Nationals edge Orioles 4‑3 behind Griffin’s gem
BALTIMORE (Interstat) — Daylen Lile’s run-scoring single in the top of the 10th inning lifted the Washington Nationals to a 4-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday night at Oriole Park at Camden Yards before an announced crowd of 29,616.
The Nationals, who improved to 42-42, outhit the Orioles 13-7 and snapped a three-game losing streak. Baltimore fell to 39-45 after seeing its two-game winning streak end.
Washington struck first in the second inning. Daylen Lile led off with a ground-rule double and scored on a single by Jorbit Vivas, giving the Nationals a 1-0 lead. The Orioles answered in the bottom half. Blaze Alexander singled, moved to second on a forceout and then scored on a single by Chadwick Tromp to tie the game at 1-1.
Luis García Jr. put the Nationals back ahead in the fifth inning with a solo home run, his 14th of the season, driving a pitch to right field. Washington extended the lead to 3-1 in the sixth when Vivas reached on a two-base error by third baseman Blaze Alexander and scored on a single by Drew Millas.
Baltimore rallied in the eighth inning. Tromp led off with a single, advanced to third on a groundout and scored on a double by Pete Alonso. Samuel Basallo followed with an RBI single that scored Alonso, tying the game at 3-3.
The game remained tied through the ninth inning, sending it to extras. In the top of the 10th, Lile delivered again. With the automatic runner Dylan Crews at second base, Lile singled to right field to drive in Crews and give Washington a 4-3 lead. Vivas followed with a single, but the Nationals could not add more. Nasim Nuñez struck out, Drew Millas grounded into a forceout and Jacob Young flied out to center.
In the bottom of the 10th, the Orioles put their automatic runner Jeremiah Jackson at second base. Jackson moved to third on a groundout by Jackson Holliday. Taylor Ward then hit a fielder’s choice grounder to shortstop CJ Abrams, who cut down Jackson at the plate. Gunnar Henderson singled to put runners at first and second, and Pete Alonso walked to load the bases. Samuel Basallo grounded out to second base to end the game.
Clayton Beeter pitched a scoreless 10th inning, allowing no hits and striking out two, to earn the win. Beeter improved to 3-1 on the season. Justin Lawrence recorded the save, his first of the year, after getting the final out. Ryan Helsley took the loss for Baltimore, falling to 0-4 after allowing the go-ahead run in the 10th.
Key offensive contributors for Washington included Jorbit Vivas, who went 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. Drew Millas finished 2-for-5 with an RBI. Daylen Lile went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored. Luis García Jr. had two hits, including his home run, and scored twice. José Tena doubled in the fifth inning but did not score.
For Baltimore, Pete Alonso doubled and drove in a run and scored once. Samuel Basallo had two hits and an RBI. Chadwick Tromp had two hits, scored a run and drove in one. Blaze Alexander singled and scored.
The Nationals’ pitching staff allowed seven hits and struck out 13 Orioles batters. Washington starter did not factor in the decision, having left after the sixth inning with a 3-1 lead. Reliever PJ Poulin worked two-thirds of an inning in the eighth, allowing one hit, one earned run and striking out one. Beeter’s clean 10th was pivotal.
Baltimore’s pitchers combined to allow 13 hits and struck out 13 Nationals. The Orioles committed two errors, one by Blaze Alexander and one by Nasim Nuñez on a throwing play during the second inning that allowed an extra base but did not lead to an unearned run.
The game was the second of a four-game series between the teams. Baltimore won the opener 3-1 on Friday. The series continues Sunday, with Washington sending left-hander MacKenzie Gore to the mound against Baltimore right-hander Grayson Rodriguez.
Before Saturday, the Nationals had dropped three straight at home to the Philadelphia Phillies, including a 14-9 loss on Tuesday and a 5-4 loss Wednesday. Washington had won 4-1 against Philadelphia on Monday to open that series. The Nationals then fell 3-2 to the Orioles on Friday. The Orioles had won two of three at the Los Angeles Angels earlier in the week before taking the series opener.
Washington’s next 10 games include the series finale at Baltimore on Sunday, then three at Boston starting Monday, followed by a six-game homestand against Pittsburgh and Houston. Baltimore hosts the Nationals again Sunday, then welcomes the Chicago White Sox for three games before traveling to Cincinnati and hosting the Chicago Cubs.
Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Washington Nationals 5, Baltimore Orioles 4. Interstat’s ELO system gave Baltimore a 57.00 percent probability to win. Washington was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The total score of 7 went over the over-under line of 9.