As most fans know, it has been an extremely tough road for Nolan Reimold during the past few seasons. Life is always full of ups and downs, but the true test of someone's character depends on how they persevere. So far, Reimold is passing that test - at least professionally. During the early weeks of the season, he has been one of the hottest hitters in baseball, batting .341 with four homers - all in key spots - with eight RBIs. As it is, you can say that Reimold has had a critical role in...

Even after their second loss on this road trip by seven runs, the Orioles woke up today for the series finale in Chicago still in first place. At 7-5, they lead the American League East by a half-game over Toronto. Tommy Hunter gave up eight runs and nine hits over 5 2/3 innings last night. Three runs scored after he left the game, but it was the poorest outing by an O's starter this year. Since allowing two unearned runs in his first start, Hunter has given up 13 runs (12 earned) on 15 hits...

CHICAGO - The Orioles wrap up their four-game series against the White Sox this afternoon, hoping to win it, but also knowing they can do no worse than a split. Nick Markakis will be back in right field after serving as the designated hitter last night. He's 7-for-20 with four doubles, a home run and seven RBIs lifetime against White Sox starter Gavin Floyd. We could find Endy Chavez in center field today, with Adam Jones serving as the DH. Chavez busted out of his 0-for-12 slump last night...

Jordan Zimmermann was asked after tonight's game whether all this winning has given the Nationals a new attitude in their clubhouse. "Yeah, it's Natitude," he responded, cracking a smile. Here we go with the Natitude stuff. The Nationals needed to make two separate comebacks in tonight's game. They trailed 1-0 entering the bottom of the seventh before Roger Bernadina's RBI double tied the game, and then were down 2-1 in the eighth only two score two small-ball runs on a Jayson Werth...

CHICAGO - Tommy Hunter never fails to amuse me. He's a fun guy. He keeps everyone loose, whether he's singing off-key or talking smack during ping pong or just firing one-liners at teammates and the media. He's also brutally honest with himself. Hunter didn't have his fastball command tonight, and he didn't go easy on himself or the English language following the Orioles' 8-1 loss to the White Sox. Make no mistake, he was upset with the result, but even his frustration can bring a few...

Left fielder Roger Bernadina returned to the starting lineup for the first time since Friday. He had been struggling at the plate to start the season, hitting a paltry .143 with just one RBI. But Bernadina hasn't sulked or moped around the clubhouse during the past few games. He continued to take extra swings to get his rhythm back. "I have been hitting a lot in the cage," Bernadina said. "I didn't feel rushed or anything. I was seeing the ball good. That was an important part to see the...

I feel like I could copy and paste any recent blog about Jordan Zimmermann not getting run support into this space and pass it off as my latest entry. But I wouldn't dare do that to you. Well, maybe I would if I was a little more tired and wanted to get out of the press box quicker. The story keeps repeating itself: Zimmermann turns in a quality start, gets minimal offensive help and gets stuck with a loss he didn't deserve or a no-decision he shouldn't have been stuck with. Tonight,...

CHICAGO - Manager Buck Showalter counted three mental errors by the Orioles tonight, which played a role in their 8-1 loss to the White Sox at rainy U.S. Cellular Field. The most glaring one came in the sixth inning, after left-hander Troy Patton replaced starter Tommy Hunter with the bases loaded, two outs and the White Sox leading, 5-1. Catcher Matt Wieters called for a breaking ball. That's not what he got. Adam Dunn, batting .179 before tonight, cleared the bases with a double, and the...

CHICAGO - In his previous start in Toronto, Orioles right-hander Tommy Hunter surrendered four home runs over six innings in a 7-5 victory. The White Sox have homered twice off Hunter in four innings tonight to build a 4-1 lead over the Orioles at U.S. Cellular Field. A.J. Pierzynski's two-run shot in the second erased the Orioles' 1-0 lead. The White Sox loaded the bases in the third, and Alex Rios came through with a sacrifice fly. And Alejandro De Aza homered with two outs in the fourth...

We're all knotted up 1-1 as we head to the top of the eighth, after Roger Bernadina smacked an opposite-field, two-out double in the bottom of the eighth, plating Rick Ankiel. Finally, some offense. It was just the Nationals' fourth hit of the ballgame, but it did the trick. Jordan Zimmermann is now off the hook, and while he still won't leave Nats Park with his first win of the season, he also won't get another tough-luck loss. The Nats had a chance to take the lead after Bernadina's...