BALTIMORE–What happened? Earlier in the week, the Washington Nationals’ bullpen surrendered three late leads in consecutive losses to the Philadelphia Phillies.
After Washington’s bullpen allowed two runs to the Orioles in the eighth inning for a 3-3 tie, it was the Orioles’ bullpen that lost the game in the 10th.
Ryan Helsley (0-4) allowed an RBI single to Daylen Lile that scored automatic runner Dylan Crews for a 4-3 Washington win before 29,616 at Oriole Park on Saturday night.
Justin Lawrence, who was just acquired off waivers by Washington (42-42), recorded the save. Clayton Beeter (3-1) pitched a scoreless ninth.
The Orioles have lost four of their last five one-run games, and they’re 6-13 overall.
Jeremiah Jackson, the automatic runner who moved to third on Jackson Holliday’s infield out, was out at the plate on Taylor Ward’s one-hopper to shortstop CJ Abrams. Gunnar Henderson singled and Pete Alonso walked. Samuel Basallo grounded to second, ending the game.
“It’s a tough play for Abrams,” manager Craig Albernaz said. “He made a great play. It’s one of those things where the infield’s drawn in, you got to go on contact, read, force them to make a play. Knowing we have Gunnar coming up, you know it could change the game.”
The Orioles (39-45) managed just one run on three hits in seven innings against Washington starter Foster Griffin.
Griffin, who had just seven games of major league experience in 2020 and 2022, went to Japan for three years and signed for $5.5 million this year. The 30-year-old rookie left-hander is proving to be a bargain for the Nationals.
The Orioles’ only run against him came in the second when catcher Chadwick Tromp’s single scored Jackson, who reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced to second on a throwing error by second baseman Nasim Nuñez.
Griffin retired 15 of his last 16 batters, throwing a career high 112 pitches.
“We didn’t have an answer for him,” Albernaz said. “He went seven innings, nine punchouts. I mean, we couldn’t get anything going offensively against him. He’s having a good year and does a great job of changing speeds. He has the three breaking ball shapes, and he does a great job of backdooring it to righties and then getting the cutter in on the righties and getting the changeup off that.”
Tromp singled against P.J. Poulin to start the eighth. He moved to second on a passed ball and after Ward struck out and Henderson grounded to short, Alonso doubled against Orlando Ribalta to score Tromp. Alonso scored on Basallo’s pinch-hit single to tie it, 3-3.
The Nationals took a 1-0 lead in the second on an RBI single by Jorbit Vivas. Luis Garcia Jr. hit a 418-foot home run to right in the fifth against Oriole starter Brandon Young, who allowed two runs on seven hits in five innings. He struck out a career-high eight and walked two, throwing 93 pitches.
“I think step one is getting ahead, attacking guys,” Young said. “I think it wasn’t at its best tonight, hence only going five innings. Kept the team in it, but I’d like to go deeper into games, for sure. Throwing too many pitches with two strikes, I think, and not just attacking through the zone like I have been. But, yeah, I think consistently just attacking guys, being in zone, not being afraid to fail and get hit.”
With Rico Garcia pitching the sixth, Washington took at 3-1 lead when Vivas grounded to third baseman Blaze Alexander, who fumbled the ball for an error and then threw it wildly to first for another error, allowing Vivas to reach second. He scored on an RBI single by Drew Millas.
The Orioles continue their inconsistency.
“Halfway through the season, which means there’s a lot more baseball to be played,” Jackson said. “I don’t think there’s any panic on our end. I think we have a great ballclub. We’re just going to keep going every day and keep playing a full nine innings and just do our thing.”
What did Elias say about Rutschman? President of baseball operations Mike Elias didn’t sound like a man eager to trade catcher Adley Rutschman, whom he drafted with the overall No. 1 pick in 2019. Elias spoke to reporters before Saturday’s game.
“He’s been the cornerstone, basically, since I’ve been here, so he’s an enormous part of it,” Elias said. “I wish our commitment was greater than it is. We want him here forever. That’s not something that’s crossed the desk or the agenda. Our focus, first of all, we want to get it back, but we want to win with him here.”
What does it mean? The Orioles had little early offense and played a sloppy game in an uninspired loss.
What’s the stat of the day? 500. It was Alonso’s 500th consecutive game played.
What’s the word? “We’re planning that way in case it’s the case. I’m going to have to look at the circumstances and what happens. I will be doing the right thing for the franchise, regardless of everything else. We’re going to have to see what the standings are and what our team is looking like at that time. But we’re certainly making those preparations and everybody in this building is in the mindset of going for it in 2026.”-Elias on whether Orioles will be buyers at the August 3rd trade deadline.
What’s going on in the minor leagues? Sebastian Gongora pitched five hitless inning as Double-A Chesapeake held Harrisburg to one hit in a 4-1 win. Aron Estrada had three hits and his 13th home run.
Twine Palmer pitched five scoreless innings in relief, allowing just two hits in High-A Frederick’s 4-3 win over Wilmington in 12 innings.
Jordan Sanchez hit a three-run home run in Single-A Delmarva’s 8-2 win over Fayetteville.
Triple-A Norfolk’s game with Durham was rained out..
What’s next? Kyle Bradish (5-7, 3.64) will start against Zack Littell (6-6, 5.40) on Sunday at 1:35 p.m.
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