WASHINGTON - The Orioles lead the all-time series against the Nationals 24-19, going 13-8 in Baltimore and 11-11 in Washington (3-3 at RFK Stadium and 8-8 at Nationals Park) since the franchise was relocated from Montreal in 2005.
Manny Machado has posted at least three hits in eight road games this year, the most in the majors. Jed Lowrie and James Loney had collected three hits in seven road games.
According to STATS, the Orioles are hitting .300 on the road in May, their highest road...
We have an interesting matchup tonight with the Orioles sending Kevin Gausman to the mound and the Nationals countering with Nathan Karns.
It's Double-A Bowie vs. Double-A Harrisburg.
Gausman, 22, will be making his second major league start. Karns, 25, will be making his major league debut.
What's the record for fewest combined major league starts among two pitchers in the same game? Somebody get Elias on the phone.
Gausman will try to give the Orioles their second consecutive quality...
WASHINGTON - Orioles pitcher Jason Hammel has been searching for his fastball command.
Today, he found it.
"The fastball command that I've been searching for has been getting closer and closer and closer, and today it was finally there," he said after holding the Nationals to two runs over eight innings and striking out eight in the Orioles' 6-2 victory.
"A small adjustment I made with my slider added a lot more depth and a lot of swings and misses with that one. Stayed aggressive...
WASHINGTON - The Orioles' bullpen needed a break today, and starter Jason Hammel provided one by going eight innings in a 6-2 victory over the Nationals.
"It reminded me a little of the Atlanta outing last year," said manager Buck Showalter. "A lot of strikes. Throwing zeros up after you score some runs. He was good. He was the difference today. We all would have signed up in blood for that today.
"What are those things where you hold the bats like they do at the wedding chapel? I'm...
WASHINGTON - Reliever Alex Burnett has been claimed off waivers. We will know later today where he's headed.
The Orioles designated Burnett for assignment on May 23 to create room for Kevin Gausman on the 40-man roster. Gausman is starting against the Nationals Tuesday night.
Burnett, 25, made two appearances with the Orioles, allowing three earned runs in 1 1/3 innings. He was 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA in nine appearances with Triple-A Norfolk.
The Orioles signed him off waivers from the Blue...
WASHINGTON - One day after stranding 12 runners in a 6-5 loss to the Blue Jays, the Orioles have left four on base in the first three innings against the Nationals.
The Orioles were 4-for-18 with runners in scoring position yesterday at Rogers Centre. They're 0-for-1 today, with Adam Jones grounding out with runners on second and third and two outs in the second inning.
Manny Machado singled with two outs, his 46th road hit to lead the majors. It's also his 73rd hit this season. He began...
WASHINGTON - Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Tommy Hunter will likely have an X-ray taken on his right hand today, though the reliever said this morning that it wasn't necessary.
"There's different levels of X-rays. We're at level two," Showalter said.
"Richie (Bancells) said he felt pretty good, all things considered, so I'm hoping we dodged an injury. Not necessarily the ball.
"Richie's pretty upbeat about what he was hoping he would see today, compared to yesterday. He got...
WASHINGTON - Tommy Hunter said he won't undergo a second X-ray on his right hand. There's minimal swelling and bruising, and he expects to be available on Tuesday.
Hunter probably will play catch today.
"It's fine," he said. "Feels like it got hit by a ball, but other than that, it'll be all right. Kind of like taking one off the shin, I guess. it's not that bad at all. It's going to be. Got me in the meat of it. But it'll be all right, hopefully. Maybe I'll get a day off today....
If the Orioles take a slim lead into the bottom of the ninth inning today at Nationals Park, I'd bet that Darren O'Day would be used as the closer.
Not because manager Buck Showalter is ready to assign Jim Johnson's duties to another reliever. I still don't believe that he's reached that point. But Johnson threw 37 pitches yesterday and 51 over the past two games. He's probably not available today.
Tommy Hunter's right hand was swollen yesterday after fielding Jose Bautista's hard...
The Orioles haven't had a starter complete six innings in the last four games, including today, when Miguel Gonzalez fell an out short.
Gonzalez allowed one run and four hits in 5 2/3 innings, with three walks and seven strikeouts. He threw 101 pitches, 58 for strikes.
Brian Matusz stranded a runner to end the sixth. Matusz has stranded 18 of 20 inherited runners this season and 32 of 34 since moving to the bullpen last summer.
In two starts since coming off the disabled list, Gonzalez has...
Doesn't matter if the roof is open or closed at Rogers Centre. Doesn't matter who's pitching, or whether the game is in Canada or the U.S.
Adam Jones just keeps raking against the Blue Jays.
His double in the first inning today extended his hitting streak against Toronto to 16 games, tied for the third-longest in franchise history.
Al Bumbry hold the record, having hit safely in 20 straight games against Toronto from June 26, 1977-June 30, 1980.
Miguel Tejada hit in 18 straight games...
The Orioles complete their four-game series against the Blue Jays today at Rogers Centre. They've gone 11-35 in their last 46 games in Toronto dating to June 8, 2008, but they're 9-10 in the last 19 games.
Adam Jones has a 15-game hitting streak against Toronto dating to Aug. 24, 2012, tied for the fourth-longest streak by an Oriole versus the Blue Jays in club history, according to STATS. Al Bumbry hit safely in 20 straight from June 26, 1977-June 30, 1980. Miguel Tejada had a hit in 18...
Danny Valencia will serve as the Orioles' designated hitter again today after collecting a double and home run yesterday against Toronto knuckleballer R.A. Dickey.
So much for Valencia being part of a DH platoon. He's facing another right-hander today, Jays starter Chad Jenkins.
Alexi Casilla gets the start at second base.
Matt Wieters is batting seventh for the first time this season.
For the Orioles
Nate McLouth LF
Manny Machado 3B
Nick Markakis RF
Adam Jones CF
Chris Davis 1B
J.J....
Miguel Gonzalez takes the mound today at Rogers Centre in Toronto, his second start since coming off the disabled list. The Orioles would settle for a repeat of the first, when he limited the Yankees to two runs over seven innings, with no walks and five strikeouts.
Gonzalez is 2-1 with a 4.37 ERA in four career games (three starts) against the Blue Jays, with four walks and 14 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings. He faced them April 23 and allowed three runs and five hits in six innings.
Adam Lind...
Danny Valencia has been the left-handed half of a platoon at designated hitter since the Orioles recalled him from Triple-A Norfolk.
So, what's he doing in today's lineup against Toronto right-hander R.A. Dickey?
Drawing a walk and hitting a home run.
The splits tend to go out the window when a knuckleballer is on the mound. Manager Buck Showalter inserted Valencia in the lineup and has been rewarded.
Valencia is a career .231 hitter against right-handers, compared to .318 vs. southpaws....
Last night, J.J. Hardy hit a three-run homer in the first inning to give the Orioles a quick 3-0 lead over the Toronto Blue Jays.
Less than 24 hours later, they scored three runs in the first inning against knuckleballer R.A. Dickey to take a 3-0 lead.
Chris Davis drove in a run on a ground-rule double, giving him 15 extra-base hits in his last 15 games and 46 RBIs on the season. Hardy followed with a two-run single, giving him five RBIs in the last two games.
Hardy has hit safely in 18 of...
The Orioles officially recalled pitcher Steve Johnson from Triple-A Norfolk today and placed reliever Pedro Strop on the 15-day disabled list with a lower-back strain.
Strop, 27, is 0-2 with a 6.11 ERA in 22 appearances for the Orioles this season, allowing 12 earned runs in 17 2/3 innings. His control has been the biggest issue. He's walked 14 batters, including two in one-third of an inning Thursday night in Toronto.
Strop also served up a grand slam to Edwin Encarnacion, contributing to a...
Danny Valencia is serving as the Orioles' designated hitter today. He won't be optioned to Triple-A Norfolk to make room for pitcher Steve Johnson.
Yamaico Navarro is starting at second base again today, and Chris Snyder is behind the plate.
For the Orioles
Nate McLouth LF
Manny Machado 3B
Nick Markakis RF
Adam Jones CF
Chris Davis 1B
J.J. Hardy SS
Danny Valencia DH
Yamaico Navarro 2B
Chris Snyder CC
Freddy Garcia RHP
For the Blue Jays
Melky Cabrera LF
Jose Bautista RF
Edwin...
The Orioles needed to sleep fast last night, as manager Buck Showalter says, with a 1:07 p.m. game today against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Freddy Garcia will make his fifth start for the Orioles, which may be four more than some folks anticipated when the Orioles first selected his contract from Triple-A Norfolk.
Garcia has gone at least six innings in three of his outings, but he's still searching for his first win as an Oriole. He took a perfect game into the seventh inning in his debut in...
Chris Tillman's streak of quality starts has ended at six tonight, but he leaves the game with a 10-3 lead.
Seems like a fair trade.
Tillman allowed a season-high 10 hits, but he also tied his season high with seven strikeouts and didn't walk a batter.
Tillman also fanned seven against Oakland on April 27 and May 14 against San Diego.
Tillman still hasn't allowed more than three runs since April 17 against Tampa Bay.
This is Tillman's first start at Rogers Centre since Sept. 24, 2010....