I guess a four-game sweep in Chicago was being greedy. Taking three of four is acceptable. Josh Rupe served up Paul Konerko's second home run last night, increasing the White Sox's lead to 6-0 in the eighth inning. He allowed two runs in 14 2/3 innings in spring training, but he's carrying a 7.59 ERA in 10 2/3 innings this season. Rupe also let an inherited runner score on Konerko's homer, which left Clay Rapada's ERA at 16.20 in 3 1/3 innings. If the Orioles make any changes to their...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter didn't seem concerned about Nick Markakis' right hand during his postgame interview with MASN's Gary Thorne. Markakis was hit by a Chris Sale fastball with two outs and left the game, but he returned to the bench and watched the final out. "It was more of a pinch than it was a direct blow, so we got lucky there," Showalter said. Markakis apparently banged his right knee on a sprinkler head while diving for a ball, which could present more of an issue than...

Sometimes you need a little encouragement from your teammate. Someone else who is going through the same battle you are, someone else who struggled like you did and then came through. Such was the scenario for Nationals teammates Michael Morse and Jerry Hairston Jr., Monday night as they took on San Francisco Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner. Both Morse and Hairston had been unable to notch a hit off the talented young southpaw. In the fifth inning, Morse struck out looking and...

Jeremy Guthrie gave up another run in the sixth inning, but you have to wonder if it matters anymore. He'd have to throw a shutout just to break even. The Orioles have put approximately 500 runners on base in six innings against Mark Buehrle, but the Chicago left-hander is shutting them out. They're 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and have stranded nine. In Guthrie's 17 losses since the start of 2010, the Orioles have scored 24 runs while he was in the game (1.41 runs per game),...

The Orioles continue to trail the White Sox, 2-0, in the top of the fifth because left fielder Juan Pierre made a diving catch near the line to rob Brian Roberts of two RBIs. Paul Konerko homered with two outs in the bottom of the fourth to pad Chicago's lead. Luke Scott leaped at the fence and hung on it for a few seconds. At some point, the Orioles will start scoring runs for Jeremy Guthrie. Maybe not tonight, but it's bound to happen. Be sure to DVR the game so you can show your friends,...

The Orioles today announced that they have activated right-hander Chris Jakubauskas from the 15-day disabled list and optioned him to Triple-A Norfolk. Jakubauskas was placed on the DL on April 18, retroactive to April 17, with a strained right groin. He appeared in three games for the Orioles, pitching to a 7.36 ERA (7.1IP, 6ER) and twice going at least 3.0 innings.

Some of you may have noticed that I have not been filing the usual number of blog entries and stories recently. That is because I have been busy with something else over these past few days. Last Friday morning at 6:35 a.m., my Mom died. She and our family had been dealing with Mom's Alzheimer's disease for more than 10 years. It was, as some have labeled it, a long goodbye. The last few years were such that our Mom didn't know our names and we could not even really have a conversation...

The Orioles will activate pitcher Chris Jakubauskas from the disabled list and option him to Triple-A Norfolk, improving their rotation depth at the upper levels of their minor league system. Jakubauskas made an injury rehab start yesterday for the Tides, allowing one run and three hits with one walk and two strikeouts, in 1 1/3 innings. He allowed six runs and nine hits in 7 1/3 innings in three relief appearances with the Orioles before going on the disabled list with a groin...

Here's the lineup that manager Buck Showalter hopes can enable the Orioles to complete a four-game sweep of the White Sox - along with another quality start from Jeremy Guthrie: Brian Roberts 2B Nick Markakis RF Derrek Lee 1B Vladimir Guerrero DH Luke Scott LF Adam Jones CF Mark Reynolds 3B Matt Wieters C Robert Andino SS Jeremy Guthrie RHP Here's the White Sox's lineup: Pierre LF Ramirez SS Dunn DH Konerko 1B Quentin RF Pierzynski C Rios CF Teahen 3B Beckham 2B Buehrle LHP

As part of tonight's Military Appreciation Night, the Washington Nationals are proud to offer free tickets to service members and their families to watch the team take on the defending World Series Champion San Francisco Giants beginning at 7:05 p.m. Military personnel with a valid military ID (active or retired) can receive up to four complimentary tickets to tonight's game, available for pick up at the Grand Staircase Box Office on First Street, SE beginning at 5:30 p.m. Those wishing to...