Gio Gonzalez felt he should have stuck to game plan in 4-1 loss to Orioles

Left-hander Gio Gonzalez got into some trouble in the second inning with an issue that has hurt him in the past: walks.

Two walks in that frame fueled an Orioles rally. Baltimore got back-to-back run-scoring base hits from Ubaldo Jimenez and Nolan Reimold to lead 2-0.

Later, the top of the order went after Gonzalez in the fifth. RBI doubles from Chris Davis and Steve Pearce added to the Orioles' advantage. The Orioles eventually won the game 4-1.

"The inning that (Gonzalez) gave up the two (runs), two walks started it," manager Matt Williams said. "And then the pitcher got a hit and the next guy got a hit, that's two. The innings that he had trouble, he was just up in the strike zone. The ball to Pearce was up, certainly not where he wanted it."

Gonzalez (11-8) said the two walks in the first were not an indication that he was having control problems. He lasted 4 2/3 innings, giving up six hits and four runs, with just two walks and six strikeouts.

"I didn't feel like I was all over the place," Gonzalez said. "I felt like it was just little pitch selection here and there. Again, definitely my fault. You got the pitcher up to bat, just made him look foolish with a fastball down and away and then again like trying to reinvent the wheel, trying to go in on a guy that was just swinging hard, pitch right down the middle and he put it in play. That was my mistake."

Gonzalez said he takes the blame because he veered from what catcher Jose Lobaton was asking him to do. He did this because he felt the Orioles knew what he was going to do from their last meeting on July 10.

"I have to do a better job," Gonzalez said. "Getting the bunt down, making better pitches. Better pitch selection. I think once I started steering away from Loby's game plan, I kind of threw myself off the game a little bit. Loby had a great plan going out there. I tried to reinvent the wheel and change it up on these guys. Obviously, I was wrong. I should give Loby more of that credit that he deserves. He did a great job behind the dish. It was, again, my mistakes."

Lobaton weighed in on his batterymate.

"I didn't think he threw that bad today," Lobaton said. "He (gave up) a couple of hits, late with the fastball, Davis found the line. And then he missed a couple of pitches. Overall, I think he (didn't throw) that bad. He battled and he couldn't finish."

Former starter Doug Fister did a nice job to keep the Nationals in the game. He looked like he was starting the way he went after the Orioles in the middle innings. Fister pitched two scoreless innings and struck out four, not allowing a hit or a walk in six outs.

"We got to the point where they had four runs and didn't want to give up another one," Williams said. "We got Doug in there. Doug pitched well. He kept us where we were. Thorny (Matt Thornton) and Casey (Janssen) and Blake (Treinen), too. We just couldn't muster anything after the first one. One of those nights."

With Jimenez contributing a huge RBI single for the Orioles' cause, Gonzalez had a shot to return the favor in the bottom of the fourth. Down 2-1, the Nationals had two runners on and one out. Gonzalez's bunt attempt dribbled only a few feet in front of home plate. Orioles catcher Caleb Joseph snatched it up and quickly started a 2-5-4 double play to end the threat.

"It's a tough one right there," Gonzalez said. "I thought I got it just enough out there. You just got to give credit to that catcher. He made a hell of a play. He was quick to the ball, and he made it look easy. Obviously, a little slow step to first and makes a huge difference. Could've still been people on base if I would've busted my tail and got down the line."

The Nationals pretty much had to win out to catch the Mets. Gonzalez said as much, with every loss feeling like two setbacks as games start to dwindle out.

"I feel like it's been must-win mode for a while now," Gonzalez said. "It's one of those things where you brush it under the rug, hopefully we try to get on top and get a W. Hopefully the Braves slow them down tomorrow. Either way, we got to do our job and focus on what we need to focus on. Just turn the page on this one and move forward."