ATLANTA - Danny Espinosa showed up at Turner Field this afternoon, took a look at the Nationals' lineup card and didn't see his name in the starting lineup. Instead, Steve Lombardozzi was written in with the number "4" next to his name, indicating Lombardozzi will start at second base tonight. "Haven't been playing well, got benched," Espinosa said at his locker earlier today. "I guess it just kind of is what it is. That's the decision they made and they don't have to explain...

Nate McLouth is leading off and Manny Machado is batting second tonight for the Orioles' series finale against the Seattle Mariners. Why mess with a good thing? For the Orioles Nate McLouth LF Manny Machado 3B Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Chris Davis 1B Matt Wieters C J.J. Hardy SS Ryan Flaherty 2B Nolan Reimold DH Wei-Yin Chen LHP For the Mariners Saunders CF Seager 3B Morales DH Morse RF Bay LF Smoak 1B Ackley 2B Montero C Andino SS Harang RHP The Mariners are 0-3 in rubber matches...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter used four relievers last night to cover the final four innings of a 7-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners. Showalter used Tommy Hunter for a second consecutive game, but he avoided closer Jim Johnson, who hasn't pitched since Saturday. He's rested and ready tonight if there's a save situation. Rule 5 pick T.J. McFarland hasn't pitched since Thursday in Oakland. He's been used once since April 21, totaling one inning. He's rested, ready and probably a...

ATLANTA - As promised, Davey Johnson has made a few changes to tonight's starting lineup. Danny Espinosa has been benched tonight in favor of Steve Lombardozzi, who will start at second base and hit second. Jayson Werth will miss his second straight game with a sore ankle/hamstring cramps, with Tyler Moore taking over in left and Bryce Harper manning right field. Ian Desmond will hit cleanup for the first time this season, Adam LaRoche will hit fifth, and Anthony Rendon returns to the...

Now that the calendar has turned to May, we can take a look back at April and make some comparisons to where the Orioles were at this point last year. As for the bottom line, they went 14-9 (.609) in April 2012 and were in second place at that point, one game out. At the end of this April, they are 16-11 (.593) and two and a half games out in third place. The Orioles have hit better in April 2013, and they pitched better in April 2012 in looking at several stats. Here is the comparison of...

19-year old Dominican catcher Pedro Severino has made a nice step up to Low Single-A Hagerstown Suns, and is off to a good start in his first profesional season. In 70 games for Gulf Coast Nationals from 2011 and 2012, Severino hit .201 with 11 extra base hits and 17 RBIs. Focusing on last season, he hit .220 in 38 games, dwindling his strikeout total from 27 down to nine. Nationals director of player development Doug Harris said Severino is a "high energy kid who is really throwing well. He...

Left-hander Sammy Solis (Tommy John) and left-hander Matt Purke (shoulder) continue their mound progressions in Florida as they work their way back from surgeries. Solis threw a few innings in extended spring training last week and looked good, according to club source. Updating his return, another source reports Solis is still "several weeks" from returning to games, and it appears that will take place in the "second half of May." Meanwhile, Purke is a "tick behind the Solis timeline."...

He brought a flair for playing the game and some big time talent to the team for three seasons, and today Roberto Alomar has been elected to the Orioles' Hall of Fame. "It was a great time with the Orioles," Alomar said on a media conference call this afternoon. "There were great fans, and I got to meet some great people. We had some great years and went to the playoffs. Wish we could have brought the World Series to Baltimore. We came short, but I've got some great memories. "I heard...

ATLANTA - Danny Espinosa struggled offensively during the month of April, batting .173 with a .212 on-base percentage. When the Nationals open their May schedule tonight against the Braves, Steve Lombardozzi will be their starting second baseman and Espinosa will be on the bench. Nats manager Davey Johnson said during an appearance on 106.7 The Fan this morning that he plans to start Lombardozzi at second base for the final two games of the Nationals' series against the...

ATLANTA - The good news for the Nationals, maybe some of the only good news they've got going right now, is that Jordan Zimmermann will be taking the ball tonight as the Nats look to finally pick up a win over the Braves and snap a three-game losing streak. Is there anyone else the Nats would rather have on the mound right now than Zimmermann, who is 4-1 with a 2.00 ERA and is coming off a one-hit shutout his last time out? Ross Detwiler has pitched really well this season, but with...