Incaviglia

Mike Bordick said he feels comfortable at the plate. Coach Rick Down said the Orioles shortstop is hitting some balls "very, very hard."Too often, they've gone right at people, which served as one explanation for a batting average that stood at a sickly .074 before last night's game against the Texas Rangers."

Hey, how did the Washington Nationals do yesterday?Washington Nationals?If Washington gets one of two National League expansion franchises in 1993, that would be the team's name, John Akridge, president of Metropolitan Washington Baseball, announced yesterday.The developer, who heads the syndicate working to bring baseball back to the nation's capital in 1993, previously had said he did not favor calling the team the Senators.A season-ticket drive begins in the Washington area today, and the syndicate is confident that pledges for at least 30,000 seats will be made.

The Orioles purchased the contract of infielder Aaron Ledesma from Triple-A Rochester yesterday to take the place of outfielder Pete Incaviglia, who was designated for assignment after Monday night's game.Ledesma, 26, was batting .325 (106-for-326) in 85 games, with 26 doubles, three homers and 43 RBIs. He also stole 12 bases in 14 attempts.He was told of his impending trip to Baltimore by Rochester manager Marv Foley after Monday night's game in Richmond, and took a flight yesterday afternoon.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The Orioles received some good news on center fielder Brady Anderson, and a scare with catcher Lenny Webster yesterday.The X-rays taken on Anderson's bruised ribs Monday came back negative. "It's one of those proverbial day-to-day jobs," he said yesterday after walking out of the trainer's room with a bandage wrapped around his left side.Anderson sustained the injury while diving back to first base on an attempted pickoff during Sunday's game against the Atlanta Braves.

Roger Clemens' five-game suspension and $10,000 fine were upheld yesterday by American League president Bobby Brown, who ruled the pitcher's actions in last year's playoffs warranted discipline.In a three-page decision, Brown said, "There is not a special set of rules or regulations for superstars or award winners."Clemens was ejected from Game 4 last October by umpire Terry Cooney, and charged Cooney and umpire Jim Evans after the ejection.Randy Hendricks, Clemens' agent, said Brown's decision would be appealed to commissioner Fay Vincent.

ATLANTA -- The Philadelphia Phillies' outfield defense has been likened by many to the punch line of a joke about Michael Jackson.Namely, that guys such as left fielder Pete Incaviglia and right fielder Wes Chamberlain wear a glove on their left hand for no apparent reason.Yet, in yesterday's 4-3 Phillies win over the Atlanta Braves in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series, Incaviglia and Chamberlain each contributed mightily with their gloves and arms, rather than their bats.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Three days ago, Jeffrey Hammonds appeared headed for Rochester. Orioles general manager Pat Gillick conceded that the outfielder probably would be crushed by another demotion. Hammonds shrugged and asked, "What can I do?"There was only one answer, the same answer Hammonds has heard his entire professional career: Wait. And that wasn't going satisfy the former No. 1 draft pick, not when he's leading the Orioles in hits, home runs, doubles and stolen bases this spring.

Every win is a big win now, every loss is devastating, Orioles first baseman Rafael Palmeiro says. It's that time of the season, when nobody pretends he isn't watching the scoreboard to see how the Yankees and White Sox and Red Sox are faring.The Orioles were six outs away from a devastating loss yesterday. Tigers left-hander Trever Miller, making his first major-league start, gave up one run in six innings, the Orioles botched a rundown play and they trailed by a run. A loss to a last-place team, in September, at home?

CLEVELAND -- Rocky Coppinger has been shut down for the next three to four weeks after being diagnosed Friday with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. He last pitched on Monday at Triple-A Rochester, his second start since going on a minor-league rehabilitation assignment, and continued to experience discomfort in the elbow.Coppinger, who went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 10, returned to Rochester after being examined in Birmingham, Ala., by Dr. James Andrews.

SEATTLE -- Bench coach Andy Etchebarren had the pleasure of writing out the lineup with the two newest Orioles included. Todd Zeile, batting sixth and playing third base, and Pete Incaviglia, hitting eighth and playing left field.As a result, Chris Hoiles was bumped to ninth in the order. "That's pretty good, when you're No. 9 hitter is third on the team with 23 homers," Hoiles said before going 0-for-4 last night.Orioles manager Davey Johnson said: "We don't have anybody who can hit singles.