Well, you won't win many games when you score just two runs, but the Orioles did it tonight at Minnesota. The O's had been 0-12 this year when scoring two runs or less. By far the best news of the night was seeing Brad Bergesen look like the Bergesen of 2009. He did get behind more hitters tonight than he did then, but he still got them out. The sinker was diving down in the zone late and he hardly threw anything besides that pitch. It goes to show that Bergy can have Major League...

The Orioles had another night with little offense. This time the O's pitching had enough to win. Brad Bergesen pitched shutout ball over 6 2/3 and Alfredo Simon got the save in the ninth as the Orioles beat Minnesota 2-0 Thursday night in game one of a four-game series. Bergesen improved to 2-2, 7.36 as four O's pitchers combined on a six-hitter. It's the O's first shutout of the year and first since beating Texas 7-0 on 9-6-09. Will Ohman struck out Jim Thome with the bases loaded in...

I don't know about you, but I'm feeling a little better about Brad Bergesen. Coming off an uninspiring win, Bergesen shut down the Twins for 6 2/3 innings tonight. He allowed seven hits, walked two and struck out none. Manager Dave Trembley removed him after 97 pitches with the tying runs on base. Will Ohman replaced him and walked Justin Morneau to load the bases before striking out Jim Thome. Bergesen would have completed the seventh if first baseman Rhyne Hughes had fielded Orlando...

Ty Wigginton's two-run homer in the second inning tonight at Minnesota gave the Orioles a 2-0 lead. He becomes the first Oriole this year with 10 homers. He is now one homer shy of his 2009 total. Wiggy homers: (through four innings tonight) 2010: 10 in 85 at bats (1 every 8.5 AB's) 2009: 11 in 410 at bats (1 every 37.3 AB's) He has hit nine homers in 57 at bats vs. right-handed pitching and one in 28 at bats vs. lefties. Wiggy, 2010 homers by month: April: 6 May: 4 He has now...

Ty Wigginton dropped about 15 pounds over the winter, which second baseman Brian Roberts noted during tonight's O's Xtra pre-game show. A smaller Wigginton keeps coming up big. Wigginton belted his 10th home run tonight, a two-run shot in the second inning that gave the Orioles a 2-0 lead against Twins right-hander Carl Pavano. It was another monstrous blast similar to the one he hit yesterday at Yankee Stadium. And it's only the third homer Pavano has surrendered this season. MIguel...

Second baseman Brian Roberts didn't make a grand announcement on O's Xtra about his return to the lineup. Though encouraged by how his back is feeling, he still isn't sure when he'll get back on the field. "I don't know. Unfortunately, that's kind of the million dollar question that I've been asked a lot, certainly recently," he said. "The doctors have got me on a great physical therapy program. We are working and making progress. Unfortunately, I just don't have a final date...

Injured second baseman Brian Roberts is keeping busy. Besides updating his video blog on MASNsports.com, Roberts will be in studio tonight for the entire O's Xtra pre-game show on MASN2 that begins at 7:30 p.m. I'm told that Roberts will provide an update on his injured back, perhaps giving us a better idea when he might resume baseball activities. He'll also break down the top second basemen and leadoff hitters in the game. Brian Roberts breaks down the AL East's second basemen He used...

For the Orioles: CF Adam Jones RF Nick Markakis C Matt Wieters 3B Miguel Tejada 2B Ty Wigginton DH Garrett Atkins 1B Rhyne Hughes LF Nolan Reimold SS Cesar Izturis RHP Brad Bergesen For the Twins: CF Denard Span 2B Orlando Hudson 1B Justin Morneau DH Jim Thome RF Michael Cuddyer LF Jason Kubel C Wilson Ramos SS Alexi Casilla 3B Nick Punto RHP Carl Pavano Note: Injured second baseman Brian Roberts will serve as an analyst on tonight's O's Xtra pre-game show on MASN2.

Nats left-hander Scott Olsen gets the start tonight against the Braves' veteran Tim Hudson as the Nats look for their fifth series win of the season. Olsen, coming off a lights out performance in the win over Florida last Friday night, is 7-1. He tossed six innings and allowed five hits and no earned runs, while striking out four and walking three. He has a current 13-inning scorelesss streak. Catcher Wil Nieves likes what he has seen so far from Olsen: "He has been attacking the strike...

On Thursday afternoon, Nationals players Willie Harris, Wil Nieves and Alberto Gonzalez visited the Capital Area Food Bank to help with meal preparation for hungry families in Washington D.C. They were joined by their wives, Trey Harris, Yormarie Nieves and Elaine Gonzalez. Founded in 1980, the Food Bank is the largest supplier of food to those suffering from hunger in the Washington metro area. With a network of over 700 feeding programs and direct service programs, the Capital Area Food...