The Nationals have Stephen Strasburg on the mound looking to keep a run of strong starts going in today's series finale against the Phillies. Strasburg, who has allowed just two earned runs in 20 innings over his last three starts, will be throwing to backup catcher Jhonatan Solano for the day game after a night game. Manager Davey Johnson thought about giving Jeff Kobernus a start today, but stuck with Tyler Moore in left and Steve Lombardozzi at second with both playing well of late. The...

Danny Valencia will serve as the Orioles' designated hitter again today after collecting a double and home run yesterday against Toronto knuckleballer R.A. Dickey. So much for Valencia being part of a DH platoon. He's facing another right-hander today, Jays starter Chad Jenkins. Alexi Casilla gets the start at second base. Matt Wieters is batting seventh for the first time this season. For the Orioles Nate McLouth LF Manny Machado 3B Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B J.J....

The Nationals dropped a 5-3 ballgame to the Phillies tonight, but it was evident from the way Davey Johnson spoke after tonight's game that his main concern wasn't the ballgame, but the ongoing struggles of Drew Storen. Storen allowed two runs in the eighth inning tonight, leaving him with the loss and bumping his ERA up to 5.21 on the season. That number can drop quickly if Storen strings together a few scoreless outings but, right now, he's having trouble keeping runners of the basepaths...

Drew Storen is used to coming into ballgames and dominating, facing just a few hitters and then walking off the mound having completed a successful day's work. Storen wasn't able to do so in tonight's 5-3 loss to the Phillies and, unfortunately for the Nationals, those dominating, quick innings have been fewer and farther between from Storen as of late. Called upon to work the eighth inning in a tie ballgame tonight, Storen retired the first batter he saw, and then walked Michael Young on...

As a starting pitcher, when you have a season-high strikeout total and allow just four hits, you have a good chance of winning a game. Unfortunately for the Nationals, Saturday night was not one of those games. Nationals starter Dan Haren struck out 10 batters, but two of the four hits he allowed were back-to-back-homers in the second inning that set the tone for the Phillies. Haren did manage to keep his team in the game. The Nationals were able to come back and tie the game, 3-3, but...

Miguel Gonzalez takes the mound today at Rogers Centre in Toronto, his second start since coming off the disabled list. The Orioles would settle for a repeat of the first, when he limited the Yankees to two runs over seven innings, with no walks and five strikeouts. Gonzalez is 2-1 with a 4.37 ERA in four career games (three starts) against the Blue Jays, with four walks and 14 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings. He faced them April 23 and allowed three runs and five hits in six innings. Adam Lind...

The 2013 Orioles are suddenly bashing and mashing baseballs. The Orioles have become homer happy. If those homers lead to wins, that makes their fans happy. In the last few days, they have been. The Orioles have won four of the last five games, hitting 15 homers in that stretch. Over their last 12 games, they have hit 26 homers with nine games of two or more homers. The Orioles are on a pace to hit 225 homers for the season. Last year's Birds bashed a few, 214 to be exact, which was second...

Davey Johnson acknowledges that he often pulls his starters a little earlier than he should, for any number of reasons. Tonight, Dan Haren got the early hook and, in a 3-3 game, it's fair to question Johnson's decision. Haren had thrown just 88 pitches on the night, surrendered four hits and struck out 10 over six strong innings. His velocity was still holding steady, his offspeed stuff was crisp and his location - outside of the two pitches that were smacked for solo home runs in the...

It's been a strange first two innings for Dan Haren tonight. With the exception of two pitches, Haren has been absolutely dominant thus far. He's struck out five through two innings, using all his pitches effectively. He struck out four Phillies in a row at one point, using a different pitch to put away each hitter. Haren got Freddy Galvis with a curveball, Michael Young with a cutter, Ryan Howard with a splitter and Michael Young with a four-seam fastball. But, those two...

With the return of Sammy Solis last Tuesday, focus continues on another pair of talented prospects rehabbing in Florida: left-hander Matt Purke and right-hander Lucas Giolito. Purke, a third round selection in 2011, is closer to returning from left shoulder surgery. Doug Harris, the Nationals' director of player development, watched Purke throw last week in Florida at the extended spring training facility. "(Purke) is a tick behind Sammy (Solis)," said Harris, in regards to the...