Game update and Showalter on Machado milestone (O's win 4-3)

WASHINGTON - The Orioles have a chance tonight to gain another game on the Astros for the second wild card and reduce the margin to four.

They currently trail by 4 1/2 games after Houston's 6-5 loss earlier today to the Angels.

The Orioles jumped out to a quick lead tonight on Steve Pearce's two-run homer off Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer with two outs in the top of the first inning. Pearce's 14th home run came after a two-out walk to Chris Davis.

Davis leads the Orioles with 76 walks. It's not just home runs, RBIs and strikeouts.

Scherzer has surrendered 26 home runs this season. Pearce has hit 14 this season to go with 37 RBIs.

Pearce has hit five home runs in his last 11 games after collecting five in his previous 41. He's 6-for-14 with two doubles, three home runs and six RBIs in his last five games.

The Nationals got back one run only two batters into their half of the inning. Anthony Rendon doubled over center fielder Gerardo Parra and scored on Yunel Escobar's single. Chris Tillman walked Bryce Harper - everybody walks Bryce Harper - but Jayson Werth lined into a 6-4 double play.

Tillman struck out Clint Robinson on his 21st pitch to end the inning.

Parra led off the game by flying to right-center field. He's 12-for-64 (.188) this month after going 28-for-117 (.239) in August.

Manny Machado grounded out, so he's stuck on those 500 career hits.

Machado is the youngest Oriole to reach the milestone, topping the likes of Eddie Murray, Cal Ripken Jr., Brooks Robinson and Boog Powell. And it does qualify as a milestone.

"Yeah, especially when you consider how many games he's missed because of injury. It hasn't been because the manager didn't want to play him," said manager Buck Showalter, who certainly would know.

"I'm surprised by the year he's had, the selectivity, the pitches he's quitting on now. That's what would make him into a brute. And he's only going to get stronger.

"In spring this year, I remember the first time he walked by my office going down toward the weight room or training room, he didn't have a shirt on. I went, 'That's a little different.' And he's only going to get bigger and stronger. I hate to tell everybody."

Update: Tillman retired 12 in a row before walking Michael Taylor with one out in the fifth. Taylor scored on Wilson Ramos' double to left field, and Ramos took third on Scherzer's single. Rendon lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to give the Nats a 3-2 lead.

Tillman threw 40 pitches in the fifth to raise his total to 94. He also gave up a single to Escobar and walked Harper again. He seemed upset after failing to get a called third strike on Rendon. Plate umpire Mark Ripperger has angered both sides tonight.

Update II: Machado hit a two-out, two-run homer on Scherzer's 122nd and final pitch to give the Orioles a 4-3 lead in the seventh. Machado crushed a 98 mph fastball, launching it into the red porch in left-center field as Orioles fans erupted.

Machado has 30 home runs to go with 77 RBIs.

J.J. Hardy led off the inning with a double.

Tillman allowed three runs and six hits in six innings, with three walks and five strikeouts. He threw 110 pitches, 66 for strikes, before Mychal Givens replaced him.

Update III: The Orioles defeat the Nats 4-3 for their 10th win in the last 14 games. They trail the Astros by four for the second wild card.

Tillman improved to 10-11 and O'Day recorded his fifth save by retiring the Nats in order with two strikeouts. Givens retired all six batters he faced and struck out Harper and Werth, the last on a 97 mph heater.

The Orioles (75-76) are 23-25 in one-run games and one game below .500 for first time since Aug. 27.

Both benches emptied and Jonathan Papelbon was ejected in the ninth after hitting Machado on the shoulder with two outs. His first pitch was high, the third - a 93 mph fastball - drilled Machado, who apparently angered the Nationals by admiring his home run.