BOSTON - Today's game fell eight minutes short of tying the longest in Orioles history. Eighteen pitchers were used, the most ever in a single game at Fenway Park. Adam Jones became the first Orioles player to homer in the 17th inning or later since Andy Etchebarren in the 19th inning in 1967. According to Elias, Chris Davis is the first player to go 0-for-8 and wind up as the winning pitcher since Rube Waddell on July 4, 1905. The game was played in Boston. The losing pitcher was Cy...

You want to hit Bryce Harper? OK, that's fine. He'll just sprint full-speed and go from first to third on a single to left and then steal home on a pickoff throw to first base. No big deal. The Nationals lead the Phillies 1-0 after one inning of play thanks to Harper's remarkable display of hustle and want-to in the bottom of the first. Forget having Jordan Zimmermann plunk one of the Phillies' hitters in order to retaliate to Cole Hamels drilling Harper in the lower back on a...

Check out this gem from Ryan Zimmerman when asked about the strong crowds at Nationals Park for this weekend's series against the Phillies. "I wouldn't have come and watched us a couple years ago, either," he said. "That's the truth. Nobody wants to come watch a team that loses 100 games. "It's their hard-earned money. It's not easy to buy tickets now. As long as we continue to win, the fans will come, and that's what we plan on doing." The fans came this weekend. The Nats have...

Well, that was just amazing and remarkable. In a game that took 17 innings and more than six hours, the Orioles beat the Red Sox 9-6. It ended with Chris Davis getting the win on the mound and because Adam Jones hit a three-run homer off outfielder Darnell McDonald, who pitched the top of the 17th for the Red Sox. It was won because the Orioles made a sensational relay play - Jones to J.J. Hardy to Matt Wieters - to the plate to cut down a potential winning run by Boston in the last of the...

I've got good news to pass along on the Nationals' injured first and third basemen. Adam LaRoche got an MRI on his sore right oblique today and it came back clean. The oblique is not torn, which let LaRoche breathe easy. "Just a bruise, which is awesome news," LaRoche said. "I was worried about that." LaRoche got treatment and hit today, probably at about 50-60 percent, he estimated. He will hit again tomorrow on the Nats' off day at closer to 100 percent force, and hopes to be able...

BOSTON - I can't believe I just typed that sentence. Chris Davis has entered the game in the bottom of the 16th after manager Buck Showalter ran out of relievers. Brian Matusz, scheduled to start tomorrow night, walked to the bullpen. However, Davis was the one warming up after serving as the designated hitter. This way, the Orioles don't really lose their DH. He just happens to double as a pitcher. Davis threw a 91 mph fastball to Jarrod Saltalamacchia before striking him out on a...

BOSTON - Kevin Gregg was forced to go two innings today, and he shut out the Red Sox on one hit. He also struck out four batters. Don't look now, but Gregg hasn't allowed a run in his last four appearances covering five innings. He's permitted two hits, walked two and struck out six. In his last three appearances covering four innings, he's allowed one hit, walked none and struck out six. Gregg's ERA is down to 5.19. Gregg pitched two innings only one other time this season, when he...

BOSTON - The Red Sox might want to consider Mark Reynolds if they need a third baseman. Reynolds has walked three times today, and he broke a 5-5 tie in the eighth inning with a two-out double to center field that scored Adam Jones, who singled, stole second base and took third on catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia's second error of the frame. Reynolds saw seven pitches from Vincente Padilla, fouling off the sixth one before his RBI double. Reynolds is 9-for-18 with four homers and 11 RBIs in...

As promised, Davey Johnson's lineup for Sunday night's game against the Phillies is exactly the same (minus a different starting pitcher) as the one he put up for yesterday afternoon's contest in which the Nationals pounded out 15 hits. If it ain't broke, don't ... Here's how things will look for the Nats tonight: SS Ian Desmond 3B Steve Lombardozzi LF Bryce Harper RF Jayson Werth 1B Chad Tracy 2B Danny Espinosa CF Rick Ankiel C Wilson Ramos P Jordan Zimmermann

BOSTON - The Orioles could have run themselves out of a big inning in the top of the fourth. A baserunning blunder could have bitten them, could have come back to haunt them, could have brought the same level of regret as a few 2 a.m. bar decisions. But not when you're going good. Matt Wieters and Mark Reynolds walked in the fourth. With one out, Nick Johnson drove a ball over center fielder Marlon Byrd's head, but Wieters held at third base. Reynolds had to slam on the brakes at second,...