The Baltimore Orioles beat the Washington Nationals 4-1 in D.C. on Tuesday night after starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez gave up all four of Baltimore’s runs.
Gonalzez pitched 4 2/3 innings while giving up six hits, four runs, walking two, and striking out six batters. He threw 82 pitches and 51 strikes.
Baltimore scored early starting in the second inning when Caleb Joseph scored on a line drive hit by the Orioles starting pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez making it a 1-0 ballgame with two out. Lead off batter and outfielder Nolan Reimold followed suit by sending shortstop J. J. Hardy around to score on a RBI single making it 2-0 in favor of the Orioles.
The Nats cut the deficit in half in the fourth inning when catcher Jose Lobaton reached against Jiminez on a force attempt and fielding error made by Orioles second baseman Jonathan Shoop sending first baseman Clint Robinson home to make it a 2-1 ballgame.
Washington (78-72) couldn’t hold on, though, and the Orioles answered back with a pair of runs in the fifth inning off Gonzalez before he was pulled and replaced by reliever Doug Fister. Orioles second baseman Manny Machado scored on a double hit by first baseman Chris Davis off Gonzalez before scoring on a double hit by outfielder Steve Pearce, giving Baltimore a 4-1 lead.
The Orioles held Washington for the remainder of the game and none of the Nats batters reached scoring position after the fourth inning.
Washington’s bullpen held Baltimore for four scoreless innings but the lack of offensive support from their lineup left the Nats at home with a loss.
UP NEXT: Chris Tillman (9-11, 5.19) and the Baltimore Orioles face Max Scherzer (12-11, 2.90) and the Washington Nationals at 7:05 p.m. in Washington, D.C.
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