BOSTON - Jim Thome hung around manager Buck Showalter's office this morning, waiting for him to write out the lineup like a rookie preparing for his first game. Maybe it felt that way after such a long stay on the disabled list. Making his first start since July 27, Thome delivered an RBI double that broke a 6-6 tie in the top of the 12th inning. The Orioles tacked on two more runs and extended their winning streak to a season-high six games with a 9-6 victory over the Red Sox at Fenway...

Some of the guys in the Nationals' clubhouse knew Gio Gonzalez was pretty darn good when he came aboard via a trade with the Athletics this offseason. Adam LaRoche, on the other hand, hadn't faced Gonzalez before and didn't know a ton about him, given the two guys played in different leagues. Now that Gonzalez has reached 20 wins and leaves the park today with a 2.84 ERA, LaRoche has a pretty good read on what type of pitcher the lefty is. "If he was anything like this in Oakland, it's...

BOSTON - Robert Andino took another concussion test today, and he's still waiting for doctors to give him the green light to play. Andino's mood hasn't improved much since he was drilled on the batting helmet by a Mark Melancon fastball in the ninth inning of Friday night's game. "I feel normal," Andino said, adding that he didn't know whether he passed the two concussion tests. Does he believe Melancon tried to hit him? "At this level, man, I think should you have command of your...

If you've seen Gio Gonzalez either in person or on TV this season, you might have noticed he's constantly smiling. It's hard to miss. There was a lot of that today after Gonzalez became the first pitcher in the majors to record 20 wins this season. He got a giant bear hug from pitching coach Steve McCatty immediately after the game, among many others, and was the target of a postgame water-cooler shower dished out by reliever Ryan Mattheus. But there was also a bit more. Gonzalez seemed...

BOSTON - Jim Thome was relatively quiet today upon his return to the lineup, going hitless in his first five at-bats with a double play and two strikeouts. He didn't get a ball out of the infield. It just took 12 innings for Thome to warm up. Thome ripped a ground-rule double to right field to score Adam Jones, who led off with a double off Alfredo Aceves, and give the Orioles a 7-6 lead. Pinch-runner Xavier Avery scored with two outs on Endy Chavez's single to right, and Chavez raced home...

Leading 9-2 after six innings of work, it would take a complete collapse by the Nationals for Gio Gonzalez to not become the first 20-game winner in the majors this season. Assuming it happens, that will be quite an accomplishment. But that won't be the only numerical milestone Gonzalez will reach today. He also has notched his 200th strikeout of the season, making him the first Washington pitcher to get to 200 strikeouts since Walter Johnson did it in 1916. How's that for some decent...

Prior to this afternoon's game, Nationals manager Davey Johnson talked about how Bryce Harper has started to glide when chasing down balls in the outfield, instead of taking short, choppy steps like he did when he first moved to the outfield. We've seen a whole lot of that gliding from Harper through three innings today. Harper tracked down a deep fly ball off the bat of Rickie Weeks to end the top of the third, a fly which sailed straight over his head. He used his impressive speed to...

BOSTON - Third baseman Manny Machado let Cody Ross' ground ball scoot through his legs for an error with one out in the bottom of the third inning. The miscue ended the Orioles' errorless streak at 11 games and 114 innings. Machado committed the last one, too, with an errant throw after fielding Derek Jeter's slow roller on Sept. 9. The last non-Machado error was committed by center fielder Adam Jones on Sept. 5 in Toronto. The Orioles have made four errors this month and 100 for the...

Outfielder Destin Hood fought through injuries and sickness this season in the minors. Battling through an injured wrist, Hood managed to come back and get on track by the end of the season. The Alabama native is now playing in the instructional league. Hood, a second-round selection in 2008, hit .242 in the minors for Double-A Harrisburg and a few rehab games at short-season Single-A Auburn, with 21 doubles, three triples, three homers, six stolen bases and 21 RBIs. He struck out 89 times in...

You don't have to worry about Tyler Clippard taking his recent struggles too lightly. When manager Davey Johnson saw Clippard last night after the reliever blew a save in the Nationals' 4-2 loss, Clippard was watching film of his outing. When Johnson saw Clippard this morning, Clippard was - you guessed it - watching film of his outing. "Talk about a glutton for punishment," Johnson said. "I wouldn't be going there." Johnson also said that Clippard "trashed" a room in the tunnel...