Adam Jones and Mark Reynolds are making back-to-back starts after returning to the Orioles' lineup last night. Matt Angle gets the start in left field. For the Orioles: Robert Andino 2B J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Vladimir Guerrero DH Matt Wieters C Adam Jones CF Mark Reynolds 1B Chris Davis 3B Matt Angle LF Tommy Hunter RHP For the Red Sox: Ellsbury CF Aviles 3B Gonzalez 1B Ortiz DH Pedroia 2B Reddick RF Crawford LF Scutaro SS Varitek C Beckett RHP

The first week of instructional league is under way in Viera, Fla., with the team going through batting practice, fielding drills and bullpen sessions prior to its opening game against the Atlanta Braves on Sept. 23. Nationals director of player development Doug Harris checked in from Florida and told MASNsports.com he is excited about the players they have assembled. We went over several field positions including the outfield, where several of the Single-A Hagerstown players are in...

To say that Brian Matusz has had a rough season is probably an understatement. The injury to start the year; the June return and subsequent shellacking, resulting in a trip down to the minors; the August call-up and subsequent shellacking. It was all capped off by his recent starts in New York and Boston (wasn't there a way to work Matusz in so that he wasn't facing two of the majors' best offenses on the road?) in which he didn't get out of the second inning in either start and allowed...

There's a lesson I learned while I was kid watching ballgames at Wrigley Field: Get there early and stay until it's over - no matter what. That lesson tried my patience for years. Non-baseball fans would ask me, "Why watch such a boring game, especially if the team you're watching isn't making a run for a playoff spot?" Years later, watching baseball in Washington, I know why getting to a game early and staying until it's over (no matter what) makes sense. The game on the field is the...

This is just the way an Orioles fan probably envisioned it several weeks ago. Rick VandenHurk would not make it into the fourth inning. But Willie Eyre would come on to get the win. Pedro Strop would pitch a shutout eighth inning. Jim Johnson would get a save and, of course, Jo-Jo Reyes would pitch three key shutout innings. To top if off, Robert Andino would end Jonathan Papelbon's 22-inning scoreless streak and 25 straight saves run with a three-run double. To the off field. Yeah, that's...

The Boston Red Sox asked Jonathan Papelbon, a pitcher that had converted a career-best 25 straight save chances since May 13, to try and get a five-out save on Tuesday night against the Orioles. He couldn't do it. With Boston leading 5-4, Papelbon came in with two on and one out in the top of the eighth. He fanned Chris Davis for the second out, but Nolan Reimold's single to left loaded the bases. Robert Andino came up and the count went full. Andino then ripped a three-run double down the...

Red Sox manager Terry Francona called upon closer Jonathan Papelbon to get a five-out save tonight. He got a blown save instead. Robert Andino lined a three-run double into the right field corner with two outs and the count full to give the Orioles a 7-5 lead in the eighth inning. Matt Wieters and Mark Reynolds singled off Daniel Bard. Francona brought in Papelbon with one out, and the right-hander responded by getting a called third strike on Chris Davis. Plate umpire Mark Wegner's...

Rick VandenHurk's second start with the Orioles this month didn't do much to enhance his standing within the organization. VandenHurk couldn't record an out in the fourth inning and he couldn't hold a 4-1 lead. Jo-Jo Reyes replaced him with runners on first and second, no outs and the Orioles ahead, 4-3. Jacoby Ellsbury singled to load the bases. Reyes struck out Dustin Pedroia and Adrian Gonzalez appeared to bounce into a 3-6-3 double play, but first baseman Mark Reynolds missed catcher...

Nice move by Nationals manager Davey Johnson. Only a few hours before Game 1 of Tuesday's doubleheader at Citizens Bank Park, Johnson decided to switch the starters for each game. Tommy Milone pitched the opener and tossed six innings of shutout ball. Ross Detwiler took the nightcap. Did he ever. The Nationals swept a doubleheader from the Philadelphia Phillies behind a career night from Detwiler in a 3-0 nightcap victory. Davey Johnson talks to Debbi Taylor after the Nationals' shutout...

It's tough to get a group of sportswriters and broadcasters to agree on anything, but I don't recall many divided opinions in the Most Valuable Oriole voting that takes place during the final month of every season. The second- and third-place finishers can bring a heated debate, but the winner usually takes the honor by a fairly wide margin. Luke Scott was the overwhelming choice last year, though at least two voters refused to pick him. Something about his .214 average with runners in...