I left my house yesterday at 1:32 p.m. I arrived home at 1:32 a.m. I didn't plan it that way. Manager Buck Showalter suggests that we "sleep fast." Well, it went quickly for me. I'm ready to get back in my car and make the hour-long drive to Nationals Park, where the clubhouse will have a different look. Brad Bergesen is back. That shuttle must be getting old for him. And Blake Davis has reached the majors for the first time after being a fourth-round pick in 2006 out of Cal-State...

This had to be one of the ugliest Orioles losses of the year. They had numerous chances to score more than four runs. They had poor relief pitching. They allowed three unearned runs. They had 18 hits and somehow managed to turn that into four runs. It was another game where a Mark Reynolds' mistake was glaring. After the game, Buck Showalter would not pin the loss on Reynolds' throwing error in the last of the fifth, but that fueled Washington's four-run inning. Showalter correctly said...

Nationals' shortstop Ian Desmond was back to batting in the second hole after hitting ninth Thursday. Desmond's timely hitting, speed on the bases and crafty glove helped guide Washington to an 8-4 win in their series opener against the Baltimore Orioles at Nationals Park. Desmond had two hits, two stolen bases, a run and two RBIs in his final three at-bats as the Nationals came back from an early 2-0 deficit to beat the Birds. Even with Desmond batting all over the lineup, he feels the...

WASHINGTON - Rookie Zach Britton carried a shutout into the fifth inning before surrendering four runs, only one earned, and piling 32 pitches on his left arm. He was removed for a pinch-hitter and settled for a no-decision. Britton deflected the attention away from third baseman Mark Reynolds' costly throwing error on a sacrifice bunt. "Obviously, it's easier to throw when you got an out, but you know, errors happen," he said. "I knew you guys would probably bring it up, so I might as...

WASHINGTON - Manager Buck Showalter completed his postgame interview session with the media in under three minutes. It's the only thing that didn't take long. The game lasted 3 hours, 20 minutes and followed a 56-minute rain delay. Showalter clearly wanted to attend to more pressing matters afterward, which included designating reliever Jeremy Accardo for assignment. The Orioles made four roster moves, which I detailed in my last entry. Busy night. Showalter held his temper, but he clearly...

WASHINGTON - The Orioles designated reliever Jeremy Accardo for assignment after tonight's game. They also recalled pitcher Brad Bergesen, optioned infielder Ryan Adams to Triple-A Norfolk and purchased infielder Blake Davis' contract. Accardo allowed 55 baserunners in 32 1/3 innings - 37 hits, 17 walks and one hit batter. Signed as a free agent over the winter, he's 3-3 with a 5.29 ERA. Accardo took the loss tonight after allowing three runs and one hit, and walking two batters, in...

There were some very impressive performances from a few of the minor league affiliates in the Nationals' chain Friday, including the debut of the short-season Single-A Auburn Doubledays, managed by Gary Cathcart, as a Washington affiliate. Doubledays catcher Adrian Nieto went 3-for-3 with two runs, a homer and two RBIs as Auburn started its season with 11 hits and a 6-1 win over Batavia. Ryan Demmin went five innings for the win. At Double-A, Nationals prospects Josh Johnson and Chris Rahl...

WASHINGTON - Jeremy Accardo replaced Zach Britton and retired one of the four batters he faced. He issued a leadoff walk to Wilson Ramos, gave up a double to former Oriole Jerry Hairston Jr. and walked reliever Sean Burnett before Roger Bernadina flied to left. Accardo is charged with three runs after Jayson Werth's RBI single and Ian Desmond's sacrifice fly off reliever Jason Berken. Nationals 7, Orioles 4. Accardo has been scored upon in four straight appearances and five of six, and his...

WASHINGTON - Welcome to National League baseball, where the starting pitcher is removed after five innings and 81 pitches, and another pitcher is used as a pinch-runner. Vladimir Guerrero batted for Zach Britton in the top of the sixth and lined an RBI single into center field off reliever Todd Coffey. Chris Jakubauskas, scheduled to face the Nationals on Sunday, pinch-ran for him. J.J. Hardy's sacrifice fly scored Robert Andino, who doubled with one out, to tie the game, 4-4. The Orioles...

WASHINGTON - Left-hander Zach Britton has driven in one more run than he's allowed tonight. Britton is shutting out the Nationals on one hit over four innings, with one walk and three strikeouts. He's thrown 49 pitches, 31 for strikes. The Orioles are 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position through five innings. Twice tonight, they've put the first two runners on base and failed to score because of a double play. Update: The Nationals scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth - three...