The Nationals' starting pitching has had trouble getting off to quick starts in this series. Following Wednesday's 8-0 Game 3 win, the Cardinals have now scored nine runs in the second inning in three games and a total of 13 runs in the first four innings during the series. In that same span, the Nationals have tallied a total of two runs. Nationals starters have allowed 11 runs in 13 innings. The Cardinals' starters, by contrast, have gone 13 1/3 innings and surrendered a total of two...

It was a very quiet Nationals clubhouse following today's 8-0 loss to the Cardinals. It might take a few hours to get past this one, given the way the Nats were dominated in their home park in the much-anticipated first playoff game in D.C. in 79 years. Not only did the Nationals' pitchers fail to do much to contain a dangerous St. Louis offense, the Nats did nothing with the bats to help pick up the slack and overcome some rocky innings put up by Edwin Jackson, Craig Stammen, Christian...

Tonight's live blog: The Yankees host the Orioles tonight in Game 3 of the American League Division Series. This blog will be here throughout the game and I'll be looking for reader questions and comments. What are your thoughts on tonight's game? What is the key for an O's win? Will the offense break out?: The Orioles' offense may not be scoring a lot of runs lately, but a late-season trend that saw the club get some real solid pitching has carried over for the first three postseason...

NEW YORK - Manager Buck Showalter walked out of the interview room at Yankee Stadium this afternoon, and pitchers Joe Saunders and Chris Tillman took a seat at the head table. One of them will start Game 4 of the American League Division Series. It's just not public information at this hour. "We were kind of hoping you would tell us, because we don't know yet," Saunders said, bringing laughter from reporters. "Whoever it is, me or Chris, we're going to go out there and do our...

Nationals Park was packed, fans were five deep in some standing room sections and frenzied towel-waving rooters were announcing their presence with authority. Then, in the span of a couple of innings, the fervent enthusiasm was sucked right out of South Capitol Street, leaving a Nationals Park-record crowd of 45,017 mostly disappointed, dazed and silent in what became an 8-0 defeat in the pivotal third game of a best-of-five National League Divison Series. Before they could even get into the...

Over the last two games, the Nationals have been outscored 20-4. They've gone from being in control of the series after a Game 1 win at St. Louis to being on the ropes and one loss from booking tee times. Things have turned for the worse in a hurry. But Davey Johnson's been here before. He knows he's got a talented group and he's not ready to panic. "We're not out of this by a long shot. ... Shoot, I've had my back to worse walls than this," Johnson said. "I like my ballclub, and I...

NEW YORK - Right-hander Jason Hammel will start Game 5 of the American League Division Series if needed. Hammel would be working on normal rest after starting Game 1 at Camden Yards and allowing two runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings. The Game 4 starter remains a mystery. Chris Tillman and Joe Saunders followed manager Buck Showalter into the interview room today and claimed that they hadn't been told who would get Thursday's assignment. Showalter has made a decision, but he's waiting...

NEW YORK - Orioles manager Buck Showalter is breaking out a familiar lineup for Game 3 of the American League Division Series. Jim Thome is serving as the designated hitter against Yankees right-hander Hiroki Kuroda. Ryan Flaherty is starting at second base. For the Orioles: Nate McLouth LF J.J Hardy SS Chris Davis RF Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Jim Thome DH Mark Reynolds 1B Ryan Flaherty 2B Manny Machado 3B Miguel Gonzalez RHP For the Yankees: Derek Jeter SS Ichiro Suzuki LF Alex...

For the series, the Nationals have left 27 runners on base and gone 3-for-23 with runners in scoring position. They've left at least one runner on in every inning so far today, and have stranded runners in scoring position in four of the five frames. In the fifth, they left the bases loaded when Michael Morse flied out to end the inning. Edwin Jackson won't be thrilled with his effort this afternoon, but he's far from the main problem. Chris Carpenter has allowed five hits, walked two...

Hall of Famer Frank Robinson threw out the ceremonial first pitch of Game 3 of the National League Division Series. Donning his trademark No. 20 jersey, Robinson threw a strike to Ian Desmond, much to delight of the soldout crowd at Nationals Park. "It was very delightful and quite an honor," Robinson said. "I enjoyed doing it. I thank the Lerner family for asking me to do it." Robinson was able to wear his No. 20 jersey, the same number that Desmond switched to this season in honor of...