For as ice cold as Adam LaRoche was a few weeks ago, he's that scorching hot right now. LaRoche is on a 16-game hitting streak, with his seventh-inning RBI single extending that run. During those 16 games, LaRoche is hitting .382 with four home runs and 12 RBIs. His on-base percentage is .462. Yeah, that would qualify as being on fire. He's not the only one. Ryan Zimmerman is 2-for-4 with three RBIs today, and he also notched an RBI single in the seventh. Over the last 11 games,...

Nick Markakis said he wasn't sure exactly where that ball that was eventually ruled a home run hit exactly. It was ruled a homer for Matt Joyce off Chris Tillman in the top of the sixth as Tampa Bay beat the Orioles to complete the sweep. "I wasn't even looking where the ball landed. I was looking to the spot I needed to get to where I thought it would bounce to. I just knew down in that area it's a concrete wall and I was just trying to create an angle to the ball. Once the ball didn't...

Upon further review, Orioles manager Buck Showalter agreed with the umpires' decision to award a home run to Tampa Bay's Matt Joyce in the top of the sixth inning. Joyce initially was given a double, and he remained on the bag during a lengthy delay that ultimately included a review. "I think Joe (Maddon) was just waiting to get the right call out of the dugout, because you can only get them to review it if you think it was a home run. You don't want to penalize fair or foul," Showalter...

After using offense to win the first two games of this series, Tampa Bay today turned to the American League co-leader in wins, and lefty Matt Moore outdueled Chris Tillman as the Rays beat the Orioles 3-1 to complete the three-game sweep. The Orioles have lost five in a row and are 0-5 on this homestand. It's the Rays' first three-game sweep in Baltimore since May 6-8, 2011. The Orioles were 10-3 in their last 13 home games versus Tampa Bay coming into this series. Moore gave up just five...

Six Nationals have come to the plate so far today. All six have been retired by Padres starter Andrew Cashner. Eleven Padres hitters have come to the plate thus far. Five reached base off Dan Haren, and three came around to score. The Nats trail the Padres 3-0 in the finale of this four-game set, which doesn't bode well for Davey Johnson's club, given the lineup the Nats have in play today and the way that this club has struggled scoring runs late in games. Four of the guys in the Nats...

An Orioles starter has exceeded five innings for the second time in the last eight games. It's Chris Tillman again today. Tillman has allowed three runs and five hits over six innings, with one walk, four strikeouts and two home runs. He's thrown 111 pitches, 71 for strikes. The Rays expanded their lead to 3-1 in the sixth on a controversial home run by Matt Joyce. The umpires ruled it a double. Orioles manager Buck Showalter thought the ball was foul. Rays manager Joe Maddon thought it...

Chris Tillman retired the first eight Tampa Bay Rays this afternoon before walking No. 9 hitter Yunel Escobar. You can guess what happened next. Desmond Jennings ran the count full and doubled to left, giving the Rays a 1-0 lead at Camden Yards. Tillman retired the side in order in the top of the first, getting a fly ball, pop-up and grounder. The first two batters, Jennings and Matt Joyce, each worked him for seven pitches. He breezed through the second before issuing the free pass to...

After a couple days out of town, I'm back in action. Who missed me? Thanks to the MASNsports.com crew for filling in for me recently. Looks like I missed a couple impressive pitching performances. Anyway, enough about me and on to the stuff that matters. Bryce Harper is out of the Nationals lineup again today, missing his second straight contest with a bruised left knee. Ian Desmond will also sit out today, but his absence is merely due to a scheduled day off. This will be the first game...

To win today and end a four-game losing streak, the Orioles will have to win a game started by Tampa Bay lefty Matt Moore. Moore is 7-0 with an ERA of 2.44 through eight starts. He is tied for the American League wins lead with Yu Darvish of Texas. Moore ranks fifth in the league in ERA and has the best batting average against of any AL starter at .172. The one area when he looks human is the walk total. He has walked 25 in 48 innings and that is tied for third most in the AL. Here is a...

The Tampa Bay Rays last swept a three-game series in Baltimore from May 6-8, 2011. The Rays will attempt a sweep today and if they succeed, the Orioles' losing streak would reach five games. Twice over the last four losses, the Orioles have lost when they took the lead to the ninth inning. That happened once all of last year when the Orioles were 75-1 when leading after eight innings. In fact, in losing those two games this week, the Orioles, at 18-3, now lead the American League in losses...