ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - This is no way to end a five-game losing streak. The Rays sent 10 batters to the plate in the first inning and scored five runs to take a 5-0 lead against Orioles left-hander Wei-Yin Chen. The rotation posted an 8.10 ERA in the past four games, and Chen is going to inflate that number. Chen gave up five hits in the first, including Hideki Matsui's two-run bomb to right field with two outs. He also walked two batters and didn't return to the dugout until striking out...

Today's Nationals-Braves game scheduled to begin at 7:05 p.m. at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., has been postponed due to inclement weather. The make-up date will be announced in the coming days.

Here are some of the numbers during the Orioles' recent stretch that has seen them lose five in a row and eight of 10 games. During the five-game skid, the Orioles have scored just 14 total runs with 43 left on base and a batting average of just .139 (5-for-36) with runners in scoring position. During the current 2-8 stretch, the Orioles are batting .243 as a team and averaging 4.0 runs per game. They are hitting .224 with RISP in that time with 11 homers. Over those 10 games, the team ERA...

Tonight's game between the Nationals and Braves has been postponed due to severe weather in the area. Details on a makeup date have not yet been announced, but I will obviously pass them along as soon as I hear anything. Conditions in the area have been terrible tonight, and it's been raining nearly nonstop for the last couple hours. There have been tornado warnings nearby, as well. Update: Tonight's game will not be made up during this homestand, and will instead be pushed back later in...

When Michael Morse first was scratched from the Nationals' lineup just prior to a spring training game on March 6, the team diagnosed the injury as a strained lat, something which both the Nats and Morse thought would only keep the slugger out for a day or two. If someone had told Morse then that he would be out nearly three months because of the injury, "I would've laughed in their face," Morse said today. Yet, here we are on June 1, and only now is the 6-foot-5, 245-lb. outfielder...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Orioles don't need a fifth starter at the moment and Zach Britton's rehab assignment hasn't run its course, so the left-hander will make another start in the minors. Britton is expected to pitch Tuesday for Triple-A Norfolk. Double-A Bowie also is being considered, but the Orioles are leaning toward sending him to the International League. Dr. Brian Schofield will remove the wrap from Nick Markakis' surgically repaired right wrist on Monday. Markakis plans to...

The Orioles today announced that they have placed OF Nick Markakis on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to May 30, with a right hamate bone fracture and selected the contract of INF/OF Bill Hall from Triple-A Norfolk. Markakis is batting .256/.333/.452 with eight home runs and 26 RBI in 50 games for the Orioles this season. This is his first career trip to the DL. This is Hall's second stint with the Orioles this season. He batted .286/.545/.714 in a six-game stint, May 12-25, and...

I feel bad for the tarp at Nationals Park. It's getting absolutely pounded right now by a torrential downpour. The rain is falling, the wind is literally howling and the sky is a deep gray in all directions. At least we haven't had a tornado touch down on the pitcher's mound, though. Did I just jinx it? It's looking like Michael Morse's personal opening day might need to wait another 24 hours. I just took a peak at the radar for the rest of the night, and what we're getting now just...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Nick Markakis arrived in the clubhouse today with his right wrist wrapped and his arm in a sling, which he said wasn't needed. He was a little groggy, but he still exchanged quips with catcher Matt Wieters, who asked whether Markakis could play tonight "with that thing." "I can pinch-run," he replied. Markakis underwent a 20-minute procedure this morning to remove the broken portion of the hamate bone in his right wrist. The hook on the bone cracked in half during...

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Manager Buck Showalter is breaking out his most interesting lineup of the season. With Nick Markakis on the disabled list, Bill Hall is starting in right field and J. J. Hardy is batting third. Steve Tolleson is in left field, giving the Orioles another right-handed hitter against Rays starter David Price. For the Orioles: Robert Andino 2B Steve Tolleson LF J.J. Hardy SS Adam Jones CF Matt Wieters C Mark Reynolds 1B Chris Davis DH Wilson Betemit 3B Bill Hall RF Wei-Yin...