The St. Louis Cardinals are not only the reigning world champions, but they are in a tight race with the Braves and Dodgers for the National League wild card. They probably still hold out hope that they can catch the Reds, which is why taking three of four from a team like St. Louis at this point in the season is as impressive as it is crucial. And there is no better test of the Nationals' starting rotation - the best in baseball - than the Cards. They are the most potent offensive team in...

I really wish that I had kept track of my road record this season, because it's got to be impressive. I'd go back and count up the games, but that would require doing math and, well, I was told there wouldn't be any math. Yesterday was gut-check time in the Bronx. It also was a game that measures a team's heart, its resiliency, its bounce-back ability. The Orioles had coughed up a two-run lead in the seventh inning Saturday, knocking the wind out of them while simultaneously breathing...

When the Double-A Bowie Baysox host Akron in Game 1 of a best-of-five Eastern League playoff series Wednesday night, it looks like there is a good chance that the Orioles' last two first-round draft picks will pitch in that game. Dylan Bundy, taken fourth overall in 2011, is expected to be the starting pitcher. Kevin Gausman, taken fourth overall in June, may follow him to the mound in relief. Yes, that would be pretty cool to see. Bundy is 2-0 with a 3.24 ERA in three Baysox starts. Over...

Today's actual game might get lost in the shuffle amidst the news that Stephen Strasburg will make two more starts this season before getting shut down. Let's just say I don't anticipate too much talk about Kurt Suzuki's offensive performance on ESPN or MLB Network tonight or tomorrow when the Nationals are mentioned. But the game itself was a thrilling battle between two playoff-caliber teams, one which the Nationals won 4-3 despite some hiccups in the late innings. Thanks to six...

It is not what Stephen Strasburg wanted to hear, but it appears the decision has been made. Fresh off an outstanding bounceback performance, where Strasburg subdued the world champion St. Louis Cardinals for six innings, manager Davey Johnson announced postgame how many games Strasburg would pitch the rest of the season. "I think two starts, unless I let him pitch 10 (innings) in the next one out, which I am not going to," Johnson confirmed. "So I think his last start will be on (Sept.)...

Stephen Strasburg threw six scoreless innings against the Cardinals this afternoon, striking out nine and upping his season innings total to 156 1/3. It was another dominant performance from the Nationals' ace, and his season ERA now sits at 2.94. Immediately after the game, we learned that Strasburg will only get the ball twice more this season. Manager Davey Johnson announced that Strasburg will have two more starts before he's shut down, barring some change of plans. That means...

NEW YORK - Just another multi-homer game for Mark Reynolds today. Nothing to see here. Actually, there's been plenty. As I wrote earlier, he's batting .320 with five doubles, eight homers and 17 RBIs in his last 23 games. Reynolds homered off Phil Hughes in the fifth and sixth innings, his second shot driving in three runs and giving the Orioles a 5-3 lead. "The first one, I think it was a 2-2 fastball," he said. "He was trying to go away with it like he did in my first at-bat and...

NEW YORK - Let's first get the fun facts out of the way. The Orioles improved to 37-29 on the road, 28-21 vs. the American League East, 25-13 in day games and 11-5 in the rubber game of a series. The six road wins in the Bronx are the most since they went 8-1 at the original Yankee Stadium in 1976. Mark Reynolds became only the second Orioles player with more than one multi-homer game in a series against the Yankees, joining Doug DeCinces, who hit two on May 25 and 27, 1981 at Memorial...

NEW YORK - Instead of accompanying his teammates to Toronto later today, Orioles pitcher Chris Tillman will fly back to Baltimore and undergo an MRI on his right elbow. The MRI most likely will take place on Monday while the Orioles open a three-game series against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Tillman lasted only three innings today before manager Buck Showalter, concerned by a drop in his starter's velocity, summoned left-hander Randy Wolf from the bullpen. Tillman said the elbow felt...

Sean Burnett is still in the midst of a career season. He'd just prefer to forget the last 2 1/2 weeks. After an appearance on August 10, Burnett had a 1.81 ERA. He hadn't given up a single run and had allowed just three total baserunners over his previous 10 appearances, spanning nine innings. Since then, things have turned for the worse. Burnett has a 7.50 ERA over his last eight appearances, but even more concerning are the number of baserunners he's allowed. Of the last 35 hitters...