Just writing the title of this entry makes me wanna run jump into my Santa suit. On, Dasher! On, Dancer! On, Prancer and Vixen! On, Strasburg! On, Harper! On, Desmond, um ... Wait, I'm getting confused. Anyway, this weekend when the Nationals host the Braves, the team will host its annual Christmas In July Toy Drive to benefit the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. Throughout the weekend series, volunteers from the U.S. Marines Corps Reserve will accept donations of new,...

It's easy to look at the Nationals on the field and be impressed. The team is atop the National League East and seems destined for a playoff berth. But off the diamond, the success of the Nationals organization is just as potent. The Washington Nationals Dream Foundation has been touching the lives of children all throughout our nation's capital and has been a beacon of hope for so many in the area. Recently, the Foundation announced it will host K Street Cocktails, a fundraising reception...

When Drew Storen sprinted in from the Nationals Park bullpen for the first time this season, he heard "Bad Company" blaring over the stadium speakers, saw the fans give him a standing ovation and thought back on the last four months, which have been pretty rough on him professionally. "It was pretty emotional for me, to be honest with you," Storen said. "It's hard to explain, but it is honestly one of the best feelings in the world to have the fans appreciate me being back out there. ......

That was a rare experience to see Gio Gonzalez not get to the fifth inning in a start for the Nationals. Coming into Thursday's assignment against the Mets, Gonzalez had gone at least five frames in 16 of his initial 18 starts in a Nationals uniform. There was June 3 when he lasted only 4 2/3 innings in a loss against the Braves. You had to go back to the opening week and his Nationals debut to see a shorter stint, just 3 2/3 innings in a no-decision April 7 at the Cubs. But Gonzalez lasted...

It's easy to look at a 9-5 loss to a division rival and say not much went right. Gio Gonzalez got hit hard and lasted just 3 1/3 innings, his shortest outing of the year. Craig Stammen didn't fare much better in relief. Bryce Harper went 0-for-5, the Nationals were 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position and they left 12 on-base. But Davey Johnson isn't looking at today's loss that way. He doesn't view this as a missed opportunity to earn a sweep and won't leave Nats Park frustrated...

Frustrated most of the afternoon by their inability to get a key hit with runners in scoring position, Mark Reynolds ended nearly eight innings of frustration for the Orioles this afternoon. His two-run single to center put the Orioles ahead and they beat the Twins 4-3 to split this four-game series by winning the last two. Down 3-2 entering the eighth, Matt Wieters and Wilson Betemit drew one-out walks and moved up a base on a groundout. With Ryan Flaherty on deck, the Twins elected to pitch...

Tommy Hunter held the Twins to one run over 7 1/3 innings last night. Wei-Yin Chen allowed three runs in seven innings today. In case you don't recognize it, those are back-to-back quality starts from the Orioles' rotation. Chen hasn't won since June 17 in Atlanta, a game I listened to on WBAL Radio on my drive back home from Ocean Pines. I listened to most of today's start on my return trip, arriving at my destination seconds before Mark Reynolds blooped a two-run single into center...

You could tell Davey Johnson was throwing in the towel on today's ballgame when he let reliever Craig Stammen hit for himself in the fifth inning. Johnson really waved the white flag when he had Mark DeRosa take over for Ryan Zimmerman at third base in the top of the sixth. This one hasn't been pretty from the Nationals' perspective, as they trail 9-2 through six innings. And Johnson's decided to rest a couple of his starters, including Jesus Flores, with the game seemingly out of...

It wasn't exactly a homer drought, but when Chris Davis hit a long homer to right today in the second inning off Cole De Vries, it ended a stretch of nine homerless games for him. It was Davis' 15th homer of the year. Davis entered today 0-for-11 over his past three games and 3-for-26 over his last seven contests. That brought the Orioles to within 2-1, as Minnesota took the lead scoring twice in the last of the first off Wei-Yin Chen, who today is looking for his first win since June 17 at...

The Nationals have used five different catchers at the major league level this season. Currently, with Jhonatan Solano landing on the disabled list with a left oblique strain, their duo consists of Jesus Flores, who came into today hitting .230 on the season, and backup Sandy Leon, who has just four innings of major league experience. That's led some to wonder if the Nats would consider adding an experienced, offensive-minded catcher before the trade deadline. But general manager Mike Rizzo...