Adam Jones entered Saturday's game with just three hits in his last 24 at-bats and with just one RBI over his last eight games. He was also in a season-long, 14-at-bat hitless stretch that reached 18 at-bats when he finally got a base hit with a single in the last of the ninth. Three innings later, Jones did better than that. He hit the second walk-off homer of his career, a two-run shot, to give the Orioles a 6-4, 12-inning win over the Phillies. Jones also hit a walk-off shot on May 24,...

BOSTON - There was a time not too long ago when the Nationals' middle infield defense was considered a liability. OK, their defense as a whole was a liability, with the team leading the majors in errors in both 2009 and 2010. But up the middle, the Nats struggled mightily. This season has been a different story. Ian Desmond and Danny Espinosa have been exceptional defensively, making the routine plays and the fancy ones, as well. Today, both guys flashed the leather, with Desmond ranging...

BOSTON - For the ninth time this season, the Nationals put up five hits or fewer and still won. This is what happens when you have the level of starting pitching, and pitching in general, that the Nationals do. Gio Gonzalez and four Nats relievers combined to hold the potent Red Sox lineup in check today, allowing just two runs and five hits in a 4-2 Washington win. Gonzalez gave up just two hits through six innings, but he allowed three of the four hitters he faced in the seventh to reach...

Adam Jones hit a game-winning homer in the last of the 12th today as the Orioles beat the Phillies and won another extra-inning game. The Orioles are now 8-2 on the year in extras with eight wins in a row, which ties the team record for most consecutive extra-inning wins. The 1997 and 2010 teams also won eight in a row. "I think we just enjoy playing longer than nine innings," Jones said. "We enjoy the overtime. I don't know man, think we have played the most innings by any team. If we...

Adam Jones stepped to the plate with Chris Davis on first base and nobody out in the bottom of the 12th. The score was tied. For many people, the situation screamed for a bunt, unless a manager chooses to cover his ears. Jones got the green light and hit his second career walk-off home run to give the Orioles a 6-4 victory at sold-out Camden Yards. "Obviously, you think about bunting, but I like Adam in that situation," Showalter said after his club improved to 8-2 in extra innings....

Adam Jones entered his at-bat in the bottom of the ninth today in an 0-for-18 drought. He broke that with a two-out single. Jones topped that in the last of the 12th today when he hit a two-run homer to end the game as the Orioles beat the Phillies, 6-4, in 12 frames. The Orioles are now 8-2 in extra-inning games with eight consecutive wins in extras. Jones hit an 0-1 pitch from righty B.J. Rosenberg out of the Yard after Chris Davis drew a leadoff walk. It is his second career walk-off...

BOSTON - Bench coach Randy Knorr joked before today's game that the Nationals have rarely had a game this season where they've been leading big in the late innings and could calmly roll to a win. The 10-2 victories this season have been very few and very far between. A 4-2 win might put more strain on the bullpen - and the manager - but it is still a win. And the Nats will gladly take today's 4-2 win over the Red Sox. Adam LaRoche hit a solo homer, Michael Morse drove in a run with an RBI...

BOSTON - In the second inning of today's game, I looked down at the stat sheet beneath my scorebook here in the press box. Gio Gonzalez's 2012 numbers jumped off the page and smacked me in the face. The lefty entered today with a 7-2 record and a 2.31 ERA on the season. I obviously knew Gonzalez has been exceptional this season. After all, he was named National League Pitcher of the Month for May. But the stats Gonzalez has posted this year have been fantastic. They've only gotten...

Tommy Hunter has served up three more home runs today, raising his total to 16 in 63 innings this season. Hunter keeps getting the ball up, and bad things keep happening. Hector Luna crushed one in the fifth to tie the game, 3-3, after Jimmy Rollins crushed one in the third and Jim Thome slugged his first of the season leading off the fourth. Showing that the glass can be half full, I'll point out that all three homers are solo shots and we're tied, 3-3. So, you know, it could be a lot...

By getting an out in the fifth inning today, Tommy Hunter has lasted longer than O's starters have the past two games when Brian Matusz and Jake Arrieta combined to give up 13 earned runs over six total innings. Hunter is, at least, throwing many fewer pitches than that pair. Matusz needed 67 in two-plus innings on Thursday, and Arrieta threw 83 in four innings last night. Hunter today needed just 19 pitches to get through the first two innings and 26 more for the next two frames, for 45...