Lew Ford is playing in his first major league game since September 2007, and he's become an instant favorite of fans here who love drawing out the sound of his first name whenever he does anything - hits, runs the bases, catches a fly ball, throws out a runner, comes close to throwing out a runner, towels off his face in the dugout. Wei-Yin Chen set the record today for most strikeouts by a Taiwanese player in the majors with 12, and he received two standing ovations - once when the message...

Of all the Orioles I've covered over the years, few of them spoke as little as Eddie Murray. You can debate the reasons - run-ins with and distrust of the media, the fact that he didn't crave the spotlight, the fact that there were other players willing to take center stage. But the fact remains that Murray wasn't talkative when the media approached. The routine was, well, routine. Reporter: "Hey, Eddie - got a minute?" Murray: "No, thank you." And that was that. That's not to say...

The Nationals have signed reliever Mike MacDougal to a minor league contract, according to the transactions page on the team's Web site. MacDougal, 35, has been assigned to Triple-A Syracuse. He started the season with the Dodgers, recording a 7.94 ERA in seven major league appearances. This is the righty's second go-round with the Nats; he appeared in 52 games with Washington in 2009, posting a 3.60 ERA and notching 20 saves in 21 chances. MacDougal will give the Nationals some relief...

Don't look now but Adam Jones' run production is on the rise. Again. Jones got the Orioles started today with an RBI double to left-center in the third for a 1-0 lead and then he scored moments later when Matt Wieters homered in the same general area to end a 1-for-31 drought. Jones now has nine extra-base hits with four doubles, a triple and four homers over his last 14 games. He has 12 RBIs over his last 13 games with four multi-RBI games in that stretch. Coming into today, over his last...

Orioles catcher Matt Wieters missed two games with a sore right biceps. He's been missing a lot of pitches, too. Not today. Wieters, mired in a 1-for-31 slump, hit a three-run homer off Oakland left-hander Travis Blackley in the bottom of the third inning to give the Orioles a 4-0 lead. Wieters had struck out in 15 of his last 30 at-bats before today. He hadn't homered since July 5 in Anaheim, when he posted his last multi-RBI game by collecting four against the Angels. Southpaws tend to...

A few moments ago, Brian Roberts told reporters at Camden Yards that he is opting to have surgery on the labral tear in his right hip. He played last night in Aberdeen, going 0-for-4 with a walk, but decided this was the best course of action. Here is Roberts' opening statement to reporters along with the questions and answers that followed: "After playing last night and giving it a go with my hip, we're going to proceed with surgery. It just hasn't responded the way we were hoping it...

Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts has decided to undergo season-ending surgery to repair a labral tear in his right hip. Roberts played in one rehab game last night at short-season Single-A Aberdeen. He was scheduled to play again tonight and perhaps be activated tomorrow in New York, but the persistent discomfort in his hip led to today's decision. One doctor recommended surgery, but a second suggested that Roberts attempt to rehab and continue playing. A cortisone injection hasn't...

Lew Ford is wearing No. 51. And a really big smile on his face. Ford debuted in the majors on May 29, 2003, replacing Torii Hunter in center field and collecting a single off the Mariners' Shigetoshi Hasegawa leading off the bottom of the ninth. Hasegawa had replaced former Orioles left-hander Arthur Rhodes. One of Ford's teammates with the Twins was current Double-A Bowie hitting coach Denny Hocking. Ford finished 24th in in the American League MVP voting back in 2004 after hitting...

A day after being scratched from the Nationals lineup due to a stomach virus, Bryce Harper is back in there as the Nats try and take three of four from the Brewers. Harper has been battling the virus for the last few days and yesterday marked the first game that he has not appeared in since his promotion to the big leagues. Harper and the Nats will face 26-year-old righty Mark Rogers, who will be making his first major league start since 2010. Rogers got called up from Triple-A to start...

Nationals top infield prospect Anthony Rendon returns to the lineup Sunday night for short-season Single-A Auburn's game at 6:05 p.m., as he continues his rehab assignment from a fractured left ankle. Rendon got Saturday off to rest. Rendon will play third base for six innings today, according to a club source. Then on Monday, Rendon will be the designated hitter. It has not been announced where Rendon will play when he completes his rehab with the Doubledays, whether he will get a few...