For much of the first two months of this season, the Nationals have been working without two of their key power hitters. Now, even though Jayson Werth is still sidelined, they've finally got Ryan Zimmerman, Adam LaRoche and Michael Morse all healthy at the same time. And they know what that can mean for their outlook the rest of this season. "Oh, it's a whole new ballgame," manager Davey Johnson said. Tonight, we got a sample of what Nats fans have been waiting to see out of the middle...

BOSTON - Chris Tillman had another solid outing last night for Triple-A Norfolk, and manager Buck Showalter knew about it before meeting with reporters after the Orioles' 2-1 win over the Red Sox. He immediately checks the box scores and the reports on all of the affiliates. I'm trying to figure out which direction the Orioles are going in regard to their handling of Norfolk's roster. I've decided that it's more than one way. Grow the arms is still a huge part of their philosophy, but...

Manager Davey Johnson said after tonight's game that the Nationals will place catcher Carlos Maldonado on the 15-day disabled list with a back injury and will call up outfielder/first baseman Tyler Moore from Triple-A Syracuse. Maldonado said that he's having an issue with a muscle in the right side of his back, and described the injury as somewhat of a spasm. He has played in four games since getting called up from Syracuse back on May 15, going hitless in nine at-bats with two walks and...

Nationals right-handed starter Edwin Jackson had not recorded a win in more than a month and a half, but he didn't let that frazzle him. On April 14, Jackson through a complete game, two-hitter to subdue the Cincinnati Reds, 4-1. Since then, Jackson threw five straight no decisions, then lost back-to-back games at Philadelphia and at Miami. So Wednesday, when Jackson went seven innings and threw 100 pitches, only allowing two earned runs, the victory tasted even sweeter in a 5-3 dispatch of...

BOSTON - It appears as though Wei-Yin Chen doesn't need to be pampered. He worked on regular rest tonight and turned in arguably his best start of the year. "He was good," said catcher Matt Wieters. "He pitched out of two jams where he really was able to keep them to one run (or less) and the rest of the inning he knew what he wanted to do. He used all of his pitches today. He was able to put guys away with his off-speed and his fastball today." Chen stranded two runners in scoring...

BOSTON - The Orioles are back in first place in the American League East, and they finally won a series after four straight failed attempts. Most of the credit goes to Wei-Yin Chen, who held the Red Sox to one run over seven innings. Manager Buck Showalter thinks Chen might actually benefit from working on normal rest. "We've been trying to be careful with him rest-wise, but he was crisp from the get-go," Showalter said. "You come in this ballpark, left-handers, command of the fastball,...

The Orioles made 25 picks on day three of the 2012 First-Year Player Draft on Wednesday, completing rounds 16-40. This year, the Orioles selected 40 players overall, 20 pitchers and 20 position players, with 28 of their 40 selections being college products. The Orioles selected seven left-handed pitchers and 13 right-handed pitchers, six catchers, two first basemen, two second basemen, three shortstops and seven outfielders. ORIOLES 2012 DRAFT SELECTIONS ROUND PLAYER POS ...

For the first time in Baltimore Orioles history, the club has a seven-game winning streak at Boston's Fenway Park. The Orioles won a tense pitchers' duel 2-1 over Boston tonight, as Wei-Yin Chen got the win and the O's came up with a two-run rally against Josh Beckett in the top of the sixth after they were shut out on one hit through five innings. The Orioles had won six in a row at Fenway Park four times previously, with the most recent being July 31, 1992-June 12, 1993. Chen gave up...

After a stretch where it seemed like none of the Nationals' middle-of-the-order hitters could get anything done at the plate, Ryan Zimmerman, Adam LaRoche and Michael Morse have done all the damage for the Nats tonight. The three veteran hitters are now a combined 5-for-8 with a walk, and they've delivered all four Washington RBIs. LaRoche got the scoring started in the first, drilling a three-run homer to right. It gave the Nats an early 3-0 lead and snapped what had been a brutal slump at...

BOSTON - The Orioles managed one hit off Josh Beckett in five innings, but consecutive singles by Wilson Betemit, Ryan Flaherty and Robert Andino to open the sixth allowed them to tie the game, 1-1. Endy Chavez hit into a force, bringing in the go-ahead run. Chavez had three hits last night, and he's singled and driven in a run tonight. Boston's Mike Aviles lifted a sacrifice fly to right field in the third after former Oriole Darnell McDonald led off with a double and Marlon Byrd...