Manny Machado's homer off Max Scherzer lifts Orioles over Nationals

It was one of those classic game-on-the-line matchups between a top pitcher and hitter. The Orioles' Manny Machado won the battle against Nationals ace Max Scherzer and the Orioles won the game.

Machado hit a two-run go-ahead homer in the seventh on Scherzer's 122nd pitch as the Orioles beat Washington 4-3 at Nats Park. With their seventh win in the last 10 games and 10th in the past 14, the Orioles improved to 75-76 for the season.

The O's win, coupled with Houston's loss, moved the Orioles three back of Houston in the loss column. The Astros currently hold the second American League wild card spot.

Machado was involved in a heated situation in the top of the ninth. Jonathan Papelbon came on to pitch for the Nationals and threw one pitch high and tight toward Machado and then hit him high up on the shoulder two pitches later. Papelbon was ejected but MASN cameras showed him staying on the bench.

The O's were trailed 3-2 heading to the seventh when J.J. Hardy led off with a double. Two outs later, Machado came up. The count went to 2-2. Scherzer fired a 98 mph fastball and Machado drilled it into the left-center field seats for his 30th homer run and a one-run lead for the O's.

Scherzer went 6 2/3 innings in taking the loss, allowing seven hits and four runs with two walks and 12 strikeouts. He falls to 12-12 with an ERA of 2.98. Chris Tillman, who allowed two runs during a 40-pitch last of the fifth, went six innings to get the win. He gave up six hits and three runs and is 10-11 with an ERA of 5.16. Tillman picked up his first win since Aug. 17.

The Orioles took a 2-0 lead in the first. Chris Davis walked with two outs and Steve Pearce homered on 2-0 pitch. It was his 14th homer and fifth in his last 11 games. The Nationals got a run back in the first on Yunel Escobar's RBI single.

A stretch where Tillman retired 12 in a row ended with one out in the fifth and the Nats scored twice to take a 3-2 lead. Wilson Ramos doubled in the tying run and Anthony Rendon's sac fly made it 3-2.

After Machado's homer put the Orioles in the lead, Mychal Givens pitched two scoreless innings. He retired the Nationals in the seventh and eighth on 20 pitches. Darren O'Day pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to record his fifth save.

The Orioles are 3-2 this season against the Nationals, 13-6 since 2012 and 32-23 in the all-time series. The Orioles will go for a three-game sweep Thursday afternoon when Tyler Wilson (2-2, 3.72 ERA) pitches against Tanner Roark (4-6, 4.73 ERA).