The Nationals are hard at work creating yet another opportunity for local youth to experience the magic of baseball. In association with the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation, the Nationals will partner with the Miracle League of Montgomery County and other local civic organizations to build the Washington Nationals Miracle Field in Germantown, Md., this summer. The Miracle League of Montgomery County will give children with mental or physical challenges the opportunity to play competitive...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Here's a shocker: The Orioles are playing another night game on the road. Even more startling, we're headed back to Fort Myers to watch the Twins - twice, including Friday afternoon, if you're keeping score at home. The clubhouse opens to the media today at 1 p.m. The team bus leaves Sarasota at 2:15 p.m. Left-hander Brian Matusz and relievers David Riske, Clay Rapada and Jim Johnson are scheduled to pitch. The Orioles will take another look at Twins left-hander...

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Orioles defeated the Yankees, 6-2, before 8,347 at Ed Smith Stadium. Would be much nicer if it happened at Camden Yards with Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano in the Yankees' lineup, but a win is a win. Manager Buck Showalter will decide tomorrow afternoon whether Derrek Lee is making the trip to Fort Myers for the night game against the Twins. If Lee goes, he'll play first base. Lee didn't run full-speed to first base on a grounder to short, but he was...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Jason Berken threw two scoreless, hitless innings after replacing Zach Britton. That's three scoreless outings in his last four. He allowed two runs in three innings to the Twins in his most recent appearance before today. Michael Gonzalez gave up a run on a hit and walk in the eighth. He also struck out two. Matt Wieters has singled and twice flied out to the fence. Derrek Lee is 0-for-2 with a grounder and pop up. Here are some comments from Zach Britton: "I got into a...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Chris Tillman worked six innings today in a minor league game at Twin Lakes Park. Facing a collection of Red Sox Triple-A hitters, Tillman allowed one earned run and seven hits, and struck out four. Tillman faced extra hitters in two innings, allowing him to increase his pitch count and record 22 outs. Tillman and Zach Britton, who's allowed one run and five hits to the Yankees over four innings, are trying to avoid assignments to Triple-A Norfolk. Britton has thrown 67...

Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo reported Tuesday on the status of Nationals outfield prospect Bryce Harper, who injured his ankle Monday running the bases. The diagnosis was a "medium" left ankle sprain. The return date was unclear and Harper has been listed as day-to-day. A minor league official with knowledge of the situation is more specific about Harper's possible return, saying the Nats' top prospect is, "doing okay and should be back in four or five days." That update...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Left-hander Zach Britton has extended his scoreless-innings streak to 11 today by blanking the Yankees over the first two. He allowed back-to-back singles in the second inning, one off a broken bat, but retired the next two batters on ground balls. Britton's fastball is registering 96 mph on the stadium gun. Not sure how accurate it is, but that's what it says on the scoreboard. You can tack on five more scoreless innings for Britton if you include a minor league game,...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Kevin Gregg faced five batters today in a minor league game at Twin Lakes Park. He allowed two hits struck out two and hit a batter. He threw 23 pitches, 16 for strikes. "I felt good today," Gregg said. "I got my mechanics back to where they need to be." Koji Uehara, pitching in his first game since the Feb. 28 opener in Bradenton, threw 11 of his 12 pitches for strikes and fanned one in one inning. "Physically, I felt real good. The elbow felt good," he said through...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter wrote out two lineups for today's game - one with Derrek Lee and one without him. He decided to list Vladimir Guerrero as the designated hitter and bring Lee off the bench. Lee continues to receive treatment on his left foot after fouling a ball off it during Sunday's game against the Phillies. "I didn't want to put him on the field with that today," Showalter said. "It feels good. He'd play during the season if he had to, but I didn't...

SARASOTA, Fla. - It's a scorcher here today at Ed Smith Stadium. I'm looking for the sunscreen vendor. The Orioles don't need a fifth starter until April 10, which has become a target date for Justin Duchscherer. Duchscherer has pitched in only one game this spring, totaling two innings in Clearwater, because of stiffness in his left hip. He threw from 120 feet again today and is scheduled for a bullpen session tomorrow. "Everything's good," he said. "It's more flexibility than...