Orioles Went 3-for-3 With Replay Calls, Challenges Against Nationals
BALTIMORE (AP) — Reynaldo Lopez had a miserable outing, to be sure. Yet the Washington Nationals had plenty of blame to spread around in the wake of an embarrassing 8-1 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night.
Lopez (2-2) gave up six runs, four earned, and seven hits in 2 2/3 innings — the shortest of his five career starts.
"The results were not what I expected," Lopez said through an interpreter. "The game did not go the way I liked it to."
Many of his teammates can say the same thing. Daniel Murphy fumbled a grounder to second base that let in two runs, Clint Robinson was guilty of a base-running gaffe and the Nationals were victimized three times by, of all things, replay reviews.
Though Murphy's misplay was Washington's only error, manager Dusty Baker didn't like the manner in which his team played in the field.
"You don't make any errors for a long period of time then you make a bunch of errors in a short period of time," he lamented. "Hopefully, we got it out of our system."
Trea Turner had a career-high four hits for Washington. The Nationals trailed 6-0 after three innings and went quietly in their third straight loss — their longest skid since a seven-game run from June 18-25.
"It's good to be going home. It seems like we haven't been home in a while," Baker said following the conclusion of a nine-game road trip. "We go home and regroup. Guys get to see their kids and their wives."
The Nationals are 24-34 against Baltimore in a rivalry that began in 2006. The series shifts 38 miles south to Nationals Park on Wednesday for the first of two games.
Replay did the Nationals no favors. Turner was called safe on steal attempts in the first and third innings, but on both occasions the call was reversed after a replay review. Making the result more maddening for Washington: Jayson Werth followed with a walk both times.
The trend continued in the bottom of the third, when replay determined that Adam Jones beat out an infield roller after initially being called out.
Mark Trumbo picked up his 93rd RBI with a first-inning single, and the Orioles made it 3-0 in the second when Matt Wieters doubled in a run and scored on a single by Jones.
In the third, Jonathan Schoop hit an RBI double and two runs scored when Murphy misplayed a two-out grounder.
Washington got its lone run in the seventh inning when Danny Espinosa singled in a run off Vance Worley, who worked three innings for his first career save.
But a potential uprising was blunted when Robinson was thrown out at third base for the first out of the inning.
"He was probably trying too hard, trying to make something happen," Baker said.
Chris Davis hit his 30th homer of the season in the eighth against Yusmeiro Petit. He has hit at least 30 home runs in four of the last five seasons.
Kevin Gausman (5-10) got the win, scattering six hits over six shutout innings.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Nationals: RHP Joe Ross (right shoulder inflammation) felt good after a bullpen session Tuesday. "Our head trainer came in and gave me the thumbs up," Baker said. "Hopefully, we're going to put him back to work here pretty soon."
Orioles: Chris Tillman will be headed to the 15-day DL Wednesday with shoulder inflammation. Ubaldo Jimenez will start in his place Thursday night.
UP NEXT
Nationals: Tanner Roark (13-6, 2.87 ERA) starts Wednesday night. The right-hander is 4-0 in his last five starts and has lost just once since June 21.
Orioles: Wade Miley (7-10, 5.58) makes his fifth start with Baltimore. The lefty is 0-2 with a 9.53 ERA since being traded from Seattle.
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