Walk-off win: Mark Trumbo's single wins it in 12th (quotes added)

Down by three runs in the last of the eighth, the Orioles rallied late to tie this game and then won it in the 12th. Mark Trumbo's RBI single gave the O's the 5-4 win over the Nationals.

They improved to 22-10 and now have MLB's best record. They've won six in a row and moved back into first-place by a 1/2-game over the Yankees. They are 8-1 in their last nine games against the Nats.

The Orioles had chances to win this in the 10th and 11th. But they stranded two runners in the 10th, and J.J. Hardy was thrown out at the plate to end the 11th by right fielder Bryce Harper. Hardy doubled off Jacob Turner with two outs and then Caleb Joseph lined a single to right. It was going to be tough to score Hardy on such a hard-hit ball, but Harper also had to make an accurate throw, which he did.

In the fateful 12th, Adam Jones singled to right with one out. Manny Machado followed with a single that somehow found its way through the middle of the Nationals infield, and Jones went to third.

The Nationals issued an intentional walk to Chris Davis to load the bases. Trumbo lined the first pitch he saw from Turner into left field, sending Jones to home plate and sending the home crowd home happy.

The Orioles went to the last of the eighth down 4-1 but scored once in the eighth and twice in the last of the ninth to force extra innings.

In that ninth, the Nationals' Enny Romero could not close it out for Max Scherzer. The Orioles got back-to-back clutch hits when down to their last out. Jonathan Schoop's double to right off a 101 mph Romero fastball made it a 4-3 game. Hardy's single to center off a 100 mph heater tied it up. The Nationals bullpen continues to struggle big-time.

Jones' solo homer off Scherzer in the eighth made the O's deficit 4-2. It was No. 5 for Jones and his 744th career RBI with the Orioles. That ties Brady Anderson for sixth on the club's all-time list.

Earlier, it looked like the Nats might win due to one big swing by a pinch-hitter. Adam Lind, involved in a base-running gaffe that ended last night's game, blasted a three-run shot to center off Ubaldo Jiménez in the eighth. That gave the Nats a 4-1 lead.

It was Lind's third homer of the year. All three have been pinch-hit home runs. The 402-foot shot scored Anthony Rendon and Matt Wieters, who led off the inning with singles. With his bullpen still a bit shorthanded, manager Buck Showalter let Jiménez try to get out of the eighth-inning jam, and he came up an out short. This was Lind's eighth career pinch-hit homer.

That swing ruined a strong night by Jiménez, who allowed five hits and four runs over 7 2/3, throwing 112 pitches. He entered with an ERA of 6.58 but gave the Orioles a strong outing that matched Scherzer's for most of the night.

O's reliever Logan Verrett got his second win in his second O's appearance. He pitched three scoreless tonight and has thrown five scoreless frames in those two games. All five innings were extra innings, two in New York and three tonight.

Scherzer was very sharp for much of his outing, and lost a bid for a third no-hitter in the sixth. The reigning National League Cy Young winner gave up four hits and two runs over eight innings. He threw 113 pitches and fanned 11.

Earlier, the Nats took a 1-0 lead on Daniel Murphy's solo homer to right in the second. He hit a 90 mph, 3-1 fastball from Jiménez out to right for his sixth of the year.

For several innings the Orioles trailed Scherzer. After he walked Seth Smith leading off the game, he retired the next 14 in order. That streak ended with a two-out walk in the fifth by Schoop. But Scherzer fanned Hardy on a slider to end that inning leading 1-0, and with a no-hitter intact.

But two batters into the sixth, the no-hit bid ended. Smith homered to tie the game 1-1. He hit a 1-1 changeup out to right for his third O's homer. Smith's bat has been hot recently. He was 7-for-12 over his previous three games.

The Nationals host the next two games. Tomorrow night at Nats Park, O's lefty Wade Miley (1-1, 2.27 ERA) pitches against right-hander Stephen Strasburg (3-1, 2.66 ERA).

Some postgame quotes from the clubhouse:

Trumbo on the comeback victory: "This is a big game. They had a great pitcher on the mound and we really had to fight. This is definitely a good one. They all count the same, but some you have to work a little harder for."

Trumbo on having the best record in the majors: "Sounds pretty good to me. You know, kind of tried to carry over what we were doing last year, I think. Some of the bats are starting to heat up and the pitching has been outstanding. Tonight was just a great example of it. Ubie threw a fantastic game and gave us a chance at the end. Logan had it working. Those were some nasty pitches. He's come up huge twice for us now. We wouldn't be here if he didn't do that."

Verrett on getting two wins in two games, in extra innings both times: "That's just how I drew it up. My first two outings with the Orioles. That's how I dreamt it would go. I was just trying to keep us in that ballgame. As long as we're the home team in extra innings, we're always going to have a chance to win it. I was just trying to keep it close, make pitches. Fortunately, I was able to get some early contact and keep my pitch count pretty low. Guys made some great plays, (Craig) Gentry relaying and getting that double play. That was big time. You kind of feel like with this team, it's just a matter of time until we score. There's never really a doubt in that dugout."

Jiménez on the pitch that Lind homered off of: "It wasn't a good pitch. It didn't move at all. It was a split that just sat there and he put a good swing on it."

Jiménez on O's being 5-2 in his seven starts and having the majors' best record: "Of course, every time I take the mound I want to do good for the team. When I don't do that, it doesn't feel good. I think I always find a way to find myself and try to be there for the team in every outing. Those guys are always going to try to grind every pitch, every at-bat, every inning. This team, doesn't matter how good we are or not we are always going to try to be our best everyday."