Following tonight's game, the Washington Nationals optioned right-handed pitcher Collin Balester to Syracuse of the Triple-A International League. Nationals Senior Vice President and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcement. Balester, 24, is 0-1 with a 4.70 ERA in six relief appearances this season with Washington.

The Orioles gained a game on the Yankees last night. You can look it up. Take full advantage of them while A-Rod is gone. Brian Matusz doesn't look like a young pitcher needs to be shut down in September. He's allowed one earned run or fewer in four of his last five starts and has posted a 2.32 ERA this month. I'm still wondering how the rotation will look over the final weeks of the season. The Orioles don't seem eager to add an extra starter, especially with two veterans who prefer...

In game one of the series in Chicago, the Orioles scored five runs on 11 hits. They lost. Last night they had four runs on just seven hits. They won. Yes, it's pretty much about the pitching and almost always about the starting pitching. Grow the arms. Produce the arms. Trade for the arms. Sign the arms. However they get them, and the O's are starting to produce some of their own, as we all know, stockpiling quality arms will be the key to future success. When the O's went 8-1...

Luke Scott has been prone to slumps since he's been with the Orioles. But this season, Scott has been more consistent at the plate. Jim asks Scott what could be behind his improved consistency and if there's been a change in his swing. Scott talks about his approach and the reason for the amount of home runs he's hit this year. Watch the video below for the entire interview.

The Nationals have lost four straight and seven of their last nine games. During most of this streak, first baseman Adam Dunn has had a cold spell at the plate. Since hitting two homers against the Dodgers August 6, Dunn has gone 7-for-58 (.121), including 0-4 Wednesday with three strikeouts. His last at bat was the most promising, however, when he cranked a deep shot that was caught in right field off of Carlos Marmol to end the game. Manager Jim Riggleman said he spoke with Dunn...

Koji Uehara hasn't been named the closer, but he worked the ninth inning again in a save situation. It was as hairy as his sideburns. Uehara got the first two outs before giving up back-to-back hits, including Carlos Quentin's triple that drove Corey Patterson into the fence and reduced the lead to 4-2. Uehara struck out A.J. Pierzynski to end the game and notch his second North American save, but he's not the closer. That's a dirty word in this town. He's just the latest guy to pitch...

After their starters had given up 17 earned runs the past three games, tonight the O's got very solid work from Brian Matusz in a 4-2 win at Chicago. Matusz gave up just one run and three hits over seven innings, throwing 117 pitches. He improved to 6-12, 4.79 in 26 starts. Jim Hunter interviews Buck Showalter about the O's 4-2 win over the Whtie Sox Matusz has allowed just one run and eight hits over 15 innings in his last two starts. He is 3-1, 2.32 over his last five starts. Matusz...

Brian Matusz has a two-hitter and 2-0 lead through five innings at Chicago. He gave up two singles in the second, but got an Andruw Jones double play ball to end that inning. Just like with his last start when he pitched eight scoreless vs. Texas, he really is mixing his pitches well and it seems the Sox just don't know what is coming. Guess that is what they call pitching. Matusz has fanned five, four of them on called third strikes. He has thrown 80 pitches through five, needing 36 over...

Matt Wieters was mired in a 7-for-38 slump when he lined a double to left field in the fifth inning that scored Felix Pie for 1-0 lead. Wieters moved to third base with one out and looked like he might be stranded, but Corey Patterson singled to left with two down to increase the lead to 2-0. Two big hits. Patterson was 6-for-16 lifetime against White Sox starter Mark Buehrle before tonight. Buehrle walked Brian Roberts intentionally after falling behind, 2-0, to bring Patterson to the...

For the second time in two days in the Chicago series, Matt Wieters came to bat in the second inning with two runners on and hit into a double play. Wieters is clearly struggling right now. He is 0 for 1 tonight and has just seven hits over his last 38 at bats over 11 games, an average of just .184. He has only 3 RBI in that time. This is not a post to bash or jump on Wieters, but it's a bit puzzling why he is not hitting more than he is at this point. On the double play ball in the...