Jimenez helps his own cause (O's win 4-1)

WASHINGTON - Who needs a designated hitter?

The Orioles did OK without one in the second inning tonight, getting a two-out RBI single from starter Ubaldo Jimenez to break a scoreless tie with the Nationals.

Nolan Reimold followed with a single into left field that scored J.J. Hardy to increase the lead to 2-0. Caleb Joseph and Hardy drew one-out walks against left-hander Gio Gonzalez.

Gonzalez threw 10 pitches in the first inning, when Chris Davis reached on a two-out error by shortstop Ian Desmond, but he needed 23 to get through the second. Junior Lake flied to the right field fence with two outs to move Joseph to third base and Jimenez lined a 94 mph fastball into right-center field.

Jimenez smiled as he leaned forward at first base, hands on his knees and chest heaving from the sprint up the line.

Jimenez is 33-for-280 (.118) with 11 RBIs, 17 walks and 96 strikeouts in the majors. He's 2-for-6 with two RBIs this season.

The Orioles are playing their final interleague series, so they've got two more games without a designated hitter. Jimenez eased the loss a little tonight.

If only he could more easily locate the plate. Jimenez walked three of the first six batters he faced and threw 22 pitches in the first inning while stranding Yunel Escobar and Bryce Harper. Ian Desmond led off the second with a walk, but Joseph picked him off first base.

Jimenez has thrown 42 pitches in two innings. He's struck out three batters.

Lake is making his first start in center field with the Orioles and his 66th in the majors while Adam Jones remains out of the lineup with back spasms.

"I feel good," Lake said. "I like to play center field. I feel comfortable there. I play everywhere. I don't care what position it is. I just want to play."

Lake didn't assume that he'd be in tonight's lineup when he showed up at Nationals Park.

"Not at all," he said. "I don't have that control. I don't control the lineup. If they want to put me in center or right or left, I know how to play them.

"I feel comfortable in center, but I don't care. I play everywhere. It doesn't matter what position."

Update: The Orioles made a series of mistakes in the field that led to a Nationals run in the fourth.

Lake dropped a fly ball in left-center field and Jonathan Schoop bobbled a double play ball that should have ended the inning without a run scoring. Schoop made a great running catch in shallow right field with his back to the infield, spun and threw home to hold Clint Robinson at third base, but he should have deferred to right fielder Steve Pearce.

Gonzalez bunted into a double play that allowed the Orioles to stay ahead 2-1. He was ruled safe, but the call was overturned.

The Orioles got the run back in the fifth on Manny Machado's one-out single - the 500th hit of his career - and Davis' RBI double to left. Machado raced home from first base and made a great play to score, reaching for the plate with his left hand while avoiding the tag.

They weren't done. Pearce followed with an RBI double. Orioles 4, Nationals 1

Update II: The Orioles defeat the Nationals 4-1 and are two games below .500 again.

Jimenez wins his fourth consecutive start and becomes the 11th Dominican-born pitcher to record 100 victories. Brad Brach tosses two scoreless innings and Darren O'Day records his fourth save.

Jimenez allowed one unearned run and three hits in six innings, with five walks and five striekouts. He was removed after 110 pitches.

The Orioles won despite committing three errors for the fourth time this season. They began the night with 65, the fewest in the majors.