Nationals third baseman Jerry Hairston Jr. had just one hit in 23 at-bats to start the season before breaking out with a 3-for-3 performance in Game Two of Washington's 5-1 doubleheader sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers. Hairston got the offense going for the Nationals with a solo home run against Brewers right hander and former Nationals pitcher Marco Estrada. His round-tripper, only the 60th of his career, came in the middle of four consecutive strikeouts by the Milwaukee starter and lifted...

Are the Twins going to be the team to revive the Orioles? They're sitting in last place in the AL Central. They haven't won a series this year. They've scored only 45 runs, six fewer than the Orioles, who have become allergic to home plate. Catcher Joe Mauer is on the disabled list with a viral infection and first baseman Justin Morneau sat out yesterday's game with an illness that makes him questionable for tonight. A closer controversy culminated with Matt Capps unseating Joe...

A quick update on Potomac Nationals shortstop Rick Hague, who was injured last week sliding into second base. Hague suffered a slight labrum tear in his right shoulder and had been placed on the seven-day disabled list. A team official expects it to be a 10-day recovery period for Hague. After recovery, he would most likely head to Florida to get some at-bats at the minor league camp before returning to Potomac, but nothing is imminent for Hague at this time. Harrisburg Senators catcher...

The last few seasons, Jim Hoey pitched in the Orioles' minor leagues, battling back after two surgeries to try to get back to Baltimore and the major leagues. Hoey will make that return to the majors in Baltimore, but not with Baltimore. Traded by the Orioles to the Twins in December with Brett Jacobson in the deal for shortstop J.J. Hardy, Hoey began this year at Triple-A Rochester but was recalled to the majors today after the Twins' win over Tampa. That means he will be with the club...

Left-handed reliever Clay Rapada will join the Orioles at Camden Yards tomorrow, signaling another roster move involving the bullpen. Rapada will give the Orioles a second left-handed reliever, along with struggling veteran Michael Gonzalez. Chris Jakubauskas will be placed on the disabled list to make room for Rapada. Rapada has appeared in two games with Triple-A Norfolk, allowing one hit, walking one and striking out three in two scoreless innings. He looked like an early favorite to make...

The Orioles trailed by two runs in the top of the ninth. Derrek Lee swung at the first pitch from Indians reliever Chris Perez and flied out. Vladimir Guerrero swung at the second pitch and flied out. Luke Scott swung at the first pitch and missed it, putting him in an 0-1 hole. Scott eventually ran the count full before taking a called third strike to run the losing streak to seven games. The ball was so far outside, it would have rolled into the third base dugout, but why should anything go...

For the Orioles, this was another day when they fell behind early and were frustrated on offense. The Birds lost, 4-2, at Cleveland this afternoon as they were swept in the three-game series and their losing streak reaches seven games. The Orioles completed a winless road trip, going 0-5 in New York and Cleveland with one rain out. Things have gotten so bad for the Orioles that Koji Uehara even issued a walk in the 8th inning. In fact, he walked two batters in the frame. That was the first...

No, the Orioles aren't calling up anyone from Triple-A Norfolk. The Tides, off to a 1-8 start, are leading Charlotte, 8-1, in the bottom of the fifth inning. That's what I call a reversal. Mike Ballard has allowed one run and four hits, walked one and struck out seven. He signed a minor league deal and didn't receive a spring training invite, though he got into five games and racked up a 10.00 ERA. Nick Green and Brendan Harris have homered today for the Tides. Green has four...

Brad Bergesen is shaking hands in the dugout and seeking warmth beneath a sweatshirt, so we'll assume that he's finished for the day. Bergesen threw two innings on Wednesday and was making his first start since April 6. He's registered the Orioles' last three complete games, but manager Buck Showalter told reporters earlier today that the right-hander wasn't going nine innings. Showalter settled for 88 pitches in five. Bergesen is charged with two earned runs. A third run scored after...

The Orioles are losing again today, 1-0, on a Carlos Santana home run leading off the second inning. They're in another early hole, though not as deep as we've seen in other games on this awful road trip. Here's the good news: Brad Bergesen is mostly forcing the Indians to hit the ball on the ground. Of the six outs he's recorded, five have come on ground balls. He also struck out Matt LaPorta to end the second. When Bergesen makes hitters pound the ball into the ground, he usually wins...