News and notes from Wednesday around the Nationals organization. Low Single-A Hagerstown Suns lost to Delmarva 8-4, but got a three-run homer from third baseman Matt Skole, who now has a league-leading 18 round-trippers. Billy Burns swiped three bases to raise his season total to an amazing 28. The lineup is littered with guys buzzing at the plate: Brian Goodwin (.315), Burns (.307), Caleb Ramsey (.299), Skole (.293), Cutter Dykstra (.293), Steven Souza, Jr. (.286) and Bryce Ortega...

Well, this could have gone better for the Orioles. After not giving up an earned run on just six hits over his last two starts covering 17 innings, Jason Hammel gave up eight runs tonight to match his career high as the Angels routed the Orioles 13-1 at Camden Yards. The Angels have now won six of their last seven and 13 of 17 as they sweep the two-game series. The Angels are a major league best 36-19 since April 28. Hammel, who entered with the sixth best ERA in the American League at 2.61,...

Jason Hammel's streak of consecutive scoreless innings ended at 19 tonight when the Angels' Torii Hunter belted a home run in the top of the first inning. Hammel struck out Mike Trout on a 94 mph fastball and Kendrys Morales on a 93 mph fastball, but Hunter jumped on a hanging curveball. Trout got his revenge in the bottom of the first with an incredible leaping catch at the center field fence to rob J.J. Hardy of a home run. Hardy is in a 3-for-41 slump, but he lined out to shortstop last...

Single-A Delmarva infielder Nicky Delmonico, who just eight days ago was named the MVP of the South Atlantic League All-Star game, now is headed for the disabled list with a knee injury. Delmonico left Delmarva's game last night, today had an MRI and the Orioles are awaiting the results of what is a medial meniscus injury. Delmonico will likely see Orioles orthopedist Dr. John Wilckens over the next few days. In 70 games for the Shorebirds, Delmonico was batting .254 with 20 doubles, six...

While the Orioles will honor one Weaver here on Saturday (Earl), tonight they want to beat another Weaver (Jered). The Angels right-hander comes into this game with a record of 7-1 and a 2.40 ERA that ranks third in the American League. His .189 batting average against is tops in the AL. This is Weaver's second start since a stint on the disabled list with a strained lower back. He missed 19 games and it was the second time in his career he's been on the DL. He returned to pitch six...

For the first time since April 24, Mark DeRosa will be in the Nationals' starting lineup. DeRosa will get the start in left field and hit sixth tonight against Rockies left-hander Edwar Cabrera, who will make his major league debut tonight. Cabrera was called up from Double-A to start today. Adam LaRoche will get the day off today, with Tyler Moore starting at first base. Also, it's good to see Marco Scutaro back in the Rockies lineup tonight after getting hit in the head by a Stephen...

Steve Tolleson, optioned earlier today to make room for reliever Matt Lindstrom, will report to Triple-A Norfolk on Saturday. Manager Buck Showalter explained to reporters that the club wants Tolleson to get consistent at-bats in the minors. "He's done a good job for us against left-handed pitching," Showalter said. "If they stay on schedule, that'll be seven to nine straight right-handed pitchers against us. But that's a moving target. "We obviously had to make room for Lindstrom...

Jason Hammel has matched Scott Erickson. Now he can take a look at equaling Jim Palmer and perhaps later Tom Phoebus. Hammel's last two starts have resulted in a shutout and eight innings, allowing just one unearned run on Friday against Washington. According to Elias, it was the first time an O's starter had consecutive starts of eight innings or more without allowing an earned run in a single season since Erickson did that in 1997. Jeremy Guthrie also accomplished the feat in his final...

Is it a little strange to anyone that the team with the best record in the National League doesn't have a single position player in the top three in All-Star voting as his respective position? Obviously, the Nationals' pitching is what has carried them to a 42-30 record and a 3.5-game lead in the NL East. That goes without saying at this point. Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez will both almost certainly make the All-Star team and there's a slim chance a Nationals reliever does, as...

The Orioles have optioned Steve Tolleson to Triple-A Norfolk to make room for reliever Matt Lindstrom, who's coming off the disabled list. Dana Eveland also has rejoined the team after flying to California for the birth of his son, Asher Perry. Tolleson was called into manager Buck Showalter's office shortly before the lineup was posted. He's not listed among the reserves, and he later confirmed the roster move, which leaves the team with a three-man bench. "It was a lot shorter meeting...