The Baltimore Orioles are feeling good again going into Saturday night’s home game against the Washington Nationals, who will try to shed a four-game losing streak.
The Orioles gained their first home win in two weeks by posting a 3-1 victory over the Nationals in Friday night’s opener of the Beltway Series.
Baltimore’s victory included the first two-double game for 24-year-old infielder Coby Mayo. The right-handed batter recorded those off right-handed pitchers, and those successes have been scarce for Mayo.
“It has been my Kryptonite this year,” he said. “I feel like I haven’t done my job vs. righties this year, and I know I can hit them. I’ve done it for a long time, and it felt really good to come through in that spot and take two good swings, first pitch and second pitch. So was definitely a good feeling.”
Mayo’s second double drove in the game’s final run in the seventh inning. While the Orioles stranded 11 runners, manager Craig Albernaz had a positive spin on that.
“The goal is just touch home plate more than the other team,” Albernaz said.
The Nationals, who hold a 24-17 road record, must win Saturday or they’ll match their longest losing streak of the season (March 31-April 5).
Washington would like to see outfielder James Wood get untracked again. Before a double Friday night, he had reached base on hits in only two of his last eight games. He was 3-for-34 during that span.
“When you’re playing 162 games, there’s going to be ebbs and flows, of course,” Nationals manager Blake Butera said. “We see all the best hitters in baseball go through this. I told James … he’s one of the best hitters in baseball, and we love when he’s up to bat and opposing teams don’t like that. I told him, ‘Don’t ever forget that.'”
Two pitchers who’ve been strong this month will be in starting roles Saturday.
Left-hander Foster Griffin (8-2, 3.15 ERA) will get the call for the Nationals. He is 2-0 with a 1.48 ERA in four June starts and has surrendered one run in each of those outings, including Monday, when he worked 7 1/3 innings in a 4-1 victory over Philadelphia.
The Nationals have won six of the last seven games started by Griffin, who will face Baltimore for the first time in his career.
The Orioles will have right-hander Brandon Young (6-2, 3.07 ERA) on the mound. He improved to 3-1 with a 2.58 ERA in June after allowing one run in five innings in Sunday’s 12-1 road victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Young didn’t have a decision after giving up two runs in 3 2/3 innings to the visiting Nationals last month. That’s the only time he has faced Washington.
The Orioles are being cautious with members of the bullpen. Ryan Helsley picked up a one-inning save Friday, appearing in his fourth game since going on the injury list in April. Keeping him to one inning of work has been a priority.
“Not be reckless,” Albernaz said.
–Field Level Media
