Davey Johnson said after today's 10-9 loss to the Cardinals that Jayson Werth was pulled from the game in the ninth inning because of cramping. Werth later said the cramps were in his hamstring, and while he hasn't dealt with that type of a thing during a game in four or five years, he hopes to be able to play tomorrow. Werth and the rest of the Nationals' hitters did their job today, putting up nine runs and battling back to regain the lead in the sixth after the Cardinals had jumped on...

The Nationals and Cardinals have played six innings. Seventeen runs have been scored in that time. Five pitchers have been used. Those six innings have taken a whopping 2:22. The Nats led 4-0 and 6-2. The Cardinals then led 8-6. Now the Nationals have the lead yet again, after a three-run sixth inning put them up 9-8. The play which gave the Nationals the lead was as strange as this game has been as a whole. With Jayson Werth at second, Bryce Harper at first and two outs in the sixth,...

NEW YORK - Jason Hammel gave up an infield hit and walked a batter in his first inning tonight at Single-A Frederick. The Orioles want him to go five innings and to get his pitch count to 70-75 before they decide whether to activate him. If Hammel stays on the disabled list, he'll be assigned to Double-A Bowie and pitch in the Eastern League playoffs. Otherwise, he could make a Sept. 6 start for the Orioles at Camden Yards. UPDATE: Hammel shut out the Carolina Mudcats on three hits over five...

The Nationals held a 4-0 lead over the Cardinals when Jordan Zimmermann took the mound for the top of the second inning. The guy who led the majors in ERA just a few starts ago proceeded to give up eight runs over his next 2 2/3 innings of work. Zimmermann was pulled after just 3 2/3, making this by far his shortest outing of the season. It was also by far his worst. He allowed eight runs on eight hits, walked one and hit two batters. The Nationals now trail 8-6 as we go to the middle of...

NEW YORK - Pedro Strop faced three batters today and didn't retire any of them. A walk, another walk and an error on shortstop J.J. Hardy turned a 3-2 lead into a 4-3 deficit. Strop wasn't charged with a run, but he was saddled with his fifth blown save. Before today, he had allowed three runs and five hits in his last two appearances, covering 1 1/3 innings. He can add two walks to that line. "I didn't bring the stuff I usually bring command-wise," he said. "I felt like my command was...

NEW YORK - The first inclination is to dwell on the seventh inning of today's 4-3 loss to the Yankees, when the Orioles couldn't find the plate and a two-run lead disappeared. However, they couldn't build a bigger lead against a pitcher, David Phelps, who was willing to walk the ballpark. Opportunities were lost, and so was a game. "A lot of people bend but don't break," said manager Buck Showalter. "Our guys have done that in the last couple of games, too. They've had some...

When he's stationed at the hot corner, Ryan Zimmerman has the tendency to do the remarkable. I can't even count the number of head shakes Zimmerman has gotten from those of us in the press box this season after another ridiculous stab of a sharp grounder, dive to snag a hot shot or web gem on a tapper down the line. Every now and then, however, Zimmerman gloves a ball, and with plenty of time to make a throw to first, he sprays the throw off-line. Often times, the hurried throws - ones...

We haven't seen it happen for a while, but today the Orioles lost and contributed to their own demise. Leading 3-1 with two outs and a man on first in the bottom of the seventh, the Orioles went on to allow three runs in the inning to lose 4-3 today at Yankee Stadium. From that point on, Orioles pitchers allowed a walk, an RBI single, a walk, a bases-loaded walk and then there was an error on J.J. Hardy with two outs and the bases loaded that put New York ahead 4-3. Pedro Strop struggled...

NEW YORK - The Orioles are 8-54 when they trail after the seventh inning. That's the task facing them today after a 3-1 lead went up in smoke. The Orioles walked three batters in the bottom of the seventh, with Pedro Strop losing Derek Jeter to force in the tying run with two outs. Shortstop J.J. Hardy committed an error on Nick Swisher's bouncer with the count full, allowing Eduardo Nunez to score and give the Yankees a 4-3 lead. Hardy committed his sixth error on a ball that appeared to...

Xavier Nady had six RBIs in 40 games with the Nationals this season. He already has three RBIs in his first game since getting called up by the Giants. The veteran outfielder, who signed a minor league deal with the Giants after getting his outright release by the Nationals, has made an early impact with his new team. Who knows, the guy might end up getting playoff shares from two separate teams in the same season. The Nationals clubhouse got a little more crowded today, as John Lannan,...