Last night, a team made up of the Nationals' regulars was held scoreless and managed just five hits in a 2-0 loss to the Phillies. Tonight, a lineup filled with bench players did the job in a 4-2 win. "How about that goon squad?" said manager Davey Johnson, calling the bench guys by their self-appointed nickname. "Told you they were tough." A night after clinching the division, the guys that round out the roster got a chance to see some action, and they made the most of their...

Mark DeRosa did not remember the last time he started at shortstop. He thought it was 2005. When told it was Sept. 2, 2006, DeRosa nodded his head and said, "OK, that sounds about right." So for the first time as a starter at shortstop in six seasons, DeRosa went 2-for-4 with a single, double and run scored in the Nationals' 4-2 victory over the Phillies. He did have one errant throw from the position, but was in the middle of a 1-6-3 double play to end the second inning. "I botched...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Orioles starter Miguel Gonzalez pitched extremely well tonight, but he had to appreciate the gem spun by Tampa Bay's James Shields. "I was like, 'He's doing great. I've got to do better than him,' " Gonzalez said. "I think he did a pretty good job going out there and throwing a complete game. I'm happy for him. Fifteen strikeouts for him. He did a great job tonight." Gonzalez is so calm on the mound, I keep waiting for a member of the medical staff to rush out...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Manager Buck Showalter called James Shields' performance tonight for Tampa Bay "probably the best-pitched game that we've had pitched against us all year." Fortunately for the Orioles, it didn't result in a loss. Chris Davis' home run off the roof of the restaurant in center field held up. One run was all that the Orioles needed. Shields was masterful with 15 strikeouts and only two hits allowed in nine innings. He threw 106 pitches, 70 for strikes. "To have...

What do sports mean to a city, after all? Of what value is a team? What do we really gain from having handsomely compensated athletes organize themselves in uniform to play games in a city most of them don't call home? In a word, it's community. From economic impact to camaraderie, everyone can find their own favorite reason why sports matter. Regardless of which one you favor, a team is one of the few things that still has the power to impart a real sense of "us." Rooting can be a...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Every television in the visiting clubhouse at Tropicana Field is tuned to the Yankees-Red Sox game. Brian Roberts sat on one of the chairs, watching as the Red Sox tried to hold a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the ninth inning. They couldn't do it. Raul Ibanez hit a two-run homer to tie the game. Chris Tillman is the confirmed starter for Wednesday night. No matter what happens in the Bronx, he's taking the mound at Tropicana Field. "It's exciting," he said. "I've...

During a season in which he has come up with several big pitching performances for the Orioles, Miguel Gonzalez may have come up with his best tonight. Against a Tampa Bay team that scored seven runs off him in just 2 2/3 innings in his worst outing of the year on July 25, Gonzalez pitched scoreless ball over 6 1/3 innings tonight as the Orioles beat Tampa Bay 1-0 to stay in the hunt for a division championship going into the season's final day. The Orioles improve to 93-68 with the victory....

Both the Nationals and Phillies went into this game knowing they'd be relying on Johnny Wholestaff. In other words, we were going to see a whole host of relievers take the mound tonight. We've gotten just that so far. Tom Gorzelanny, coming out of the bullpen to spot-start for the Nats, went 3 2/3 innings, allowing one run and striking out five. B.J. Rosenberg, a reliever who was called on to start for the Phillies, went four innings, giving up one run over four frames. We now find...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Is Chris Davis the straw that stirs the Orioles' drink? Davis has joined Reggie Jackson as the only players in Orioles history to homer in six straight games. He drove a ball off the roof of the restaurant in center field after Rays starter James Shields retired the first 11 batters to give the Orioles a 1-0 lead. Davis has hit seven homers in the last six games, passing Adam Jones for the team lead with 33 for the season. Davis was named American League co-Player of...

So you can't watch the Nationals' postseason run unfold on MASN. That doesn't mean we'll be going off the map until next season. MASN will still be here for as long as the Nationals stay alive in the postseason to provide you with plenty of coverage, even though the games will be aired nationally. For starters, tune into MASN HD the night before the Nats open the National League Division Series - whether that be Saturday or Sunday - for "Nats Xtra: Playoff Preview." Time will be...