After taking the first two games in Arizona, the Nationals are getting pushed around by the Diamondbacks in the series finale. Boy, are they ever. It's 7-0 after five innings, as the Diamondbacks are outplaying their opposition in all possible phases. Ross Detwiler didn't make it out of the fifth inning, allowing five runs (four earned) over 4 2/3. He only gave up three hits, but left the ball up in the zone much more than he had in his past two outings. The Nats also didn't help him...

Imagine how good Manny Machado will be once he actually settles in and gets comfortable. Machado is 6-for-16 with a double, triple, three home runs, seven RBIs and five runs scored in his first four major league games. He shares the Orioles club record with at least one extra-base hit in four consecutive games to begin his career, joining Ray Knight (1987), Lee May (1975) and Frank Robinson (1966). Machado hit his third home run today, though it took a review to have a double overturned. "I...

The Orioles are nine games above .500 again. They improved to 17-11 in two-run games with today's 5-3 victory over the Royals. They're also 47-0 when leading after the seventh inning and 49-1 when leading after the eighth. Credit the bullpen with four scoreless and hitless innings, beginning with Luis Ayala and ending with closer Jim Johnson. Manager Buck Showalter also used Troy Patton and Pedro Strop to piece together the last four innings. "Well, I think because we have an off-day...

ABERDEEN, Md. - Kevin Gausman's second pro outing didn't last very long, but it was another good one for the Orioles' 2012 first-round pick. The right-hander out of LSU, taken with the fourth pick in the June draft, had retired all nine batters he faced on Monday at State College in his pro debut. This afternoon, against the Connecticut Tigers, he gave up just one hit and retired nine of the 10 batters he faced with three scoreless innings on just 30 pitches. He worked fast, threw...

Jayson Werth has been raking lately. Today, he'll be sitting. Werth is getting a day off today, and Davey Johnson has decided to slot in Tyler Moore in the outfield along with Bryce Harper and Michael Morse. Ross Detwiler is on the mound for the Nationals today, looking to continue his recent run of strong starts. For the Nats: SS Danny Espinosa CF Bryce Harper 3B Ryan Zimmerman RF Michael Morse 1B Adam LaRoche LF Tyler Moore C Kurt Suzuki 2B Steve Lombardozzi P Ross...

Just Manny being Manny again. Manny Machado hit his third major league home run today, and his first that was reviewed by umpires. Machado's two-run shot, initially ruled a double, gave the Orioles a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. The ball hit the top of the center-field fence and kicked off the back wall. The review lasted about 12 seconds. Machado crushed two hanging breaking balls in his second major league game. Today, he launched an 86 mph sinker from former Orioles...

ABERDEEN, Md. - Today at Ripken Stadium, Orioles 2012 first-round pick Kevin Gausman, will make his second pro start and first at home for the short-season Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds. Game time is 2:35 p.m. Gausman pitched three perfect innings on Monday night at State College, retiring all nine batters he faced, two on strikeouts. He threw 31 pitches, 23 for strikes in that outing. He is expected to pitch just three innings today and in each of his outings the rest of this season. The...

Jason Hammel said his knee felt good after throwing off the front slope of the mound yesterday. He has a bullpen session scheduled for Monday morning. Hammel doesn't know how many pitches he'll throw or what he'll do after Monday. It's one step at a time. Hammel told Orioles manager Buck Showalter that he got out of bed and didn't give the knee a thought, which is a positive sign. Adam Jones is making his first career start as a designated hitter. He was used as a pinch runner five...

They're now 28 games over .500. The winning streak is now at eight, with the last six of those games coming on the road. The Washington Nationals are red-hot, folks. It doesn't matter if they fall behind by three runs early. Doesn't matter if their starter gives up five runs in less than six innings. These Nationals seem to keep finding new ways to win. They've covered the storyline where their starting pitcher dominates and carries the team to a win. We've seen that one a few...

One way to provide a little rest for Adam Jones is to take him out of center field and make him the designated hitter. Nate McLouth is only the second player to start in center field for the Orioles. Manny Machado has moved up to seventh in the lineup. For the Orioles: Nick Markakis RF J.J Hardy SS Nate McLouth CF Adam Jones DH Lew Ford LF Mark Reynolds 1B Manny Machado 3B Robert Andino 2B Taylor Teagarden C Tommy Hunter RHP