It has been a good week in NatsTown. The Nationals pulled off an eight-game win streak, have pulled themselves into third place in the National League East, put themselves within striking distance of .500 and somehow got their name in talks for the Wild Card. They also put the hurting on an NL Central powerhouse in the Cardinals and won Round 2 of the Battle of the Beltways against the Baltimore Orioles. Going 8-1 in the past nine games - not too shabby. If your senses are up to par, take a...

So these are the new and improved Pirates? Meet the new Pirates, same as the old Pirates. To be fair, they have a promising young nucleus, but last night reminded us why they haven't posted a winning record since Manny Sanguillen hung up his shin guards. Actually, you can see Sanguillen in Bradenton every spring training. And he operates the "Manny's BBQ" concession at PNC Park. And he actually retired in 1980, so I was exaggerating. Sanguillen was the only member of the Pirates not to...

The Orioles, who took a 5-0 lead in the first inning tonight at Pittsburgh, began this game as major league's lowest-scoring first inning team. They come in averaging just 0.26 first-inning runs per game to rank last in the majors. 0.26 - Orioles 0.29 - Seattle 0.32 - Oakland 0.36 - Kansas City and Washington The Yankees lead the majors in scoring with 0.76 first inning runs per game. The O's got five runs on six hits in the big inning as Adam Jones delivered a two-run single and they got...

The National League rules seem to suit the Orioles just fine. Zach Britton had an RBI double Friday night in Washington. Chris Jakubauskas tormented the Nationals with two hits yesterday. And Jake Arrieta blooped a run-scoring single into right field in the first inning tonight to give the Orioles a 5-0 lead over the Pirates. Arrieta was 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout before tonight. The Orioles sent 10 batters to the plate against Pirates right-hander Charlie Morton. Robert Andino's...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter confirmed earlier today that Jeremy Guthrie will start tomorrow night against the Pirates. Jason Berken would have taken the ball in Guthrie's absence. Guthrie left his last start in Toronto because of a strained muscle in his upper back. An MRI didn't reveal anything more serious and he threw a bullpen session yesterday in Washington. Buck Showalter confirms Jeremy Guthrie will pitch Tuesday Also, Showalter told reporters that Brian Matusz could be pushed...

The Orioles have lost two World Series against the Pirates, in 1971 and 1979. Tomorrow night, before Game Two of their series with the Orioles, the Pirates will celebrate the 40th anniversary of that 1971 team. The Orioles won the first two games, by scores of 5-3 and 11-3 at home, but then lost three straight in Pittsburgh. When that series returned to Baltimore, the O's Game Six win was followed by a 2-1 Game Seven loss with Steve Blass besting Mike Cuellar. The Orioles and Pirates will...

Luke Scott told reporters in Pittsburgh that his back feels better, but Felix Pie gets the start tonight in left field. Also, the Sun's Jeff Zrebiec tweeted that Brian Matusz expects to start Friday night against the Reds at Camden Yards. He says the hamstring is 100 percent. For the Orioles: J.J. Hardy SS Nick Markakis RF Adam Jones CF Derrek Lee 1B Matt Wieters C Mark Reynolds 3B Felix Pie LF Robert Andino 2B Jake Arrieta RHP For the Pirates: Jose Tabata LF Josh Harrison 3B Andrew...

Bryan Holland, Director of Communications for the Single-A Hagerstown Suns, told MASNsports.com that Nationals top prospect

Matt Hobgood took the mound today for the Gulf Coast League Orioles and made quick work of the GCL Twins, retiring the side in order in the first inning on three ground balls. Ryan Berry, a ninth-round pick out of Rice in 2009, replaced him in the second. Hobgood, 20, had been rehabbing a strained rotator cuff at extended spring training. Today marked his return to affiliated game action. Afterward, he tweeted the following on @Matt_Hobgood48: "Feels great to be back in games again. Arm was...

Jake Arrieta makes his 16th start tonight, and his first against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He's only faced one Pirate in his career - and yes, that sounds a little strange. First baseman Lyle Overbay is 0-for-3 against him. Arrieta leads the Orioles with 11 quality starts by definition. And I use "by definition" to avoid any debates over just how good he threw in some of those games. We're talking three earned runs or fewer over six innings or more. Four of his six outings on the road have...