Keegan Akin delivers latest strong start for the Orioles
Keegan Akin delivers latest strong start for the Orioles
Steve Melewski
Orioles
So much for a first-inning knockout. Orioles lefty Keegan Akin bounced back tonight in a big way from his early exit Friday night at Yankee Stadium. He set a career high with nine strikeouts in five scoreless innings and picked up his first career win as the Orioles beat Atlanta 5-1 to win the three-game series. It was the latest strong outing by Akin and the latest for an O's rotation that is making a nice late-season kick. Akin allowed three singles and walked one. He pitched out of jams...
Akin overpowers Braves for five innings in 5-1 win (updated)
Akin overpowers Braves for five innings in 5-1 win (updated)
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Keegan Akin made it out of the first inning tonight, a relatively modest accomplishment except he couldn't do it in his last start. And he's young and inexperienced and therefore unpredictable. He had plenty of help while making that early exit. He had a short memory tonight. Akin's outing was more important than the game result in the grand rebuild scheme, but the Orioles got the best of both worlds. Akin shut out the Braves over five innings, striking out a career-high nine batters while...
Thursday morning Nats Q&A
Thursday morning Nats Q&A
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
Well, we've just about reached the home stretch of a most unusual, and most disappointing, season. This hasn't played out how the Nationals hoped, not even close. They're 18-29 with 13 games to go, so they'd have to win out just to finish with a winning record for the ninth consecutive year. That seems ... unlikely to happen. Plenty has happened, though. Most of it not very good. Some of it encouraging, though. Have we seen enough to get a sense of what might be in store in 2021? That's...
As vets struggle, rookie Nats relievers making their case
As vets struggle, rookie Nats relievers making their case
Mark Zuckerman
Nationals
If you're looking for silver linings in this mostly disappointing baseball season, it's not hard to find them in the Nationals bullpen. Just maybe not from the well-known names you were expecting when this season began two months ago. General manager Mike Rizzo built a relief corps that was supposed to be carried on the shoulders of three veterans with considerable late-inning experience: Daniel Hudson, Sean Doolittle and Will Harris. Now, as the season winds down and thoughts start to turn...
Zimmermans, ZiMS Foundation to be honored at virtual National MS Society Ambassadors Ball
Zimmermans, ZiMS Foundation to be honored at virtual National MS Society Ambassadors Ball
Pete Kerzel
Nationals
Longtime Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman and his wife, Heather, will be honored with the Champion Award at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society's virtual 42nd annual Ambassador's Ball on Sept. 30 from 7-8 p.m. The Zimmermans will be honored for their important work through the ZiMS Foundation, which has raised both awareness and more than $3.5 million in the fight against multiple sclerosis since its founding in 2006. Ryan Zimmerman began the ZiMS Foundation after his mother,...
Lineups and notes on rotation, Armstrong, offense and more
Lineups and notes on rotation, Armstrong, offense and more
Roch Kubatko
Orioles
Ryan Mountcastle is back in left field tonight as the Orioles continue their series against the Braves at Camden Yards. Mountcastle made his first start at first base last night in a 5-1 loss. Pat Valaika is playing first base, Andrew Velazquez is at second base and Hanser Alberto has moved to third. Austin Hays is in center field instead of Cedric Mullins. José Iglesias produced his 15th multi-hit game last night, tied with Alberto for the team lead. Iglesias is batting .375 (24-for-64)...
García's homer in 10th lifts Nats to 4-2 win over Rays (updated)
García's homer in 10th lifts Nats to 4-2 win over Rays (updated)
Byron Kerr
Nationals
Luis García went after the first pitch from Rays reliever Nick Anderson in the 10th inning and homered over the right-center field wall for his second big league homer as the Nationals survived Daniel Hudson's blown save for a 4-2 win over the Rays on Wednesday afternoon at Tropicana Field. García drilled Anderson's 94 mph fastball a few minutes after the Rays' Brandon Lowe had tied the game with a homer off Hudson in the bottom of the ninth. For Anderson, it was only the fifth hit he...
O's game blog: The series finale with Atlanta
O's game blog: The series finale with Atlanta
Steve Melewski
Orioles
The Orioles wrap up their series with the first-place Atlanta Braves tonight at Oriole Park. They crushed the Braves 14-1 on Monday but had just four hits in last night's 5-1 loss. So the series will be decided in the rubber game matchup tonight. The Orioles (21-27) have lost six of their last seven games. In five of their past six games they have scored one run or none. They are 0-17 this season when scoring three or fewer runs. The Orioles are playing .438 ball and they are six games better...
Orioles join Major League Baseball in promoting voter engagement through Voter Up campaign
Orioles join Major League Baseball in promoting voter engagement through Voter Up campaign
Doug Miller
Orioles
The Orioles today announced additional plans to support the club's ongoing Voter Up campaign, which launched last month in conjunction with the Empowerment Series as part of the Orioles' celebration of the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment. The Voter Up campaign, which supports Major League Baseball's league-wide voter engagement initiative, will raise awareness around key dates in the election cycle in order to empower Maryland fans and employees to exercise their...
FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches announces 2021 Grapefruit League schedule
FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches announces 2021 Grapefruit League schedule
Pete Kerzel
Nationals
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - FITTEAM Ballpark of the Palm Beaches, Spring Training home of the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals, announced its 2021 Grapefruit League schedule today. The facility's home opener, which is also the Nationals home opener, will take place on Saturday, February 27, when the club hosts the Astros. The following day, Sunday, February 28, the Astros open their home campaign against the Miami Marlins. Both teams will host 15 home games each throughout the 2021 Grapefruit...