With his 29th blast this season, Potomac Nationals first baseman Tyler Moore broke the franchise record for homers in a season, set by Hensley Meulens and Nate Dishington, in an 11-4 rout at Frederick Friday from Harry Grove Stadium. With the victory, the P-Nats maintain a hold on first place in the Carolina League's Northern division. Moore now has 104 RBI, which is nine shy of Tyler Farnsworth's franchise record of 113 RBI in 2000 when he won the team's only Player of the Year honors in...

Shortstop Ian Desmond hit second in the lineup again for the Nationals Friday against the St. Louis Cardinals, a spot that he has relished since his first days in D.C. Desmond went 3-for-5 with a double, a bunt single and a run scored. He recorded all three outs on defense in the eighth and started a 6-4-3 double play off the bat of Albert Pujols in the third. He had a run scored or an RBI in the Nats last at bat for the second straight game, but this night the rally fell short in a 4-2 loss...

When the Orioles took the field for the last of the fourth tonight at Anaheim, Brian Roberts was not at second base. He was replaced by Julio Lugo, who moved from third to second as Josh Bell entered the game, batting first and playing at third base. We are awaiting word why Roberts left the game. He doubled leading off the contest, stole third and later scored on a Nick Markakis single. He struck out in the third inning. The O's and Angels are tied 1-1 as the O's now bat in the top of...

Lou Montanez hit his second home run tonight for Triple-A Norfolk. Tim Bascom held Charlotte to one run and five hits over seven innings. He threw 89 pitches, 59 for strikes. Ryan Adams is 3-for-4 with a double and three runs scored for Double-A Bowie, raising his average to .305. Left Fielder Tyler Henson was 2-for-2 with a double and RBI before coming out of the game, causing a lot of position shuffling. Adams moved from second to third. Brandon Waring moved from third to first. Joe...

When he first found out he was in disbelief. He thought his career might be over. He broke down and cried. Just the unknown of it all. Tommy John surgery. This was December of 1993. He was back and ready to pitch in August of 1994, but the strike ended that opportunity. By April of 1995 he had made the Toronto Blue Jays out of spring training. Former major leaguer Paul Menhart, currently the pitching coach for the Potomac Nationals, played parts of three seasons with the Blue Jays,...

The Orioles haven't posted their lineup because they're waiting to find out whether Adam Jones is healthy enough to play. Update: Jones remains out of the lineup. Mark Viviano reports that Felix Pie will start in center field, with Corey Patterson in left. Julio Lugo is starting at third base. Also, Jim Johnson threw off a mound and is available tonight. Update II: Pie is now starting in left, with Patterson going to center. Manager Buck Showalter just switched them. Man, that's a lot of...

In case you forgot, reliever Jim Johnson was 1-1 with one save and a 6.52 ERA in 10 games with the Orioles before going on the disabled list and spending most of his days and nights in Sarasota. Johnson threw two innings on Tuesday for Double-A Bowie, so he should be available tonight if the Orioles need him. They wouldn't activate him this soon if he wasn't ready. The question is, how will they use him? Will he be eased back into major league competition or called upon late in a close...

We've mentioned it a few times in this space and the Orioles made it official this afternoon. Top draft pick Manny Machado is heading for Aberdeen. He will work out with the IronBirds on Sunday, but will not dress for that game but is expected to be in the starting lineup Monday against Vermont at 7:05 p.m. I'm told he is expected to start at shortstop and play six innings in the game that night. Machado went 0 for 3 today in his first pro game for the Gulf Coast League Orioles and is...

Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg will undergo Tommy John surgery in the next week and a timetable will be set for his rehab and eventual return to the mound at Nats Park. Unfortunately, this injury is more common than not with major league baseball pitchers of today. Jim Callis, executive editor for Baseball America, says while it is a disappointment that Strasburg got hurt, he could return stronger than before. "If I had to bet whether a pitcher would be fine or get hurt during his...

Orioles first-round pick Manny Machado played his first professional game today for the Gulf Coast League Orioles, going 0-for-3 with a strikeout as the designated hitter in a 1-0 victory over the Rays. He was lifted for a pinch-hitter before his fourth at-bat. Update: In case you missed it, Machado will work out with the Aberdeen IronBirds on Sunday and most likely play his first NY-Penn League game the following night. Ninth-round pick Parker Bridwell pitched the first inning, walking one,...