Orioles pitcher Brian Matusz will most likely make his second injury rehab start Saturday at Double-A Bowie. The club also considered Triple-A Norfolk, but it appears that Matusz will take the mound at Prince George's Stadium for a 6:35 p.m. game against Erie. Last night, Matusz allowed one run and two hits, with two walks and two strikeouts, in four innings at Single-A Frederick. He threw 60 pitches, 37 for strikes. The Orioles want to extend Matusz to 75-80 pitches Saturday. They'll...

On Tuesday, GroupOn DC has a special discount for Nationals fans. The deal works for three different games (Padres on Friday, May 27; Padres on Saturday, May 28; Cardinals on Wednesday, June 15). There is a 12-purchase limit. The costs and discounts are as follows: For $23, an LF/RF-Corner ticket (a $34 value), plus a $10 concession credit For $16, an Outfield Reserved ticket (a $22 value), plus a $6 concession credit For $8, an Upper-Infield Gallery ticket (a $17 value) Also, Nats News...

The Nationals won a 4-2 decision last night over the Pittsburgh Pirates to help them get within one game of .500. It was their second win in a row, after dropping their three previous games by a combined three runs. It has clearly been an up-and-down few weeks for the club, but for some it had been more down than up lately. One such player was Danny Espinosa. There was a time when he was the only hitter in the Nats lineup manager Jim Riggleman could rely on, but the rookie second baseman had...

It won't take all the sting out of blowing a 6-0 lead and losing the game in the last of the ninth, but two things continued to go well for the Orioles last night at Boston. They got another good starting pitching outing and the resurgence of the offense continued with seven runs and 10 hits. Of course, the Orioles could have scored more, especially early in the game. They went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring positon over the first three innings when they left six runners on base. Still,...

I should have stayed in Frederick last night. The Single-A Keys rallied for three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and defeated Potomac, 3-2. Left-hander Brian Matusz was spared the loss in his first injury rehab start when Jacob Julius stroked a pinch-hit, game-tying single and Buck Britton followed with a two-run single. Brother Zach would be proud. Yes, I should have hung around Harry Grove Stadium on Bark in the Park night. And yes, I'm trying to come up with a dog-related joke...

One thing that struck me a bit as the game with Boston wore on Monday night was the feeling of impending doom around Birdland. Checking out posting on Twitter and taking phone calls on my radio show last night in the late innings, it seemed most were predicting the Orioles would blow this game. Those turned out to be right, of course, as the bullpen gave up 10 hits and eight runs over just 3 1/3 innings in losing 8-7 to Boston. Unacceptable, unbelievable, can't happen, say whatever you want...

Manager Buck Showalter used six relievers tonight. That's a lot of baton passing. Kevin Gregg finally dropped it at the end, walking two batters and surrendering Adrian Gonzalez's two-run double. Oriole relievers allowed five earned runs (eight total) and 10 hits, with four walks, in 3 1/3 innings. So why did Showalter remove starter Chris Tillman after five innings and 88 pitches? It's always a good idea to wait for the explanation instead of immediately ripping a decision. Showalter...

Playing the percentages, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle pulled starting left-handed pitcher Paul Maholm in the bottom of the seventh inning in a 2-2 game. Hurdle brought in right-handed reliever Jose Ascanio to face Nationals switch-hitting second baseman Danny Espinosa, who has had only three hits in his last nine games and was 0-for-2 Monday night. Danny Espinosa talks about his strong at-bats in the Nationals' win Espinosa, switching over to bat left-handed, saw the move being made and...

A 6-0 lead wasn't passed to steady hands. Michael Gonzalez replaced Chris Tillman in the bottom of the sixth and allowed four runs (one earned) and three hits in one-third of an inning. Jeremy Accardo replaced him and let two inherited runners score, along with one of his own. Gonzalez has allowed runs in his last three outings and hits in his last five. In five appearances covering four innings, he's surrendered seven runs (four earned) and 10 hits. Accardo has allowed runs in five...

I tried listening to the Orioles game on my ride home from Harry Grove Stadium, but I kept losing the signal. I heard enough to know that first baseman Derrek Lee left the game with a strained left oblique, which a team spokesman confirmed in a quick phone call to the Fenway Park press box. The Orioles are listing him as day-to-day. I've been asked on Twitter about the severity of the injury. It just happened a few innings ago and I was in Frederick, so a definite answer isn't coming...