Marlins

The Ravens' first free-agent visit likely won't be their first free-agent signing. Marlin Jackson , the cornerback from the Indianapolis Colts, left his meeting with the Ravens on Tuesday without a contract, saying his visit was more of an exploratory exercise for the team. Jackson has suffered two serious knee injuries the past two seasons, which has led to him finishing on injured reserve in 2008 and 2009. He was given a physical exam and met with team officials at Ravens headquarters.

OCEAN CITY - There are many things to admire about the recently concluded White Marlin Open, a fixture here for 36 years. The first is that it's a homegrown product - not some contrived corporate vehicle - conceived by a man who likes to fish and carried out by friends and relatives. It runs so well that founder Jim Motsko can actually motor beyond the horizon to the fish-rich underwater canyons 30 miles offshore to participate. That's like Bud Selig shagging flies before a World Series game.

WASHINGTON -Long after his team had fallen way behind and swaggered all the way back-and later, after the fireworks had popped, the clubhouse music had died down and most of his teammates had showered and left-soft-spoken relief pitcher Logan Kensing reclined in his clubhouse chair and said, "Lately it just seems like we're alive." Comebacks are the best litmus test for life; they require vigor at the exact depths where it's tempting to have none. The Washington Nationals have life. Down six early, their starting pitcher gone after five outs, again forced to ride a tired bullpen, playing their 22nd consecutive game without a day off, the Nationals battled back for a 12-8 victory over the Florida Marlins at Nationals Park, winning their season-high fifth straight game.

MIAMI - -The final indignity in a series full of them for the Orioles came in the eighth inning Thursday night after Hanley Ramirez had connected for his second grand slam in three days. While the Florida Marlins superstar took a well-deserved curtain call amid chants of "Hanley, Hanley," one fan waved a broom up and down the top of the Orioles' dugout. A road trip that started with so much promise ended with another lifeless display by the Orioles, who were throttled, 11-3, before an announced 12,822 and couldn't escape Land Shark Stadium soon enough.

MIAMI - -This was the last way that the Orioles wanted their five-game winning streak and one of their most improbable comebacks of the season to end. Trailing by three runs with two outs and nobody on in the ninth, the Orioles strung together five straight singles to tie a game that minutes earlier they appeared to have no chance of winning. However, they were forced to trudge off the field in the bottom of the 12th as the Florida Marlins celebrated a 7-6 victory before what remained of an announced 10,222 on Tuesday night at Land Shark Stadium.

Florida took two of three from the Yankees this past weekend and has gone a combined 6-3 against the Blue Jays, Red Sox and Yankees this month. Florida star shortstop Hanley Ramirez is 12-for-33 over his past nine games, and he broke a 26-game homerless streak with a two-run shot off Brett Tomko on Sunday. First baseman Jorge Cantu hit seven homers in April, but he has only two since. Outfielder Cody Ross is having a strong June with a .294 average, five homers and 13 RBIs in 19 games. Kiko Calero, who had a 2.01 ERA and a team-leading 36 appearances, went on the disabled list Sunday, robbing the Marlins of one of their top relievers.

PHILADELPHIA - - Orioles shortstop Robert Andino scurried to his right to field the bouncer in the hole and fired an accurate, off-balance throw to get speedy Jimmy Rollins by a step at first base. Two innings later, Andino sprinted into shallow left field and made a nifty over-the-shoulder catch on Rollins' blooper. In the fifth inning, Andino stopped abruptly, shifted to his right after Jayson Werth's liner up the middle deflected off pitcher Brad Bergesen's foot, and got the out at first base.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -With Wednesday's trade of Hayden Penn to the Florida Marlins, the Orioles not only parted ways with their one-time top pitching prospect, but they also further solidified their Opening Day roster. In exchange for Penn, who was out of options and opportunity, the Orioles acquired slick-fielding infielder Robert Andino, who will make the team as a backup shortstop. Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail confirmed the trade means the team will go with 13 position players and only 12 pitchers.

CALL IT A COMEBACK The Orioles trailed the Florida Marlins 6-0 after one inning Friday and were staring at a ninth straight Grapefruit League loss. They got back into the game on the strength of three home runs, and then won it on Luke Scott's tie-breaking, two-run shot in the ninth off Marlins lefty Dan Meyer. Scott hit a solo homer in the second inning, Ty Wigginton hit a three-run shot in the third, and Ryan Freel's two-run homer in the sixth gave the Orioles their first lead. ON DECK In his fourth start, right-hander Adam Eaton will face Cardinals right-hander Todd Wellemeyer at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Fla., on Saturday.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - His latest opportunity wasn't ruined by an emergency appendectomy or a flying bat shard or a misstep on the stairs in the team hotel. Hayden Penn got to take the mound Thursday at Fort Lauderdale Stadium and state his case that he belongs in the Orioles' rotation. What he did, instead, was cast his Orioles future further in doubt. Needing a strong start to lock down one of three undecided rotation spots, Penn was knocked around for seven earned runs in 2 2/3 innings in the Orioles' 11-6 loss to the Florida Marlins at Fort Lauderdale Stadium.