NEW YORK - Start spreading the news: The Orioles took two of three in the Bronx. It all started tonight with Jake Arrieta's masterful performance. He shut out the Yankees on five hits over eight innings, didn't walk a batter and tied his career high with nine strikeouts. "I thought the biggest inning was the one after we scored the one run. Go back out there and throw a zero," manager Buck Showalter said after the 5-0 victory. "Jake was as good as you can be, especially with all the...

Down to their last out and staring a frustrating sixth straight loss in the face, the Nationals got help from their struggling leadoff hitter. Ian Desmond crushed a two-run, walk-off homer to left center off Diamondbacks closer J.J. Putz, giving the Nationals a 5-4 win over Arizona. The Nats had chances to knot the game late, putting at least one runner on in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, only to fail to convert. Bryce Harper doubled leading off the ninth inning, but it looked like...

NEW YORK - Once again, an Orioles starter pitched deep in a game tonight. It all starts with starting pitching. Jake Arrieta was superb, blanking the Yankees on five hits over a career-high eight innings. He didn't walk a batter and tied his career high with nine strikeouts. Arrieta also tied Jason Hammel for the longest outing by an Orioles starter this season. Hammel lasted eight innings on April 8. Robert Andino has three hits and a walk from the ninth spot in the order. He's now...

It was a night the Orioles could enjoy in New York. Jake Arrieta pitched the Orioles past the Yankees tonight 5-0 as the Orioles take the series two wins to one after losing the opener Monday and they also hand Ivan Nova his first loss since last June 3. Matt Wieters and Nick Markakis hit solo homers to back Arrieta as the Orioles improved to 16-9 on the year to go seven games over the .500 mark for the first time since July 19, 2005 when they were 50-43. The Orioles held the Yankees to...

NEW YORK - The Orioles are 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position tonight, and they've stranded eight runners through the sixth inning. Good thing Jake Arrieta is shutting out the Yankees. Robert Andino's infield hit scored Chris Davis in the sixth to increase the Orioles' lead to 2-0. Endy Chavez lined into a double play - the third inning that's ended with him at the plate. He smoked that ball, but he hit it directly at third baseman Eduardo Nunez, who replaced Eric Chavez in the...

On a cool Wednesday night in which the Capitals might be stealing some attention away from Washington baseball, those at Nationals Park are getting the full Bryce Harper experience. In the second inning, Harper beat out an infield single on a slow roller, then was promptly picked off first base by Diamondbacks pitcher Joe Saunders. Some good, some bad. In the top of the fourth, Harper appeared to have tracked down a Justin Upton fly ball to center. He got in position, camped under it and...

On April 16, the Orioles scored 10 runs at Chicago in a win over the White Sox. But then they scored a total of just 30 runs over their next 10 games. That stretch ended with another 10-run outburst, this one Saturday at Camden Yards against Oakland. With seven more runs last night, the O's offense is showing signs of possibly breaking out a bit right now. Over those last four games, the Orioles' team batting average is .298 with 39 hits. They have scored 23 runs in those games with seven...

Chien-Ming Wang's recovery from a strained left hamstring continues tomorrow when he makes a rehab start for Double-A Harrisburg. Nationals manager Davey Johnson said Wang is scheduled to go 5-6 innings and throw around 75 pitches tomorrow. The veteran right-hander will make this rehab outing and at least one more before the Nats consider activating him off the disabled list. Asked if he's decided how Wang will fit into the Nationals' pitching staff when he returns, Johnson smiled and...

NEW YORK - The Orioles aren't the only team adjusting its rotation this weekend. According to a tweet from @GordonEdes, the Red Sox have scratched Josh Beckett from Saturday's start against the Orioles because of a stiff lat muscle. Aaron Cook, just brought up from the minors, will start in Beckett's place. Beckett is 7-5 with a 4.25 ERA in 18 career starts against the Orioles. Cook has never faced the Orioles, though they saw him at least once in spring training. Wilson Betemit is...

NEW YORK - Manager Buck Showalter explained to reporters earlier today why Tommy Hunter is being held back until Sunday in Boston, with Jason Hammel moving up a day. "Tommy's had an ingrown toenail that he's had cut on," Showalter said. "I just want to give him a couple extra days and get him back to 100 percent. He'll tell you that he is, but we had an opportunity and we'll see if we can give him a couple extra days there. "He threw today. He's fine. He feels good. I just thought we...