Checking on Bundy's fastball in the early innings (O's lead 4-3)

Dylan Bundy's first pitch tonight against Nationals leadoff hitter Trea Turner registered 94 mph on the Camden Yards radar gun.

Get used to the scrutiny over his velocity, no matter how little it seems to matter to the Orioles.

Bundy's fastball sat in the low-90s again in his last start against the Red Sox, a drop from 96-97 in some previous outings. Other numbers were more disturbing, including the five runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings and the 8-1 final score that didn't favor the Orioles.

The score again isn't to Bundy's liking tonight, with the Nationals taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

Bundy threw 24 pitches, the last a 93 mph fastball to Anthony Rendon that resulted in a harmless fly ball. The real damage came when Bundy walked Turner on eight pitches, with a stolen base and Daniel Murphy's RBI single putting the Orioles behind after only three batters.

Most of Bundy's four-seamers registered at 94 mph. He struck out Jayson Werth on three pitches, the last a 95 mph fastball, but Murphy bounced another 95 mph heater into center field to score Turner.

Bryce Harper flied to right field on a 94 mph fastball and Wilson Ramos was hit by one, the ball nailing him on the right shoulder and bouncing off catcher Matt Wieters' helmet.

Two guys hit with one pitch. Not supposed to be the highlight of an inning.

Bundy had allowed only one run in the first inning this season.

Ryan Zimmerman doubled to lead off the second, but Bundy retired the next three batters with his fastball at 92-93 mph. Turner struck out on three pitches - two curveballs to set him up and a 94 mph fastball - to strand Zimmerman at third base.

I asked Showalter about Bundy's lower radar gun readings and basically got the same response that the right-hander offered in a separate interview. Mostly different words, but the same message.

"I think what people miss when they just evaluate people with a gun is that Dylan didn't have very good command last time and he went to the two-seamer a lot and that's why you might have seen some different gun readings." Showalter said.

"That's why these analytic people that base it on a gun and some chart miss so often and it's really so inaccurate."

Not long ago, Showalter praised Bundy for being "a very aware young man of things around him." Bundy's maturity can't be measured, but it's evident each time he steps on the mound.

"I think he's very appreciative of every day he gets to toe the rubber and pitch," Showalter said. "Dylan, I've been proud of him."

A.J. Cole, making his second major league start after the Nationals placed Stephen Strasburg on the disabled list, retired the Orioles in order in the bottom of the first, striking out Adam Jones and Hyun Soo Kim and inducing a fly ball from Manny Machado. He needed only 10 pitches to do it.

Reliever Brian Duensing, appearing in his first game today since undergoing surgery to remove cartilage chips from his left elbow, allowed one hit and struck out one batter in the seventh inning for the Gulf Coast League Orioles. He was credited with a "hold," which apparently still exists.

Update: Jonathan Schoop tied the game with a leadoff home run over the left field foul pole in the bottom of the third inning. Five Orioles have 20 or more home runs, with Pedro Alvarez hovering at 19.

Update II: Can anyone get a shutdown inning? Rendon homered to lead off the top of the fourth and give the Nats a 2-1 lead.

Update III: Seriously, can anyone get a shutdown inning? The Orioles tied the game in the bottom of the fourth on back-to-back doubles by Manny Machado and Chris Davis and took a 4-2 lead on Mark Trumbo's 38th home run.

Update IV: Danny Espinosa greeted Mychal Givens with a home run leading off the top of the seventh, reducing the Orioles' lead to 4-3.

Bundy retired nine of the last 10 batters he faced after Rendon's home run. He threw a career-high 94 pitches.