This little two-game series between the Nationals and Tigers was billed by some as a potential World Series preview. It's just two games in May, of course. But the Nationals played two pretty smooth ballgames the last two days, picking up wins over the reigning American League champions in each despite a comeback effort today by Detroit. The Nats held a 5-1 lead after two innings, but Matt Tuiasosopo's pinch-hit, three-run homer in the sixth made things interesting. In the end, the Nats...

J.J. Hardy shattered his bat tonight and drove in a run. Another sign that his season-long slump is ending. Oh, sure, there's the three home runs in his last four games before tonight, but it's also a positive development when the cheapies are on his side. Hardy is 8-for-19 with six RBIs in his last six games. Former Oriole Jeremy Guthrie's scoreless innings streak ended at 18, but the run is unearned because of shortstop Alcides Escobar's third error in two nights. It allowed Adam...

MLB Network ran a story before the Tigers-Nationals series began on the matchup as a possible World Series preview. On paper, both teams have very strong starting pitching and power bats in their lineup. The Nationals were able to win both games of the short two-game series, taking the finale Thursday, 5-4. The Tigers' Victor Martinez was only able to pinch-hit in each game because of the use of pitchers in the batting lineup under National League rules. Jayson Werth was out with a sore...

After taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning in his Orioles debut Saturday at Anaheim, what does Freddy Garcia have in store for an encore? We find out tonight when the 36-year-old Venezuelan makes the start opposite former Oriole Jeremy Guthrie. "Real excited (to get back out there)," Garcia said Wednesday. "Nice to be back in the big leagues and I'm trying to do the best I can to stay here. Was real happy with that first start, but that is in the past now. "I don't need to change...

Jeremy Guthrie pitched for the Orioles from 2007 through 2011, a total of five seasons. For most of the last four years he wore an O's uniform, when he took the mound, Adam Jones was playing behind him in center field. But tonight they compete against each other for the first time. They will be friends off the field, but Jones said he'll be putting that friendship aside once game time hits tonight. "We were teammates four years. Was his teammate," Jones emphasized. "It's the business....

Orioles manager Buck Showalter exchanged text messages today with second baseman Brian Roberts, who underwent surgery on his right hamstring in Dallas. Roberts will fly back to Sarasota on Friday. "Everything went well today," Showalter said. "Very positive. The doctors felt good about getting it done after getting in there. It will speed up the process. I've got marked off what X-number of weeks is from today, so we'll see what happens." Roberts is expected to endure a six-week...

The rain is picking up at Nationals Park, but so is the Nats' offensive production. The Nats have put up five runs and seven hits off Tigers starter Doug Fister through two innings. Fister has retired just six of the 15 batters he's faced. This is the same Doug Fister who hadn't allowed more than three runs in any of his previous six starts this season. Denard Span has scored twice in two innings, Roger Bernadina has a bunt single and a walk, and Ryan Zimmerman and Adam LaRoche are both...

The blister that first showed up on Miguel Gonzalez's right thumb two starts ago and forced him out of his last start after just 80 pitches is now sending Gonzalez to the 15-day disabled list. He was placed on the DL today, retroactive to May 4, and cannot return to the O's active roster until May 19. Alex Burnett was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk and is expected to work out of the bullpen. The O's will need someone to replace Gonzalez on Saturday at Minnesota. "We talked about it, Rick...

Following his last start here at Nationals Park, a win over the Reds on April 27 in which he allowed two runs and struck out five over six innings, Dan Haren said he finally felt like part of the team. In some ways, it was just a light-hearted comment that made reporters chuckle. In other ways, it was evidence of what Haren has needed to deal with early this season as he tries to adjust to a new team with legitimate World Series aspirations. Haren came in with a one-year, $13 million...

The Orioles have placed starter Miguel Gonzalez on the 15-day disabled list with a blister on his right thumb and recalled reliever Alex Burnett from Triple-A Norfolk. Gonzalez's move is retroactive to May 4. He left his start the previous night in Anaheim after six innings and 80 pitches because of the blister. Gonzalez, 28, is 2-2 with a 4.58 ERA in six starts this season. He was supposed to throw a bullpen session today before the Orioles determined whether he could take the ball on...