of April with a disappointing 13-14 record, Johnson might've been in full-blown smile mode when making that comment. Knowing how long the season is and how many games remain, he's usually fairly jolly at this point in the year, even after a loss. Instead,...

Nate McLouth made a triumphant return to the Orioles' lineup tonight. One night after sitting on the bench against a left-hander, McLouth hit his 11th career leadoff home run to give the Orioles a quick 1-0 lead. Mariners starter Brandon Maurer threw four straight fastballs to McLouth, at 91, 91, 93 and 91 mph. He might want to mix in an off-speed pitch. He might want to just avoid McLouth, who has reached base in 23 of his last 37 plate appearances. He's 16-for-30 with 14 runs scored in...

ATLANTA - This is one of the more bizarre outings I've seen turned in by a starting pitcher in some time. Gio Gonzalez has struck out nine batters through four innings. His stuff has been good, his velocity is there and his pitches have plenty life. Outside of the strikeout numbers, however, everything else has gone wrong for Gonzalez. The Nationals left-hander has allowed five runs in his four innings of work. He's allowed seven hits. He's walked five Braves batters. He threw a wild...

The good teams seem to avoid long losing streaks and the Orioles will try to avoid having a three-gamer tonight. Prior to last night, the Birds had not lost back-to-back games since losing three in a row April 6-8. The 2013 Orioles are 7-2 after a loss. Some other notes on the Orioles: * Manny Machado is batting .412 (14-for-34) during an eight-game batting streak with three doubles, a triple and five RBIs. He has raised his average from .250 to .300 during this stretch. Machado is...

The Orioles announced a flurry of roster moves before tonight's game in Seattle. They officially recalled former UMBC pitcher Zach Clark from Triple-A Norfolk and optioned left-hander Zach Britton to the Tides. Also, the Orioles purchased catcher Chris Snyder's contract and designated catcher Luis Exposito for assignment to create room on the 40-man roster. And finally, the Orioles reinstated pitcher Steve Johnson from the disabled list and optioned him to Norfolk. Clark, 29, is 1-2 with...

The Orioles today announced that they have recalled RHP Zach Clark from Triple-A Norfolk, selected the contract of catcher Chris Snyder and optioned LHP Zach Britton to Triple-A Norfolk. The club has also designated catcher Luis Exposito for assignment and reinstated RHP Steve Johnson from the 15-day disabled list and optioned him to Triple-A Norfolk. Clark, 29, is 1-2 with a 4.56 ERA (25.2IP, 13ER) in five starts with the Tides this season. He went 15-7 with a 2.79 ERA (167.2IP, 52ER) in...

Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman was scratched from Tuesday's doubleheader for the high Single-A Potomac Nationals at Pfitzner Stadium in Woodbridge, Va. Zimmerman is expected to be in the lineup Wednesday for the P-Nats, to test his hamstring under live game conditions. If everything goes well, Zimmerman is likely to join the Nationals in Pittsburgh when they start a weekend series with the Pirates on Friday. Rain in the area forced postponement of Monday's game at Potomac. The...