Nationals lose at San Francisco 4-2 in 10 innings on Tuesday night (May 21, 2013).

The Facts:
1.    The Nats fell to 23-23 overall.

2.    The Nats fell to 16-21 since their 7-2 start.

The Negatives:
1.    The Nats went just 5-for-31 overall and struck out nine times.
     a.    First baseman Adam LaRoche, second baseman Danny Espinosa, left fielder Roger Bernadina and catcher Kurt Suzuki went a combined 0-for-13 with six strikeouts, a walk and a hit-by-pitch.  Suzuki did go 1-for-2 on runners trying to steal.

2.    Closer Rafael Soriano allowed a run on a single, a triple that 20-year-old right fielder Bryce Harper said he should have caught and an intentional walk in the ninth inning, falling to 12-for-15 on saves this season.

The Positives:
1.    Starter Stephen Strasburg allowed one run in seven innings, recording seven strikeouts versus five hits and three walks on 108 pitches.  He now has a 2.66 ERA over 10 starts this season.

2.    Shortstop Ian Desmond had an RBI double and a single.

3.    Center fielder Denard Span had a double, a single and a run.

4.    Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman had an RBI double, a walk and a run.

5.    Reliever Tyler Clippard tossed a scoreless eighth inning.

Injury/Absence/Roster Update:
1.    The Nats placed reliever Ryan Mattheus on the 15-day disabled list with a fractured right hand.  The injury was suffered punching a locker in frustration on May 19th, when he allowed five runs in the seventh inning on a double, three singles, two walks and a balk in a 13-4 loss at San Diego.

2.    The Nats recalled reliever Yunesky Maya (yoo-NESS-kee MAH-yuh) from Triple-A Syracuse.  Maya faced three batters in the bottom of the 10th inning: lineout, single, walk-off two-run homer.  The Nats signed him to a reported four-year, $6 million deal in July 2010.

3.    The Nats selected the contract of reliever Fernando Abad (fer-NAHN-doh uh-BAHD) from Triple-A Syracuse.  

4.    The Nats optioned outfielder Eury Perez to Triple-A Syracuse.

5.    Nats manager Davey Johnson will serve on Giants manager Bruce Bochy’s All-Star-Game staff.

6.    Right fielder Jayson Werth is on the 15-day disabled list with a right hamstring strain.  He did not play for the 19th time in 20 games.

7.    Catcher Wilson Ramos is on the 15-day disabled list with a left hamstring strain.

8.    Pitcher Christian Garcia is on the 15-Day disabled list with a right-forearm tendon injury.

Orioles beat the Yankees 3-2 in 10 innings on Tuesday night (May 21, 2013).

The Facts:
1.    The O’s improved to 24-21 overall.

2.    The O’s snapped their six-game losing streak.

The Positives:
1.    Left fielder Nate McLouth had a walk-off homer (4) and a single.

2.    Center fielder Chris Dickerson had two solo homers (2 and 3) and a single.

3.    Reliever Tommy Hunter tossed two perfect innings.

4.    Closer Jim Johnson tossed a perfect 10th inning.

The Negatives:
1.    The O’s went just 8-for-35 overall and 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position, totaled just two walks and struck out 10 times.
     a.    DH Adam Jones, first baseman Chris Davis, catcher Matt Wieters and shortstop J.J. Hardy went a combined 0-for-15 with five strikeouts and a walk.

Injury/Roster/Absence Update:
1.    The O’s reinstated starter Miguel Gonzalez (right thumb blister) from the 15-day disabled list.  He allowed two runs in seven innings, recording five strikeouts versus five hits and no walks on 92 pitches.  He now has a 4.25 ERA over seven starts this season.

2.    The O’s optioned starter Jair Jurrjens to Triple-A Norfolk.

3.    The O’s reportedly will call-up starter Kevin Gausman, the no. 4 overall pick of the 2012 MLB First-Year Player Draft, from Double-A Bowie to start Thursday’s game one at Toronto at 7:07 p.m. on ESPN 980.

4.    Outfielder Nolan Reimold is on the 15-day disabled list with a right hamstring strain.  

5.    Second baseman Brian Roberts is on the 60-day disabled list.  He underwent right hamstring surgery on May 9 and was expected to be out about six more weeks.

6.    Infielder Wilson Betemit (BEH-teh-meet) is on the 60-day disabled list with a right PCL tear.

7.    Starter Wei-Yin Chen (WAY-YIHN CHEHN) is on the 15-day disabled list with a right oblique strain.  

8.    Pitcher Tsuyoshi Wada (soo-YOH-shee WAH-duh) is on the 60-day disabled list.  He underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery on his left elbow on May 11, 2012.

9.    Starter Zach Britton is at Triple-A Norfolk.

10.    Starter Steve Johnson is at Triple-A Norfolk.

Nationals lose at San Francisco 8-0 on Monday night (May 20, 2013).

The Facts:
1.    The Nats fell to 23-22 overall.

2.    The Nats fell to 16-20 since their 7-2 start.

3.    The Nats suffered their sixth shutout loss of the season.

The Negatives:
1.    Starter Zach Duke and relievers Craig Stammen and Henry Rodriguez combined to allow eight runs in eight innings on 17 hits.

2.    The Nats went just 3-for-29 overall and totaled just two walks.
     a.    Giants starter Ryan Vogelsong tossed five scoreless innings but then suffered a broken right hand while batting in the bottom of the fifth inning.

The Positives:
1.    None.

Injury/Absence/Roster Update:
1.    Manager Davey Johnson announced after the game that reliever Ryan Mattheus broke his pitching hand punching a locker in frustration on Sunday, when he allowed five runs in the seventh inning on a double, three singles, two walks and a balk in a 13-4 loss at San Diego.

2.    20-year-old outfielder Bryce Harper returned from a two-game absence caused by a sore left knee that stemmed from colliding with the right field wall in the bottom of the fifth inning of the 6-2 win at the Dodgers on May 13.  He went 0-for-4 with a strikeout.

3.    Right fielder Jayson Werth is on the 15-day disabled list with a right hamstring strain.  He did not play for the 18th time in 19 games and now could miss an additional two weeks.

4.   Ross Detwiler did not make his scheduled start due to back spasms.

5.    Catcher Wilson Ramos is on the 15-day disabled list with a left hamstring strain.

6.    Pitcher Christian Garcia is on the 15-Day disabled list with a right-forearm tendon injury.

Orioles lose to the Yankees 6-4 in 10 innings on Monday night (May 20, 2013).

The Facts:
1.    The O’s fell to 23-21 overall.

2.    The O’s lost for the seventh time in eight games.

3.    The O’s lost their sixth consecutive game.

The Negatives:
1.    Relievers Troy Patton, Jim Johnson, Pedro Strop and Brian Matusz combined to allow four runs in three innings on six hits.  Johnson blew his third consecutive save chance, giving up a game-tying solo homer in the top of the ninth inning.

2.    The O’s went just 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position and totaled just one walk.
     a.    20-year-old third baseman Manny Machado went 0-for-5.

The Positives:
1.    The O’s went 13-for-43 overall.
     a.    First baseman Chris Davis had a solo homer (13), a single and a walk.  He did strike out twice.

     b.    Shortstop J.J. Hardy had an RBI double and another double.

     c.    Right fielder Nick Markakis had an RBI double, an RBI single and a run.

     d.    Left fielder Steve Pearce had a double, a single and a run.

2.    Starter Freddy Garcia allowed two runs in six innings, giving up three hits (including two solo homers) and two walks versus two strikeouts on 66 pitches.  He now has a 4.84 ERA over four starts this season.

3.    Reliever Darren O’Day tossed a perfect eighth inning, recording two strikeouts.

Injury/Roster/Absence Update:
1.    Outfielder Nolan Reimold is on the 15-day disabled list with a right hamstring strain.  

2.    Second baseman Brian Roberts is on the 60-day disabled list.  He underwent right hamstring surgery on May 9 and was expected to be out about six more weeks.

3.    Infielder Wilson Betemit (BEH-teh-meet) is on the 60-day disabled list with a right PCL tear.

4.    Starter Wei-Yin Chen (WAY-YIHN CHEHN) is on the 15-day disabled list with a right oblique strain.  

5.    Starter Miguel Gonzalez is on the 15-day disabled list with a right thumb blister.

6.    Pitcher Tsuyoshi Wada (soo-YOH-shee WAH-duh) is on the 60-day disabled list.  He underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery on his left elbow on May 11, 2012.

7.    Starter Zach Britton is at Triple-A Norfolk.

8.    Starter Steve Johnson is at Triple-A Norfolk.

Nationals lose at San Diego 13-4 on Sunday (May 19, 2013).

The Facts:
1.    The Nats fell to 23-21 overall.

2.    The Nats fell to 16-19 since their 7-2 start.

The Negatives:
1.    Starter Dan Haren allowed seven runs in five innings, giving up nine hits (including two homers), two walks and a wild pitch versus five strikeouts on 97 pitches.  He fell to 4-5 with a 5.54 ERA over nine starts this season.

2.    Reliever Ryan Mattheus allowed five runs in the seventh inning on a double, three singles, two walks and a balk.

3.    Reliever Drew Storen allowed a solo homer in the eighth inning.

4.    The Nats committed two more errors and now have an MLB-worst 38 errors this season.
     a.    First baseman Adam LaRoche committed an error (3).  He did have an RBI single.

     b.    Catcher Kurt Suzuki committed an error (4) and went 0-for-5 on runners trying to steal.  He now is a National League-worst 2-for-27 on runners trying to steal this season.  Suzuki did have a single.

5.    Shortstop Danny Espinosa went 0-for-4 with a strikeout and now is batting .163 this season.

6.    Right fielder Tyler Moore went 0-for-4 with a strikeout.

The Positives:
1.    The Nats went 10-for-36 overall and 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
     a.    Second baseman Steve Lombardozzi had a double, two singles and two runs.

     b.    Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman had a two-run homer (3) and an RBI single.

     c.    Center fielder Denard Span had two singles and a run.

2.    Reliever Henry Rodriguez tossed a scoreless sixth inning.

Injury/Absence/Roster Update:
1.    20-year-old outfielder Bryce Harper did not play for a second consecutive game due to a sore left knee stemming from colliding with the right field wall in the bottom of the fifth inning of the 6-2 win at the Dodgers on May 13.

2.    Ross Detwiler will not make his next scheduled start due to back spasms.

3.    Catcher Wilson Ramos is on the 15-day disabled list with a left hamstring strain.

4.    Right fielder Jayson Werth is on the 15-day disabled list with a right hamstring strain.  He did not play for the 17th time in 18 games.

5.    Pitcher Christian Garcia is on the 15-Day disabled list with a right-forearm tendon injury.

Orioles lose to Tampa Bay 3-1 on Sunday afternoon (May 19, 2013).

The Facts:
1.    The O’s fell to 23-20 overall.

2.    The O’s lost for the sixth time in seven games.

3.    The loss completed a three-game sweep.

The Negatives:
1.    The O’s went just 5-for-31 overall and just 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
     a.    Rays starter Matt Moore allowed one run in seven innings and improved to 8-0.

     b.    First baseman Chris Davis, left fielder Steve Pearce, shortstop J.J. Hardy and catcher Chris Snyder went a combined 0-for-14 with two strikeouts.  Snyder also had a passed ball (1).

2.    Starter Chris Tillman allowed three runs in six innings, giving up five hits (including two solo homers) and a walk versus four strikeouts on 111 pitches.  He fell to 3-2 with a 3.52 ERA over nine starts this season.

The Positives:
1.    Rookie reliever T.J. McFarland tossed 2 1/3 scoreless innings.

2.    Reliever Pedro Strop tossed two-thirds of a scoreless inning.

3.    Center fielder Adam Jones had an RBI single, another single and two stolen bases.

Injury/Roster/Absence Update:
1.    The O’s recalled infielder/outfielder Danny Valencia from Triple-A Norfolk.

2.    Outfielder Nolan Reimold is on the 15-day disabled list with a right hamstring strain.  

3.    Second baseman Brian Roberts is on the 60-day disabled list.  He underwent right hamstring surgery on May 9 and was expected to be out about six more weeks.

4.    Infielder Wilson Betemit (BEH-teh-meet) is on the 60-day disabled list with a right PCL tear.

5.    Starter Wei-Yin Chen (WAY-YIHN CHEHN) is on the 15-day disabled list with a right oblique strain.  

6.    Starter Miguel Gonzalez is on the 15-day disabled list with a right thumb blister.

7.    Pitcher Tsuyoshi Wada (soo-YOH-shee WAH-duh) is on the 60-day disabled list.  He underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery on his left elbow on May 11, 2012.

8.    Starter Zach Britton is at Triple-A Norfolk.

9.    Starter Steve Johnson is at Triple-A Norfolk.