O's game blog: Matt Harvey faces the Nationals

The Orioles gave up 32 runs and got swept three straight earlier this week by the Tampa Bay Rays. Now they have allowed 16 runs in losing the first two games in Washington. They need a win this afternoon to avoid back-to-back three-game series sweeps.

So yeah, it's been a rough stretch for the team and the pitching staff. While the O's offense has underperformed much of this year, the pitchers have really been struggling lately.

They have allowed 10 runs or more three times in the last five games, giving up 48 runs and 70 hits in those games. O's pitchers have yielded 10 or more hits nine times the last 10 games. And they have given up two or more homers in six of the past eight games, allowing 20 total homers in that span. They've allowed five runs or more in eight of the last nine games, giving up 74 total runs.

Enter right-hander Matt Harvey (3-4, 5.93 ERA) into that fire to try and douse the flames. But he's had his own issues, especially in his past two starts. In those games versus the Mets and Rays, Harvey has thrown six total innings, allowing 15 hits and 13 runs. He is 0-2 with a 19.50 ERA in those games, giving up a batting average against of .455 and 1.243 OPS.

For the season, Harvey has thrown 41 innings, allowing 50 hits, including five homers with 12 walks to 30 strikeouts. He has a WHIP of 1.512 and has given up 11.0 hits per nine innings with 1.1 homers, 2.6 walks and 6.6 strikeouts.

Lefty Patrick Corbin (2-3, 6.10 ERA) gets the start for Washington, his ninth of the season. Over 41 1/3 innings he has given up 44 hits with 16 walks to 33 strikeouts. He has recorded a WHIP of 1.452 with 9.6 hits per nine, 2.2 home runs, 3.5 walks and 7.2 strikeouts. The Nationals are 4-4 in his outings.

He is pitching much better in May after an April where his ERA was 10.47. This month, Corbin is 2-0 with a 3.24 ERA. In 25 innings he has yielded 21 hits with six walks and 19 strikeouts. Opponents are batting .239 with a .693 OPS off him.

The Nationals rally to win from five runs down yesterday was Washington's largest come-from-behind win since Sept. 3, 2019 against the New York Mets. They trailed 10-4 in the ninth and won 11-10.

With two hits yesterday, outfielder Juan Soto has multi-hit efforts in four of his last five games, going 9-for-21 (.429) with two doubles, one homer, two RBIs, three walks and four runs over this stretch.

Shortstop Trea Turner went 2-for-5 with a double, RBI and one run and is 14-for-39 (.359) with four doubles, two homers, nine RBIs, three walks, one stolen base and seven runs scored across his last nine games. He's hit safely in eight of the nine and has driven in at least one run in seven of the nine.

The five runs the Orioles scored in the first inning were the most they've scored in the first inning of a game this season. And the five runs were the most they've scored in an inning since they scored five in the top of the eighth on May 3 at Seattle.

Ryan Mountcastle's grand slam was the first of his career. It was also the first grand slam recorded by an Oriole during a rookie campaign since Ryan Flaherty on Sept. 28, 2012 against Boston.

O's outfielder Anthony Santander has an 11-game hitting streak against the Nationals dating to July 17, 2019. He is 17-for-43 (.395) with four doubles, five homers, 14 RBIs and 11 runs scored during the streak. Saturday he went 3-for-4 with a double, homer and three runs scored.

The Orioles (17-28) are 0-5 during a stretch of 16 games in 16 days. They have lost five in a row, nine of 10 and 12 of 14 games.

Washington (19-23) is now 11-10 at home and 9-10 this month.