OK, Bryce Harper is red-hot anywhere he hits. But at Nationals Park, Harper is really crushing the ball. Harper smoked an opposite-field, two-run shot in the first inning off Braves starter Julio Teheran, giving the Nats an early 2-0 lead over their division rivals. The homer came on a 2-1 fastball, and it left the yard in a hurry. It's Harper's fifth homer of the season. The Nats have played just 10 games. Decent homer-to-game ratio, I guess. Teheran's pitch wasn't a bad one; he...

The New York Yankees' offense will provide a real challenge tonight for Orioles right-hander Miguel Gonzalez, pitching for the first time since he allowed two runs over 6 1/3 innings April 4 against Tampa Bay. The Yankees have scored 32 runs in winning their last three games before they were slowed down not by pitching, but by rainouts the past two days. In Tuesday's win at Cleveland, the Yankees recorded season highs in runs (14), hits (18), homers (5) and extra-base hits (11). That was...

There's been a lot of buzz around the clubhouse about the bench-clearing brawl in Thursday's Padres vs. Dodgers game at San Diego's Petco Park. Padres outfielder Carlos Quentin charged the mound and tackled Dodgers starter Zack Greinke after getting hit by a pitch. Greinke was injured during the melee, suffering a fractured left collarbone. Greinke is out until June. No suspensions have been announced. Manager Davey Johnson said hitting a batter was never a part of his direction, but he...

The Nationals have played nine games thus far this season. Rafael Soriano has pitched in six of them. That includes each of the last three nights. Soriano worked the ninth inning in each game of the Nats' recent series against the White Sox, notching three straight saves. The heavy recent workload might prevent Soriano from handling the closer's duties tonight if the Nats have a ninth-inning lead. Manager Davey Johnson indicated after yesterday's game that he might go to Drew Storen...

NEW YORK - It looks like we'll have baseball tonight. Really, really cold baseball, but we'll have it. The Yankees aren't going to be quick with another postponement. The teams will stay here all night if necessary. Cuban outfielder Henry Urrutia served as the designated hitter today at extended spring training and will do it again on Saturday. He will take off Sunday and play right field Monday and Tuesday. Urrutia turned in the final paperwork necessary for him to join an affiliate, but...

After nine games, left fielder Bryce Harper is the Nationals' most consistent hitter. He has become so well-known for his hitting that the White Sox decided to intentionally walk the 20-year-old to get to Ryan Zimmerman. But it isn't just about matchups and whether or not Harper has the hot bat. He also has been more selective at the plate to begin this season. Harper began his rookie season red-hot and then cooled off. This season, through nine games, Harper is leading the team in...

In recent years when the Orioles would play at Fenway Park or Yankee Stadium, it usually didn't go well and often didn't end well. But since the start of last season, all that has changed. From 2008-11, the Orioles went 10-26 at Boston and 9-27 at New York for a combined mark of 19-53. But since opening day 2012, the Orioles are a combined 15-6 at the two parks. So that was a win percentage of just .264 for a four-year period beginning in 2008, but one of .714 over those last 21...

NEW YORK - Nick Markakis is leading off tonight and Nolan Reimold is in left field, as the Orioles attempt to beat the forecast and the New York Yankees. It's brutally cold. No other way to describe it. Well, rainy also works. For the Orioles Nick Markakis RF Manny Machado 3B Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Chris Davis 1B J.J. Hardy SS Nolan Reimold LF Steve Pearce DH Alexi Casilla 2B Miguel Gonzalez RHP For the Yankees Brett Gardner CF Robinson Cano 2B Kevin Youkilis 3B Travis Hafner...

The Nationals and Braves will square off tonight for the first of 19 times this season, with Ross Detwiler and Braves right-hander Julio Teheran taking the mound this evening at Nats Park. The 22-year-old Teheran has made just five career big league starts and has a 5.81 ERA in his brief major league career. Detwiler is coming off six strong innings in his 2013 debut. He allowed just an unearned run in a no-decision against the Reds last Saturday. Tomorrow, we'll get the Nats and Braves...

NEW YORK - The Orioles just can't get enough minor league pitching. The club announced today that it claimed right-hander Alex Burnett off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays and optioned him to Triple-A Norfolk. To make room for Burnett on the 40-man roster, infielder Wilson Betemit has been transferred to the 60-day disabled list. Burnett, 25, is 3-4 with a 4.61 ERA in 174 major league games with the Minnesota Twins from 2010-12. In eight minor league seasons in the Twins and Blue Jays...