The first question Nationals manager Davey Johnson was asked in his press conference following today's 8-5 extra-inning loss to the Reds was about the umpiring. That's how much a couple first-inning calls that didn't go the Nats way affected the course of this game. It started with a close play at first in which Adam LaRoche appeared to touch first base only to hear first base umpire Mike Everitt say LaRoche had missed the bag and call Scott Rolen safe. That kept the inning alive. A...

Despite the 8-5 loss Sunday against the Cincinnati Reds, the Nationals are still off to their best start since arriving in Washington, D.C., for the 2005 season. Since baseball returned to D.C. seven years ago, the Nationals have never been 7-3 in their first 10 games. Their second best total was a 6-4 record after 10 games in 2005. The Nationals have also never won their first three series to start a season in D.C. The second best was again in 2005, when they won road series at Florida,...

In two of this series first three games, the Nationals went to extra innings with the Reds and were able to scratch across the game-winning run. Not today. The Nationals battled back from an early 5-0 deficit to force extras, but the Reds scored three times off reliever Tyler Clippard in the 11th inning and held on for an 8-5 win. Joey Votto's two-run double was the big knock for Cincinnati, putting the Reds on top. Washington brought the potential tying run to the plate with no outs in the...

Despite some truly poor situational hitting, the Nationals have battled all the way back from a 5-0 deficit and have tied this game 5-5 as we head to the eighth inning. Ian Desmond's third hit of the day knotted things in the seventh, plating Rick Ankiel with two outs. Ankiel had reached on a leadoff double. Back playing in his second game after starting the season on the DL, Ankiel showed off that healthy left quad as he sprinted around third and slid into home with the tying run, just...

Kevin Gregg needed to get one out to complete the sixth inning today after replacing starter Brian Matusz. It eventually happened - after two inherited runners scored. And after three more scored that were charged to Gregg. And after Gregg had thrown 27 pitches. The inning began with the Orioles leading, 2-1. It ended with the Blue Jays ahead, 8-2. Fans that booed Gregg when he entered the game - and I'm talking about the ones at Rogers Centre - were cheering as he departed. They were...

The Orioles chance to come up with their first three-game series sweep at Toronto since April of 2005 evaporated today during the Blue Jays last of the sixth when Toronto scored seven times against Brian Matusz and Kevin Gregg. Toronto beat the Orioles 9-2 to salvage the series finale as the Orioles fall to 2-1 on this road trip and 5-4 on the season. Buck Showalter speaks with Jim Hunter following the Orioles' 9-2 loss to Toronto Toronto came up with the seven runs on six hits along with...

The way I see it, Ross Detwiler recorded five outs in the first inning. Unfortunately, a couple close calls that didn't go Detwiler's way now leave him, and the Nationals, in a four-run hole. Detwiler gave up four runs in the top of the first on Ryan Ludwick's second career grand slam, but the Nats lefty probably feels like he should've been off the mound long before Ludwick came to the plate. With two outs in the inning, Scott Rolen was called safe at first base on a close play, but a...

As they look for a three-game sweep this afternoon, the Orioles began today among the American League leaders in several team categories: * Team ERA: second at 2.84 * Opponent batting average: fourth at .236 * Saves: Tied for first with four * Batting average: fifth at .261 * Runs: Tied for fifth with 38 * Home runs: Tied for first with Texas at 13 * Slugging: First at .464 * On-base percentage: Tied for fourth at .325 Brian Matusz entered this game with a 0-2 record and career ERA of 18.56...

Has anyone noticed that Chris Davis is batting .333? Davis doubled in the second inning today, moving Wilson Betemit to third base and setting up the Orioles' first run on Ronny Paulino's ground ball. Davis had three hits yesterday, including a two-run homer. He's collected hits in five of his seven starts this season. It makes sense to keep running him out there and figuring out whether he's more than a guy who crushes Triple-A pitching. The Orioles need to find out. So does...

I can understand the decision to sit Matt Wieters today and can even understand Buck Showalter deciding to rest J.J. Hardy also at the start of today's game. But the omission of Nolan Reimold from today's starting lineup is a real head scratcher to me. Knowing Showalter there is a very good reason to do it, I just haven't heard it yet. Maybe he is putting defense first today. But it's the third game already that Reimold has not started, so it shouldn't have anything to do with him...