ST. LOUIS - The Champagne celebration won't take place on this road trip. The Nationals came into today needing only a win or a Braves loss to pop open the bubbly as NL East champions, but they fell behind 5-0 after two innings and 7-0 after three, and then let the Cardinals put up two big tack-on runs in the bottom of the fourth to turn a 7-4 game back into a comfortable five-run lead. Ross Detwiler gave up seven runs (three of which were earned) over 2 1/3 innings. He struggled in finding...

In the Orioles clubhouse, where the plastic covering was ready to be placed over the lockers today for a celebration that will have to wait, Adam Jones said it was not a big deal that the Orioles are still waiting to clinch a playoff berth. "That is cool. I'd rather our win had sealed our fate, but it didn't happen," Jones said. "We have to worry about ourselves. I don't care. Do it home, road. We can clinch on the plane. We're going to party somewhere." Jones said it was exciting to...

The Orioles have waited this long to celebrate a playoff berth, so what's a few more hours? Or another day? Or... Manager Buck Showalter took in the scene that unfolded following the Orioles' 6-3 victory over the Red Sox. Players stood together and watched the top of ninth inning of the Angels-Rangers game being shown on the JumboTron. Nobody wanted to go back inside the clubhouse. "It's sincere," Showalter said. "They want to watch it together. One thing I challenged them with since...

The Yankees rallied to win. The Angels rallied with two outs in the ninth and won. It spoiled what would have been a pretty special on-field celebration for the Orioles and their fans today. "There was a chance there," Jim Johnson said. "Now is the time we are paying more attention to the scoreboard. We were going to be doing the same things that the fans were doing, so we might as well stay out with them. We know this means a lot to the city and we wanted to celebrate with them. But we'll...

Joe Saunders was handed the ball today with the possibility that the Orioles could clinch their first playoff berth since 1997. He did his part. Saunders picked up his third win, allowing three runs in 7 1/3 innings and receiving a huge ovation as he walked off the field. "It was awesome," he said. "I'm very humbled to get the opportunity to do this, and to be able to come out and get a victory for the ballclub was pretty special. "You always want to set the tone early, especially...

Jim Johnson recorded his 50th save, and the Orioles completed their sweep of the Red Sox with a 6-3 win at Camden Yards. Johnson is the 10th pitcher to record 50 saves in a single season since it became an official stat in 1969. The Orioles are 73-0 when leading after the seventh and 74-1 after the eighth. Johnson retired the side in order with a fly ball and two ground outs. The Orioles filed out of the dugout as usual. No wild celebration, since the Angels game isn't a final. The Rangers...

The Orioles have reduced their magic number to clinch their first playoff berth since 1997 to one after today's 6-3 win over Boston in front of 41,257 at Camden Yards. The Orioles would have officially clinched a playoff berth if Los Angeles had lost to Texas, but the Angels rallied in the ninth for a 5-4 win. They play the night portion of that day-night doubleheader at 7:05 and the O's will earn a playoff spot with an Angels loss. The Orioles began the day tied with the Yankees for the AL...

ST. LOUIS - Given a chance to clinch the division title in his hometown, Ross Detwiler did not bring his A-game to the table. Detwiler has allowed five runs through two innings, walked four hitters and served up a two-run homer to Carlos Beltran. The Nationals trail the Cardinals 5-0 after two. Detwiler pitched a scoreless first inning, but fell apart in the second. He walked the first two hitters he faced, then got an awful break when Danny Espinosa booted a tailor-made 4-6-3 double play...

A couple of mid-game notes as the Orioles hold a 5-1 lead after three and a half innings against Boston, on a day they hope they can clinch their first playoff berth since 1997. * Jim Thome is 2-for-2 today with a pair of RBI singles. That gives the veteran eight hits over his last 15 at-bats with two doubles, a homer and four RBIs. Yes, he's been a nice pickup. * From Sept. 17-25, Manny Machado had just one extra-base hit, a double, over a nine-game stretch. Now he is 6-for-11 over his last...

ST. LOUIS - Ross Detwiler was pretty down on himself after his last start, calling his performance in the Nationals' series-opening loss at Philadelphia "embarrassing." Detwiler allowed five runs over five innings Tuesday against the Phillies, an outing which you could tell stayed with him in the days afterward. Today, Detwiler has a chance to atone for that outing by helping the Nationals clinch the NL East, and he has a chance to do it in his hometown in front of dozens of family members...