Just two days after his wife gave birth to their new baby boy, Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond returned to the lineup and ignited the offense in the Nationals' 4-3 win over the New York Mets on Thursday night. Desmond slammed a triple in the fourth and later scored. In the fifth, Desmond blasted a solo home run over the fence in left-center for his third homer of the season. "It was nice to be back," Desmond said. "(I was) watching the games the last two days and it seemed like the team...

I'll start with Brad Bergesen: Brad Bergesen meets with the media in the locker room after the Orioles 6-2 loss to Boston "Tonight, I felt like I kept us in the ballgame," he said. "I was facing a tough lineup like that and you know (Jon) Lester, his career against the Orioles, I knew just every pitch mattered tonight. I think the biggest thing for me was the sixth inning, getting in that jam and being able to get out of it. It was huge for me. I was very fortunate to be able to get...

Left-hander Michael Gonzalez allowed an inherited runner to score tonight, and he was charged with two runs of his own to raise his ERA to 13.50. Michael Gonzalez talks about how good he felt on the mound even though he had a tough night against the Red Sox "I feel bad about giving up that run of J.J.'s. I didn't want to give up (Johnson's) run. That's what I feel bad about," he said. "The results, seriously, I don't feel bad or frustrated whatsoever. What I wanted was to go out...

Manager Buck Showalter talked about pitchers Brad Bergesen, Michael Gonzalez and Jim Johnson following tonight's 6-2 loss to the Red Sox. Buck Showalter sits down with the media to talk about the O's 6-2 loss to Boston On Bergesen: "Pretty good, pretty good. He gave us a good chance to win, something we talked about before the game. He made some pitches when he had to. I think Mark (Connor) was looking at six or seven balls that they hit hard. They had a swinging bunt and a couple...

The Redskins are on the clock. Owner Daniel Snyder wants a pass rusher. He's trying to draft Dexter Manley. Jim Johnson allowed the tie-breaking run with two outs in the seventh on Dustin Pedroia's second infield hit, a swinging bunt that Mark Reynolds tried unsuccessfully to barehand. Carl Crawford scored after leading off the inning with a double. Double-A Bowie gained a split of its doubleheader by beating Akron in the nightcap, 4-2. Steve Johnson, returned to the Baysox's roster...

I just found out that I'm on the clock, so I better hurry and file an entry. I hope you consider this blog a need pick. Brad Bergesen has held the Red Sox to two runs over five innings, both RBIs coming from Adrian Gonzalez. He's allowed four hits, walked one and struck out three. Bergesen has retired seven in a row. He's thrown 68 pitches, 45 for strikes. Before tonight, Bergesen was 0-3 with a 5.40 ERA and had allowed 10 earned runs (13 total) and 19 hits in 14 2/3 innings. Jon Lester...

Derrek Lee was 0-for-14 with runners in scoring position before lining a single into left field in the bottom of the first inning. Brian Roberts trotted home and the Orioles tied the Red Sox, 1-1. Lee has three RBIs this season, the other two coming on his only home run on April 6. OK, so he was due. Lee had three hits last night and was batting .303 on this homestand before tonight. Roberts walked, moved to second on Nick Markakis' single and stole third base, increasing his total number...

The news keeps getting better regarding Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz. As I wrote in my last entry, Matusz threw a 35-pitch bullpen session this afternoon and said the pain and irritation are gone. He threw fastballs, he spun the ball, and he walked away feeling like it won't be much longer before he's ready to start for the Orioles. "It went really well," he said. "I threw two-seam, four-seam fastballs, working in and out, and threw a few changeups and a couple curveballs. Got a good...

It's time once again for the injury update portion of my blog. Sit back and enjoy. Brian Matusz threw 35 pitches in today's bullpen session, including his two- and four-seamer, and a couple changeups and curveballs. He told reporters that he didn't feel any pain. You couldn't wipe the smile off his face. I'll post his comments later. Shortstop J.J. Hardy felt much better today after experiencing some soreness yesterday. He took 15 dry swings and hit 20 balls off a tee. He also ran some...

Double-A Harrisburg Senators first baseman Tyler Moore feels very fortunate to be back and healthy on the diamond this season. The Carolina League Player of the Year put together the most memorable season of his career in 2010, slugging 31 homers and 110 RBIs as the Single-A Potomac Nationals won the Mills Cup championship. But despite all the success on the field and at the plate last season, Moore was in pain. Before and after games his right leg would be sore. He would wake up early with...