CHICAGO – The question was specifically about his strikeout with the bases loaded in the top of the third Wednesday afternoon, and he answered that part of the query with a compliment to White Sox starter Garrett Crochet. But then Keibert Ruiz continued his answer and began speaking about himself in a broader sense, recognizing that one at-bat wasn

Sometimes you have a frustrating day with runners in scoring position but can still win. Sometimes you get a homer from your first and last batters of the game to win. Sometimes you have streaks riding, and it looks like they will end. But they don't. Sometimes you see curious moves happen in an inning like the bottom of the eighth, but you still w

Anthony Santander led off the fourth inning yesterday with a single and poked a double down the left field line to begin the eighth before the pain from a bruised knee led to his removal in right field. Colton Cowser, who shaved his beard to “change things up,” broke his bat on a fourth-inning single and snapped a 7-for-55 streak. Austin Hays playe

CHICAGO – With the season now more than one-quarter complete, we pretty much know how most Nationals ballgames are going to go. Their starting pitcher isn’t going to dazzle but is going to give them a chance, even if for only five or six innings tops. Their bullpen is going to be effective, especially when handed a lead. And their lineup is going t

Adley Rutschman took a big swing, stumbled back and twisted his torso, looking like a golfer using body English to keep the ball from hitting the water or sand. Rutschman crossed home plate and was drenched. The second walk-off home run of his career in the ninth inning gave the Orioles an improbable 3-2 win over the Blue Jays before an announced “

CHICAGO – Ildemaro Vargas was asked if he could remember the last time he batted third. “Little League,” the Nationals utilityman said, lowering his right hand to a couple feet off the ground as if to show how tall he was at the time. “Unbelievable!” That streak ends today, because Vargas is batting third for the Nats in their series finale against

After they lost on Sunday and Monday and rained out last night, the Orioles' last win came by a 5-4 score in 11 innings Saturday against the Diamondbacks. Today the Orioles wrap up this rain-shortened series now of just two games with the Blue Jays. After Monday's 3-2 loss in 10 innings, the Orioles are 26-14. They are 14-9 at home, 6-2 against Ame

Gunnar Henderson has served as Orioles leadoff hitter in every game this season, but he’s in the cleanup spot this afternoon against the Blue Jays. Jordan Westburg bats first for the first time in his major league career. Why Westburg? The Blue Jays announced this morning that they’d give the ball to left-hander Yusei Kikuchi, but matchups haven’t

CHICAGO – The Nationals are playing decent baseball right now. They’re not, however, playing winning baseball. Since reaching the .500 mark on April 29 thanks to their sweep in Miami, they’ve gone 6-7. They’ve lost two in a row only once in that time, but they’ve also won two in a row only once. Every bit of positive momentum is halted by a subsequ

The Orioles will try again today to squeeze in a game against the Blue Jays despite more rain in the forecast. Jordan Westburg is leading off for the first time in his major league career. Gunnar Henderson moves to the cleanup spot for the 11th time. Kyle Bradish makes his third start after allowing two runs and striking out 14 batters in 9 2/3 inn