The Nationals' lead over the Braves in the NL East is now 7 1/2 games, the highest it's been this season. They're back to 31 games above .500, tying the high-water mark for the year. Their magic number to win the division is 20 with 27 games left on their schedule. By no means are the Nats looking ahead or counting their chickens. But they are starting to realize the end is in sight. You go into the clubhouse postgame and you'll notice the Braves game put up on every TV in sight. During...

Tuesday night's "laugher" of a game as MASNsports.com's Dan Kolko so aptly dubbed it was also the first time in team history that six home runs were hit. Or rather, I choose to see it as the first time we ever heard the subhorn go off six times (plus one for good luck since they sound it after each win) during a Nationals game. Washington decided early on last season to nix the home run fireworks that shot up after a crushed long ball and replace it with something unique, a brand...

Owing to good luck and a fortuitous schedule, I have the honor of my regular turn in the MASN rotation falling today, as the Orioles wake up in a first-place tie with the New York Yankees - on Sept. 5. It was only several weeks ago that the Yanks had a 10-game division lead and it hardly mattered. That the Orioles were winning and in contention for the wild card was plenty of reason for joy. Nobody at that time, at least to my recollection, seriously considered the possibility of contending...

Have the Orioles gone from a team that got off to a good start, to a surprise team, to a team of destiny to now, just a damn good team? Could be. Or maybe all four still apply, especially the last one. Buster Olney said it well in a recent appearance on ESPN radio, when he said the Orioles "can smell it now." You can insert your own joke here, but you get the point. Now they can feel it, now they can taste it, call it what you will. What Zach Britton said after the game last night has...

Starting pitching carried the Nationals for most of the first half of the season, but if this team is going to go far in the postseason, the offense will have to also carry a heavy load. On Tuesday, they looked like they could carry that burden with ease. The Nationals tied a team record with six homers in one game, two from Adam LaRoche, and cruised past the overmatched Chicago Cubs 11-5. "It feels good," LaRoche said. "On top of that, having guys surrounding us in the lineup, the way...

The days when the Nationals scored six runs over a five-game span seem so long ago. In reality, it was only a week ago that the offensive skid came to an end. And since then, the bats have come alive in a big way. Tonight, the Nats exploded for 11 runs, 19 hits, six home runs from five different players and 11 extra-base hits. Adam LaRoche had two homers, Ian Desmond had a home run, a double and four RBIs and Danny Espinosa had two doubles as the Nats rolled to a lopsided victory over the...

Not only did the smart fans predict back in March that the Orioles would be tied for first place on Sept. 5, they also knew that Miguel Gonzalez would be on the mound tonight with a chance to give them sole possession. They followed his progress in the Mexican League and his recovery from injuries that robbed him of two full seasons of pro ball. Oh, they knew. They knew that Nate McLouth, released by the Pirates after batting .140 in 34 games, would be hitting .255 with the Orioles and...

The Nationals have hung double digits on the Cubs tonight, putting up 17 hits through seven innings. Nine of those hits have been for extra bases. Five have been home runs. The five homers has set a record for the most home runs ever by a D.C. baseball team in games played in the district. Five different Nats have connected for longballs: Ian Desmond, Jesus Flores, Adam LaRoche, Tyler Moore and Ryan Zimmerman. Backed by those homers, which have plated a total of seven runs, the Nats lead...

Mark Reynolds hit another big home run. Zach Britton pitched another strong game. The surging Orioles picked up another win. It was close for a while, but ended as a blowout 12-0 victory over Toronto as the Orioles take the first two games in the series by shutouts. They have now held their opponents off the scoreboard for 22 straight innings. This win could lead them to a first-place tie in the American League East. Tampa Bay is leading New York 5-2 in the eighth and the Orioles would tie...

Mark Reynolds must really, really want the Orioles to pick up that $11 million option for next season. Reynolds clubbed a three-run homer in the top of the fifth inning to break a scoreless tie against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. If you're scoring at home, that's five homers in five days for Reynolds, and nine since Aug. 8. He's sizzling. Blue Jays starter Carlos Villanueva had allowed one hit in four innings before Adam Jones led off the fifth with a double. Chris Davis walked with...