Heading into last night's game, the Washington Nationals were averaging 6.0 runs per game over their previous 32 games, scoring 193 runs and going 20-12.
But for one night anyway, the Orioles slowed the Washington offense, holding the Nats to three hits in a 4-1 win on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series.
Considering the Orioles made three errors - and one or two other plays could have been scored errors - and walked six, holding the Nats to one run was no easy task. But they did it by walking hot-hitting Bryce Harper three times, and Washington went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position, leaving nine men on base.
Ubaldo Jimenez certainly opened the door for the Nationals by walking four in the first three innings. But he gave up just one unearned run over six innings to become the 11th Dominican-born pitcher to record 100 wins.
More notes on the Orioles:
* Jimenez ranks third in wins among active pitchers from the Dominican Republic. Bartolo Colon has 218 wins, Ervin Santana has 124 and Jimenez is next with 100.
* O's right-hander Brad Brach pitched two scoreless innings last night. Over his past 31 games since June 23, Brach has an ERA of 1.11.
* The Orioles got a well-pitched game last night, which has been rare this month. Heading into last night, the club's ERA was 5.50 in September and the starting rotation ERA was 6.13 this month. But the Orioles are now 11-8 in September. Jimenez recorded just the fifth quality start in the last 24 games for the Orioles.
* Chris Davis drove in a run with an RBI double in the fifth inning for his 110th RBI. Over his past 19 games, Davis is batting .369 (24-for-65), with eight homers and 18 RBIs. In 62 games in the second half, Davis has 24 homers and 58 RBIs.
* Gerardo Parra entered last night's game as a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning and went 0-for-2. Over his last 23 games, he is batting .167 (15-for-90) with no multi-hit games in that span.
Chris Tillman (9-11, 5.19 ERA) makes his 29th start tonight. Over his past six starts, he is 0-4 with an ERA of 7.76. To further illustrate Tillman's struggles this year, his ERA has been under 5.00 just one month this season.
Tillman ERA by month, 2015:
7.58 - April
5.03 - May
5.13 - June
1.31 - July
5.73 - August
9.64 - September
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