After going through a four-start stretch where he gave up just three runs, Zach Britton gave up five runs in his last start Sunday against the Yankees. He looks to bounce back from that outing tonight at Oakland. In his four starts before that one, Britton won a career-high four straight games, going 4-0 with an ERA of 0.95. Over 28 2/3 innings, he gave up 21 hits with seven walks and 29 strikeouts. But he lasted just 3 1/3 innings versus New York, allowing five hits, five walks and five runs...

ATLANTA - Davey Johnson was already dressed in his street clothes when he met with reporters after today's game. He'd had a good bit of time to get showered and changed after getting ejected for the first time this season during the sixth inning of today's 5-4 Nationals loss. Johnson got tossed by first base umpire Marvin Hudson for arguing a play at first base in which Hudson ruled that Adam LaRoche was off the bag when he caught a throw from pitcher Edwin Jackson. Replays showed...

ATLANTA - Davey Johnson has joked in recent weeks that he was going to pick his spot for his first ejection of the season. He wanted to save it for when it was really needed. That spot came in the bottom of the sixth inning this evening. Leading off the sixth, Martin Prado grounded a ball back to Nationals starter Edwin Jackson, who fired to first in time to get Prado by a step. First base umpire Marvin Hudson ruled that Adam LaRoche's foot had gotten pulled off the bag, however, and called...

Endy Chavez will start in right field tonight for the Orioles, with Chris Davis serving as the designated hitter. Matt Wieters is batting third, and Adam Jones is hitting cleanup. For the Orioles: Nate McLouth LF J.J. Hardy SS Matt Wieters C Adam Jones CF Chris Davis DH Mark Reynolds 1B Manny Machado 3B Endy Chavez RF Robert Andino 2B Zach Britton LHP For the Athletics: Coco Crisp CF Jonny Gomes DH Josh Reddick RF Yoenis Cespedes LF Chris Carter 1B Jason Donaldson 3B Derek Norris...

The Nationals are going to get some high-profile national media attention this week, and it doesn't involve a prime time game, a controversy about a pitcher not pitching or an inside look at a star player (though MLB Network's Saturday afternoon look at Ryan Zimmerman and his affinity for Washington, D.C., and effort to raise money for multiple sclerosis research was pretty sweet). Come 7 p.m. Tuesday on ESPN, the whole sporting world will be introduced to one of Nationals Park's most...

ATLANTA - Adam LaRoche has admitted that this season has felt pretty good on a personal level given all that he went through during a disastrous 2011 campaign. The 2012 season got even better for LaRoche in the top of the first inning today when he turned on an 0-1 pitch from Tommy Hanson and drove it out into the seats in right for his 30th homer of the year. LaRoche now has 94 RBIs to go along with his 30 jacks - quite an accomplishment for the veteran first baseman. He's just the fifth...

The Orioles grounded into four double plays last night, a huge factor in their 3-2 loss to the Athletics and their inability to take over sole possession of first place in the American League East. The double plays came in successive innings. Mark Reynolds ended the fourth, Robert Andino produced two outs in the fifth following Chris Davis' home run and Manny Machado's single, Lew Ford ended a two-on, one-out threat in the sixth and Andino ended a two-on, one-out rally in the...

ATLANTA - Roger Bernadina said last night that he felt fine after slamming into the left field wall while making a leaping catch, but manager Davey Johnson reported today that Bernadina has a bit of a stiff neck. That factored into Johnson's decision to put Steve Lombardozzi in the lineup in left field. Another factor? "Lombo's got 50 percent of his home runs off this guy," Johnson said with a smile, referring to Braves starter Tommy Hanson. Lombardozzi has two career home...

For the first time since starting both halves of a July 21 doubleheader against the Braves in left, Steve Lombardozzi is getting a start in the outfield. Lombardozzi is appearing in left for just the third time since that date, but the two previous occasions had him moved there as a defensive replacement. Edwin Jackson takes the mound for the Nationals, seeking his 10th win as the team aims to bounce back from last night's walk-off loss. Tommy Hanson starts for the Braves sporting a 12-8...

ATLANTA - A quick reminder that today's 4:05 p.m. game between the Nationals and Braves won't be airing on MASN, as FOX has picked it up and will have the rights for today's broadcast. Daron Sutton and Eric Karros will have the call. I'll still have full coverage on MASNsports.com here from Turner Field, however. You can't get rid of me that easily. The Nats will send Edwin Jackson to the mound today as they look to take the middle game of this three-game set. Jackson has put up two...