At 20 games over .500, the Nationals have hit their high-water mark since moving to Washington in 2005, and with the right combination of events this weekend, they could find themselves with the best record in baseball. Think about that for a minute. Before this season, anyone who might even dare to form that combination of words would have been laughed out of town - just as the relocated Nats were regarded in many circles as the laughingstock of baseball Such a statement was completely...

I'm trying to remember the last time that a series between the Orioles and Athletics had the potential to influence the playoff picture. Jim Palmer may have been matched up against Catfish Hunter. Tonight, you'll have to settle for Zach Britton vs. Jarrod Parker, followed by Tommy Hunter vs. Bartolo Colon on Saturday and Wei-Yin Chen vs. Travis Blackley on Sunday. The Orioles can enjoy the convenience of scouting Colon in their own backyard. If they wanted to take another look at Jake...

The trade deadline is approaching. You know the names floating around the rumor mill in 2012, but do you know which players were involved in the first trade-deadline deal in Orioles history? The O's dealt Vic Wertz, a right fielder and first baseman, to the Cleveland Indians on June 1, 1954, for Bob Chakales. The deal came two weeks before the June 15 trade deadline that was in place until 1986, when it moved to July 31. Neither player spent a full season in Baltimore, but Wertz became part...

The Nationals have scored a touchdown and split the uprights with the extra point. They're up 7-0 over the Brewers in the sixth inning thanks to a dominant offensive performance and some nice work on the mound from Edwin Jackson. But the mound isn't the only place Jackson has been effective tonight. After Adam LaRoche hit his third home run in as many days to give the Nationals a 1-0 lead in the second inning, the bottom of the order kept the inning alive. That included Jackson, who...

WILMINGTON, Del. - Throwing a fastball that was overpowering at times in the 95-96 mph range, with a sharp curveball to go with it, Dylan Bundy dominated the Wilmington Blue Rocks for 2 2/3 innings tonight before the game was halted by rain at Frawley Stadium. Bundy did not give up a run or hit and had one walk and three strikeouts. He threw 32 pitches, 21 for strikes. He threw first-pitch strikes to seven of the 10 hitters he faced. "I felt all right," Bundy said after the game was called....

WILMINGTON, Del. - Orioles director of pitching development Rick Peterson said tonight he wants pitching prospect Dylan Bundy to have "a handful" of starts going beyond five innings with Single-A Frederick and then the Orioles are likely to move Bundy to Double-A Bowie for his final few starts of the 2012 season. Tonight was the first time this year that Bundy was slated to pitch deeper into the game than five innings. He was scheduled to go at least six, possibly more if his pitch count was...

WILMINGTON, Del. - Dylan Bundy's 10th start for the Single-A Frederick Keys is off to a good start. But it has been halted, at least for a while, by a rain delay at Frawley Stadium. Bundy has pitched scoreless and no-hit ball through 2 2/3 innings and play was halted at 7:50 p.m. with the score tied 0-0. Wilmington had a man on first, two outs and a 3-1 count to their leadoff hitter, Whit Merrifield. Bundy so far: 2 2/3 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, 3 strikeouts. He has thrown 32 pitches, 21...

WILMINGTON, Del. - There is some good news to report on Frederick pitcher Brandon Erbe. He said he hopes to come off the disabled list soon after experiencing a setback early this month. Erbe had labrum surgery in August 2010 and has been working his way back since. He said earlier this year his shoulder felt great and his velocity had returned to pre-surgery levels. But then he faced five batters and walked all five in a Keys game on July 2, and he went on the DL the next day. He said he...

WILMINGTON, Del. - As Dylan Bundy gets ready to take the mound tonight here at Frawley Stadium for his 18th start of the season and 10th with Single-A Frederick, he could experience both a first and a last this evening. While he will pitch beyond five innings for the first time as a pro, there are also some indications that tonight could be his last start with Frederick before he gets moved to Double-A Bowie. A few minutes ago, I asked Frederick pitching coach Blaine Beatty if this would be...

The Nationals open a four-game series in Milwaukee tonight by sending Edwin Jackson to the mound for the 19th time this season. Jackson will look to get his record back to the .500 mark. At 5-6, he's the only Nationals starter currently with a losing mark. The Brewers will give the ball to right-hander Yovani Gallardo tonight. The 26-year-old is 8-7 with a 3.73 ERA this season. In six career appearances against the Nats, Gallardo is 3-1 with a 3.90 ERA. Here are the lineups for tonight's...