I hated myself for being so tired last night that I passed out before the end of the Tigers-A's game. When did I get so old that regardless of how tired I was (and man, was I tired), I couldn't fight through it and watch late-night postseason baseball? C'mon, Kolko, get it together. This is what I get, I guess. I miss a thrilling ninth-inning comeback in which the A's scored three runs to earn a walk-off win and force Game 5. That game actually ended up affecting the Nationals-Cardinals...

On the afternoon of July 21, Nats fans gathered and sulked in mass. The night before, the Nationals had blown a nine-run lead with their best pitcher on the mound. Nats fans watched helplessly as pitcher after pitcher was terrorized by Braves hitters and what felt like a safe and comfy cushion disappeared. It all went away when Michael Bourn tripled to bring in the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth. Danny Espinosa would tie it with a homer in the bottom of the ninth, but in the end, the...

NEW YORK - A guy who homers twice in a playoff game figures to start the following night, but the Yankees' Raul Ibanez could be the exception. Ibanez is 8-for-23 (.348) with a double, two homers and six RBIs lifetime against left-hander Joe Saunders, who starts Game 4 tonight for the Orioles. But he might be more valuable to manager Joe Girardi coming off the bench. The Orioles would like to put him on the D train to Coney Island. Orioles manager Buck Showalter chose Saunders over Chris...

For the second time in seven days, the Orioles will play a postseason game where their season will end with a loss. They won the first time Friday in Texas and must win tonight in Game 4 of the best-of-five American League Division Series. The team has been resilient and showed an amazing ability to bounce back all year and tonight is likely the toughest test of all. They have to beat the Yankees in Yankee Stadium to force a Game 5. The Yankees are not eliminated with a loss. Joe Saunders was...

Ross Detwiler chooses to forget his last outing. He lasted only 2 1/3 innings and gave up three earned runs on four hits with five walks. It was a loss. Who was it against? The St. Louis Cardinals. "I try not to remember that one," Detwiler said of his Sept. 30 start. "I am really going out there trying to throw strikes, trying to get ahead in the count. Make the hitters hit my pitch instead having to come after them 2-1 and 3-1 like I was the whole time." Which team does Detwiler need...

NEW YORK - Orioles manager Buck Showalter was asked tonight about the size of the knot in his stomach following a 3-2, 12-inning loss to the Yankees in Game 3 of the American League Division Series. "I don't have no knot in my stomach," he replied. Why not? "Why not?" he replied. "Is that what I'm supposed to do? Is that what conventional thinking is? Well, they may. We don't live in that world. We're so impressed with all our guys tonight. Played a great game in a tough situation,...

NEW YORK - The Orioles had won 16 straight extra-inning games. They were 76-0 when leading after the seventh inning, including two playoff wins. Two streaks ended in Game 3 of the American League Division Series. "It's a tough loss, but we play again tomorrow and there's nothing this team is prepared more for than getting ready to go the next day after a tough loss," said catcher Matt Wieters, who was behind the plate when Raul Ibanez homered in the ninth and 12th innings. Ibanez...

NEW YORK - Left-hander Joe Saunders will take the ball again for the Orioles in a must-win situation. Manager Buck Showalter confirmed that Saunders will start Game 4 of the American League Division Series on Thursday, with the Orioles pushed to the brink of elimination after tonight's 3-2, 12-inning loss to the Yankees. Saunders also started the wild card game in Texas and allowed one run over 5 2/3 innings for his first postseason victory. Saunders is 3-1 with a 5.82 ERA in six career...

That was a stunning, stunning loss for the Orioles. Miguel Gonzalez pitched his heart out. Two rookies homered. They were two outs away from a win and they lost 3-2 in 12 innings as the Yankees take a 2-1 lead in the American League Division Series. The Yankees pinch-hit Raul Ibanez for Alex Rodriguez, a $29 million dollar player this year, and Ibanez homered in the ninth to tie the game and in the 12th to win it. Two swings, two homers, one devastating loss for Baltimore. Ibanez stepped in...

NEW YORK - We've moved to the top of the 12th inning at Yankee Stadium. Maybe the Orioles will bring their bats. The Orioles have one hit since Manny Machado's home run in the fifth inning, and it came from a player who wasn't in the starting lineup. Robert Andino, a defensive replacement for Ryan Flaherty, singled in the 10th and moved to second on Machado's sacrifice bunt. Nate McLouth lined into a double play to keep the score tied. Endy Chavez also entered the game as a defensive...