O's Drop 2nd Game To Nats In 'Battle Of The Beltway'
BALTIMORE (AP) — Bryce Harper hit his NL-leading 17th home run, Mark Reynolds added a solo shot and the Washington Nationals beat the Baltimore Orioles 3-2 Tuesday night to extend their road winning streak to nine games.
Harper finished with three hits, Reynolds scored twice and 19-year-old rookie Juan Soto had his first three-hit game for Washington.
The Nationals' nine-game run on the road matches their longest since moving from Montreal before the 2005 season.
Washington has won five straight overall and will seek to complete a three-game sweep of its neighboring interleague rival on Wednesday night.
Former Oriole Jeremy Hellickson (2-0) allowed two runs in five innings and Sean Doolittle worked the ninth for his 12th save in 13 tries.
Manny Machado homered for the Orioles, who have lost four in a row.
Coming off a 14-strikeout complete game against the White Sox, Baltimore's Dylan Bundy (3-7) toiled through six innings, giving up three runs and 11 hits.
Harper put the Nationals in front with a solo shot in the first inning, and Machado answered with a bases-empty drive in the bottom half. Coincidentally, both players are expected to become high-priced free agents after this season.
Wilmer Difo singled in a run in the second and Reynolds' sixth home run made it 3-1 in the fourth.
With two on and two outs in the Baltimore fifth, Adam Jones doubled to left-center. One run scored, but Jace Peterson was easily thrown out at the plate to end the uprising with Machado waiting on deck.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Nationals: Manager Dave Martinez said reliever Ryan Madson (pectoral muscle) is "good to go" and will join the team in Atlanta on Thursday. ... Lefty reliever Mark Grace (groin) will likely make one more appearance for Double-A Harrisburg before being activated from the disabled list, Martinez said. ... OF Adam Eaton (ankle) is "pushing the envelope" to return from the 60-day DL, Martinez said, adding: "We've waited this long, we're going to make sure that he's 100 percent." ... 2B Daniel Murphy (knee) went 0 for 4 with Harrisburg.
Orioles: Closer Zach Britton is finally ready to test his surgically repaired Achilles tendon in a game situation. The lefty will begin a rehabilitation assignment Wednesday, either with Triple-A Norfolk or Class A Frederick, depending on the weather. "I feel normal, no hesitation," Britton said Tuesday. "The next step is just getting in a game, getting the adrenaline going."
TAKE A SEAT
Slumping Trey Mancini was held out of the Orioles starting lineup following a 6-for-51 stretch that dropped his batting average from .275 to .235.
UP NEXT
Nationals: Unbeaten since April 4, Max Scherzer (8-1, 2.13 ERA) seeks to win his eighth straight decision in the series finale.
Orioles: Rookie RHP David Hess (2-1, 4.15) makes his fourth career start. He blanked Tampa Bay over 6 2/3 innings last Friday.
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