Buck Showalter focusing on his own players (O's lose 7-4)

The Nationals are sending Max Scherzer to the mound on Sunday as expected for the series finale at Camden Yards. His start became official earlier today, eliminating him from pitching in Tuesday night's All-Star Game.

Scherzer threw a bullpen session yesterday in preparation for the start.

Cora Purcell, a 104-year-old Orioles fan from Frederick, threw out the ceremonial first pitch. She received a loud ovation, the ball and a spring training invite.

Manager Buck Showalter walked out of the dugout to meet her and chat for a few minutes as she sat in her wheelchair. Center fielder Adam Jones also walked over and talked to her before she left through the home plate entrance. It was a sweet scene.

The non-waiver trade deadline arrives in three weeks and executive vice president Dan Duquette has been working the phones. Showalter doesn't get involved at this point. He's busy guiding a club that's three games out of first place in the American League East, busy trying to keep players healthy and fresh for the second-half push.

Let the front office worry about players from outside the organization.

"I never look at a trade," Showalter said. "I think we have the people here to compete. That's the way I'm always going to look at it. I'm not talking about trades or whatever.

"I want to keep them in position to be there physically and do what they can do because we get through with the break and it's push now. Not that we haven't been doing that. It's just we want to make sure you position yourself for the long haul."

Showalter knows which pitchers and position players are deemed available. He also knows what's required to get them, and he doesn't sound eager to strip the farm system of more pitching prospects. Perhaps that's another reason why he's offered minimal input to Duquette.

"Dan knows this. I don't sit around telling him, 'We've got to have this, we've got to do this,' " Showalter said. "I realize how hard the job is and the way it would jeopardize us the way we have to do it and how we do it in the future. That's why I kept talking about the June draft. We're going to be in a very enviable position in next year's draft. I just don't want it to be because we're picking higher than we want to be because of where we finish. But we have the potential for a lot of picks next year depending on what we do.

"I'm more about this year and this team. You could go after this guy, but at what price? At what price? We all know who people go after. Oh, yeah, we'd like to have that guy, but for him? No. For him? No. It's very challenging to do that. It's very easy to say one thing. That's why I try to stay focused on the people we have here."

Duquette stated earlier in the week that he's checking the market for starters and relievers. Showalter was asked what he considers holes on the team that need to be filled.

"You could say that about any phase of it. You're never perfect," he replied.

"I dwell on the people we have here and fixing it from within. We're going to try to fix everything from within. That's our job. That's our challenge, and we can do it. I'm not ever going to give in to that and I think the players know that, too. That's where we're going. That's who we are and I think we've shown that.

"If Dan comes up with something that fits and works, then we'll make that adjustment, but I don't dwell on that much. I'm not reading the rumor boards and all that and asking him who's out there. What's today, the 11th? We're three weeks away. I'm sure it'll heat up. We could just cut to the chase and tell you we're not doing anything and you don't have to worry about it, but I'm not going to do that."

The Orioles have eight pending free agents, leading to assumptions that they feel a stronger sense of urgency to win the World Series in 2015. Showalter won't bite on that theory and hasn't conceded that most or all of those players will leave the organization.

"We haven't gone down that road yet and now is not the time," he said. "I know at every turn, Mr. (Peter) Angelos has made everything we need available. Now's not the time. We're going to play this season and you might be surprised. But I don't dwell on it.

"I don't have any precursor about what's going to happen and what's not going to happen. I try not to go there. At some point I'll be asked and the coaches will be asked and Dan will be asked. It's not really a topic in our clubhouse. Yet anyway."

So there's no sense of urgency?

"No," Showalter replied. "You get that mentality, you're asking for a recipe for ... No. We'd love to have all of them. We like them. And they're here now. They're here now. And they might be here next year. Who knows? We'll see.

"I know how I feel, but it's not my ... I think the players know how we feel. I don't think they get involved in that near as much as people think. They don't. They're smart. They know what's going on."

Update: The Orioles put runners on second and third with no outs in the first on Manny Machado's single and Chris Parmelee's double, but they settled for one run. Adam Jones popped up, Machado scored on Jimmy Paredes' grounder and Travis Snider struck out.

The Orioles already are 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position.

Clint Robinson doubled to right field with two outs in the top of the first, but Yunel Escobar was thrown out at the plate for the Orioles' 26th outfield assist, and the first for Pearce. Ryan Flaherty made the relay throw to Caleb Joseph.

Update: The Nats tied the game in the second after loading the bases with no outs, as Ian Desmond bounced into a 6-4-3 double play, and Michael Tayler singled with two outs to give Washington a 2-1 lead.

Seven of the first 10 batters reached against Miguel Gonzalez, who has thrown 41 pitches in two innings.

Update II: Caleb Joseph hit his sixth home run, a two-run shot with two outs in the second inning to give the Orioles a 3-2 lead.

The Orioles are 30-4 when Joseph has an RBI in his career, and 13-1 when it's two or more. They still don't have a hit with RISP tonight, but they have a lead.

Update III: Pearce led off the bottom of the fourth with his first home run since May 27. Orioles 4, Nationals 2.

Update IV: Gonzalez retired 10 in a row before Bryce Harper led off the sixth with his 26th home run and his first against the Orioles in 12 games. Orioles 4, Nationals 3

Update V: Gonzalez is done after allowing Harper's home run, two singles and Danny Espinosa's three-run shot. He didn't retire a batter in the sixth.

Nationals 6, Orioles 4

Gonzalez is charged with six runs and nine hits in five-plus innings, with two walks, four strikeouts and two home runs. He threw 79 pitches, 51 for strikes.

Update VI: The Orioles lose to the Nationals 7-4 before a sellout crowd of 44,495 at Camden Yards.

Tommy Hunter allowed a run in the top of the ninth on a walk to Ian Desmond, a stolen base and Michael Taylor's bloop single into right field.

The Orioles (44-43) have lost nine of their last 12 games.

The Orioles put two runners on base with one out against Drew Storen in the ninth, but again couldn't come through. They were 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and are 1-for-35 in their last five games.