Speed and pitching lift the Nationals to a 3-0 victory over Baltimore in Beltway Series opener
WASHINGTON (AP) — Trevor Williams struck out eight in five scoreless innings, and Washington stole four bases in a 3-0 victory over Corbin Burnes and the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night, lifting the Nationals above .500 for the first time since July 2021.
Burnes (3-2) allowed three runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out six with three walks. He was the first Baltimore starter in four games to allow any scoring at all, and it was the first time in eight games the Orioles allowed more than two runs as a team.
The Orioles lost for just the second time in eight games, and they were shut out both times. Williams (4-0) yielded two hits and no walks, and four relievers pitched an inning apiece, permitting one hit total. Kyle Finnegan worked a perfect ninth for his 12th save in 13 chances.
“I think we believe that we’re a good team, and we’re definitely playing like it,” Williams said. “We’re hoping to continue that momentum.”
The Nationals, who lead the major leagues in steals, were ready to run on Burnes. Luis García Jr. walked in the first inning and swiped second, but Burnes struck out the other three hitters and made it out of the inning. Then Jesse Winker led off the second with a single and a stolen base. He came home immediately on a single by Joey Meneses.
Meneses doubled in the seventh and came home on Eddie Rosario’s one-out single. Then Rosario stole second and scored on a single by Trey Lipscomb that chased Burnes.
Lipscomb stole second as well but was ultimately stranded.
“This was a very well executed game by us,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said. “We played the game the way we’re supposed to be playing. Ran the bases well, played good defense, took our walks when we needed to, we got timely hitting. So today was fun to watch.”
Washington is above .500 for the first time since the Nationals were 40-39 in 2021.
This was the opener of the first two-game Beltway Series between these two local rivals. They have another two-game set in Baltimore in August.
Orioles designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn was ejected after arguing a called third strike in the ninth. Then manager Brandon Hyde came out and was tossed as well by plate umpire Alex Tosi.
“I just lost my cool,” O’Hearn said. “There were a few strikes called on me that I really didn’t like, going back to the first inning, going back to the first pitch, actually. Then I sat in the dugout and watched it happen to our guys all night.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Nationals: Washington reinstated LHP Robert Garcia and OF Victor Robles from the injured list. Robles did not play, and Garcia worked a perfect sixth inning. … The Nationals optioned OF Alex Call to Triple-A Rochester and designated RHP Matt Barnes for assignment.
UP NEXT
Kyle Bradish starts for the Orioles (0-0) against Mitchell Parker (2-1) in Wednesday night’s finale of this series. Baltimore has gone 102 consecutive regular-season series of at least two games without being swept.
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