It is a group that bounces between two extremes — just plain bad and strikingly unlucky.
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Orioles @ NationalsWhen » Saturday, 7:05Where » Nationals ParkTV/Radio » MASN(HD)/1500 AM/XMNats notes» The all-time National League record for most consecutive games reaching base is 60 – using records dating back before 1920. That was set by George Van Haltren of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1893. » Three players posted consecutive on-base streaks of 40 games or more last season – Kevin Youkilis (44), Albert Pujols (42) and Chipper Jones (41). » The Nats have still won seven of the last 11 meetings with the Orioles. After Friday, 13 of the 19 games have been decided by two runs or less. Eight of those were one-run games. » The Orioles are now 2-1 in extra inning games. The Nats are 0-6.» Nats starter Jordan Zimmermann struggled to finish the Orioles. Nolan Reimold’s home run came with two outs and no one on base. Baltimore again had two down and none on in the third when Brian Roberts doubled and Adam Jones singled home the Orioles’ second run. » No one has stabilized the Nats bullpen more than lefthander Ron Villone. The 39-year-old has now pitched scoreless in relief in each of his 10 appearances since a May 7 recall from Triple-A Syracuse. He has allowed just seven base runners total during that stretch.
“We’re going to have to take advantage of that as long as we can,” Nats manager Manny Acta said. “[Villone] is just pounding the strike zone and getting guys out — changing speeds with that good change-up of his.”
Even on a night when the National’s relievers posted one of their most effective games of the season things found a way to go horribly wrong.
How about a 40-foot infield single by a pitcher who had never recorded a hit — or scored a run — in his major-league career? How about a ground-rule double that was fair by two inches? Just about everyone at Nationals Park knew what would happen next.
Adam Jones ripped the first pitch he saw from reliever Kip Wells down the line in left for a double. Two runs scored on the play and the Baltimore Orioles outlasted the Nats, 4-2, in 12 innings on Friday night in the first game of the annual Battle of the Beltways series.
That one fluky inning rendered the previous four scoreless frames by the bullpen meaningless — a bitter pill for a group trying to take baby steps back to respectability.
“Two balls down the line and a swinging bunt by the pitcher and you give up two runs and we lose and [the media] is standing in front of my locker,” Wells said. “In my case, I can’t try to overanalyze it. Just try to make better pitches.”
The Nats (12-29) are now 1-8 on this 11-game homestand. Baltimore (17-25) has endured struggles of its own this month, but snapped a four-game losing streak with the win.
Pitcher Danys Baez was forced to hit in the 12th because the Orioles had just one position player left – reserve shortstop Robert Andino – and promptly chopped the ball in front of home plate for his first career hit. Brian Roberts then flared a double just fair down the line in left to set up Jones’ heroics.
The loss overshadowed another fine outing from one of Washington’s four rookie starters. Jordan Zimmermann struck out seven Baltimore batters in seven innings, scattering six hits and walking just one. It was the 22-year-old’s longest outing of the season – and also his best. He had allowed at least five runs in each of his previous four starts, struggling especially early in games.
But a new pregame routine, where Zimmermann went out to the bullpen early and threw a simulated inning under the watchful eye of pitching coach Randy St. Claire, helped him to a 1-2-3 first. He did give up a solo home run to Nolan Reimold in the second and an RBI single in the third. But Zimmermann didn’t allow another Baltimore runner to reach scoring position.
“He was very good,” said Nats manager Manny Acta. “Good tempo, good fastball, good slider – good outing.”
Of his 97 pitches, Zimmermann threw 67 percent for strikes. And the Orioles’ lefthanded batters, including star outfielder Nick Markakis (0-for-5), struggled to handle Zimmermann’s fastball, which sat between 92 and 95 mph all night. He was beaten by Nolan Reimold, however — an old foe from when both were in Double-A and saw each other often.
“Best I’ve felt so far since I’ve been here,” said Zimmermann, who wryly noted that Reimold took him deep a few times in the minors last season, too, when they played for Harrisburg and Bowie. “All my pitches were working. It was fun to be out there with the control I had today.”
Meanwhile, Washington third baseman Ryan Zimmerman continues to produce. His two-run homer to right-center off Rich Hill in the fourth inning tied the game at 2. It also extended his consecutive on-base streak to 40 games — just six shy of the franchise record held Rusty Staub when the team was in Montreal. The modern-era National League record — defined as after 1920 — is held by Barry Bonds (2001, 2003) and Duke Snider (1954), who both reached 58 games.
However, Zimmerman has to more than double his current streak to reach the major-league record of 84 games set by Boston’s Ted Williams in 1949.
Each starter kept his team in the game. Hill — making just his second start of the season for Baltimore after rehabbing a right elbow injury — baffled the Nats with a biting breaking ball that he was confident enough to use in any count. He struck out six batters almost exclusively using that curve, but was pulled after walking two in the sixth to push his pitch count to 98. With runners at first and second and two down, reliever Matt Albers battled Josh Willingham to a 3-2 count before earning the strikeout with a nice backdoor slider. That was the start of a fine night for the Orioles bullpen, which allowed just one hit over the final 5 2/3 innings.
