For the Orioles, I guess we could say they didn’t gain as many wins as they hoped, but they did gain respect. Respect in that they may in fact be a contending team that is ready to play with the big boys in big league baseball. We can’t say that with certainty after just those three games in Atlanta but in five series this year versus clubs with cu

PHOENIX – The message from Bryan Harvey was already on his son’s phone, waiting for him when he arrived back in the Nationals clubhouse following Sunday’s dramatic, 9-8 win over the Diamondbacks. “He already texted me and said I’m 176 behind him,” Hunter Harvey said with a laugh. It’s a message Bryan Harvey surely had been waiting to send for years

The hard part of the schedule just got a little harder. Goodbye Braves, with your best record in the National League. Hello Rays, with your best record in baseball at 28-7 and obscene plus-115 run differential. Maybe a lot harder. The division is out of control. Boston used to be in last place with a record above .500. They won eight in a row befor

PHOENIX – The way it happened Saturday night, with a five-run rally in the top of the ninth wiped out by disaster in the bottom of the ninth, it felt like a soul-crushing development for the Nationals. The kind of loss that sits with a team for days. That does not, however, appear to be the character of this particular team. Because when presented

PHOENIX – The Nationals don’t have either Victor Robles or Jeimer Candelario in their lineup for today’s series finale against the Diamondbacks, the former dealing with a stiff back that knocked him out of Saturday night’s game, the latter still recovering from the bout of dehydration that landed him in the hospital Friday night. Robles hurt himsel

ATLANTA – Brandon Hyde didn’t have much to offer the local beat crew before today’s game. Nothing had changed in 12 hours besides his lineup. Morning baseball doesn’t usually bring much news or anything of interest unless the roster is impacted. It just happens, taxing bodies and minds after a late night. The Orioles’ manager held a cup of coffee,

PHOENIX – The Nationals once again find themselves needing to win a series finale to avoid a three-game sweep. This is the fifth time already this season it’s happened, but the good news is they’re 3-1 in such matchups, having beaten the Braves, Guardians and Pirates. Only the ridiculously hot Rays managed to pull off a three-game sweep against the

What has been a winning road trip will come to an end this afternoon when the Orioles (22-11) play at Atlanta (23-11) to wrap up this three-game series.  The Orioles won 9-4 Friday night but lost 5-4 last night at Truist Park to fall to 7-3 in one-run games, 13-7 in road games and 3-1 in games versus National League teams. The Orioles started the r

ATLANTA – The Orioles still have a chance to win their eighth series in a row to draw within one of the club record. The Braves rallied last night for a 5-4 win on Kevin Pillar’s two-run homer off Danny Coulombe in the eighth inning. Austin Hays returns to the lineup, batting fifth and playing left field. James McCann is catching a morning game aft

The Orioles offense, while the team has gone 1-1 this weekend in Atlanta, has proven to be a real challenge for one of the best starting rotations in baseball. Lefty Max Fried took the mound Friday night with a 2-0 record and 0.45 ERA, allowing one run in 20 innings for the season. Right-hander Spencer Strider faced the Orioles last night, entering