Orioles left with 6-4 loss to Nationals in rain-shortened exhibition

WASHINGTON - Orioles manager Brandon Hyde broke out a version of his lineup tonight that could be used against left-handed starters. Not a carbon copy necessarily, but a close reproduction.

Dilson Herrera has to earn a spot on the roster and a chance to play left field, but there's preview potential in the final exhibition game.

Austin Hays will lead off under any circumstances, as he did tonight against Nationals southpaw Patrick Corbin, but Hanser Alberto moved up from sixth to second in the order and delivered a run-scoring double to center field in the first inning.

Alberto came home on José Iglesias' infield hit with two outs, but the Nationals scored twice against Kohl Stewart in the bottom half. Stewart reached his pitch limit after 3 1/3 innings as rain fell, and it picked up in intensity and forced a stoppage with two outs in the top of the eighth and the Nationals ahead 6-4.

César Valdez entered the game in the fourth and stranded two runners, with Herrera racing in and making a sensational diving catch to rob Starlin Castro. But Castro had a two-run single off Valdez in the sixth.

Chris Davis and Herrera had back-to-back doubles off Sean Doolittle in the seventh, and both balls were scalded. Herrera took third on the throw and scored on Rio Ruiz's liner to reduce the lead to 5-4.

Mychal Givens allowed a run in the bottom of the seventh on Trea Turner's double that followed a Victor Robles walk and stolen base and a throwing error by catcher Bryan Holaday.

Valdez has been untouchable since March, but he allowed two runs and three hits in 2 2/3 innings.

Stewart allowed three runs and three hits with two walks, three strikeouts and a hit batter. He threw 71 pitches.

Asdrúbal Cabrera struck out twice against Stewart and he wasn't in the lineup.

You had to be here.

Davis was lowered from fifth to seventh in the order and Ruiz from seventh to ninth. Two left-handed bats that held prominent spots last night versus Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg.

"I think that I'll play with some things, but I think that there's a lot of guys who are going to be in there versus a left-handed pitcher," Hyde said today during his Zoom conference call with the media.

"You'll see Bert (Alberto) hit more in the top half of the lineup just because of what he's done against left-handed pitching last year. If that continues, then obviously we'll leave him up there. I like Iggy (Iglesias) against left-handers, I like Tony (Anthony Santander), the way he swings the bat from both sides. So I think I'll maneuver it around a little bit."

The Orioles are vowing to be wiser running the bases, and Alberto set up the second run by advancing on Santander's chopper to third. Alberto held up briefly before racing to third, and Iglesias beat out a grounder to Turner.

Santander got his four at-bats and should be ready for opening day.

Iglesias had three hits last night and three more tonight, but the defensive wizard committed a throwing error tonight on Adam Eaton's infield hit in the first that followed Turner's walk.

Juan Soto grounded out on the 11th pitch of the at-bat, raising Stewart's total to 25, and Howie Kendrick doubled to tie the game. Eric Thames grounded out and the Orioles stopped the inning with Stewart at 30 pitches.

These exhibitions are treated like scrimmages to protect the pitchers during a three-week camp.

Corbin needed only nine pitches to retire the Orioles in the top of the second. So much for giving Stewart a breather. But he struck out two batters and induced a ground ball in the bottom half of the inning.

Stewart threw more changeups in the first, a directive from the Orioles to expand his repertoire. He hit Yan Gomes leading off the third, but got a double play and a ground ball.

Cabrera struck out leading off the fourth, but Eaton walked, Soto doubled and Kendrick's fielder's choice grounder gave Washington a 3-2 lead.

Hyde said this afternoon that he hoped Stewart would go four innings and "walk off the field healthy." Stewart managed to get into the fourth with his pitch count at 53 but recorded only one out.

He does have his health, which is the most important aspect.

"I just want to see strikes," Hyde added, before Stewart ran the count full to Adam Eaton and Soto in the first.

"He has the stuff to be a starter in this league. He's got a really nice two-seam/cut combo with a breaking ball and changeup that he needs to throw more. But it's all about strikes and command with Kohl because his stuff plays in the strike zone. So I just want him to attack hitters, get his pitch count up and really force contact."

The baserunning directive failed in the fifth when Hays singled with two outs and was easily thrown out going to third on Alberto's single. But the top of the order was humming.

Hyde redirected his attention to tonight's game after settling on Tommy Milone as his opening night starter. Milone is replacing John Means, who's pushed back while navigating through a dead-arm period.

Milone was blindsided by the news, which Hyde joyfully delivered in an indirect manner as they prepared to board the bus for D.C.

"I asked him if he ever made an opening day start before, knowing that he didn't," Hyde said. "He had a big smile on his face, kind of like, 'Where am I going with this?' It's great to give people great news. I'm sure he's already done it, but calling home to let his friends and family know that he's an opening day starter. It's a big deal. That's a big deal for these guys.

"Somebody that's had a pretty long career up until this point. He's been with quite a few clubs, seen a lot of different things. He's hung in there, grinded. He's had some good years, he's had some tough years. To make an opening day start, that's a special achievement for somebody and he's not taking that lightly."

Update: Hyde is convinced that Santander can make the opening day roster after reporting late to summer training camp.

"Four at-bats, going out to play defense seven times," Hyde said. "I really liked that last swing his last at-bat. ... He feels like he's ready to go and he looked the part tonight."

Hyde gladly would take more innings like the top of the first.

"I like us offensively," he said. "I think we can surprise some people. We've got a couple young guys who are going to get a lot of at-bats that I think have really bright futures in Hays and Santander. You throw Iglesias in there, who continues to take professional at-bats and swung the bat great again tonight. Severino just missed a couple balls. He's coming into his own offensively. So I like where we are offensively."

Hyde also remains impressed with Herrera.

"He's swung the bat really well this summer camp, really shown some big power," Hyde said. "In our live at-bats that we've taken off our pitchers, he's hit multiple long home runs to center. ... I just wanted to continue to give him a look, especially against left-handed pitching. It's worked out well where he faced Corbin and then got to face Doolittle.

"And the defense. He's been playing very well in both corner outfield spots. I feel comfortable sticking him at third, second base if need be. I know he can play first base. He adds some versatility there, as well as a right-handed bat that we could use. I just wanted to get him some more at-bats tonight to continue to evaluate."

Stewart thought he was trying to be "too fine" in the first inning, which Hyde also noted.

"I wasn't just going right at them, I was trying to live on the corners and I kind of got caught up in that," Stewart said. "I think just trying to be a little bit too fine. I'm still working on some of those things and getting my feel back, but I definitely felt better as the game went on."

Asher Wojciechowski will throw a simulated game at Wednesday's workout at Camden Yards. The Orioles will hold an optional workout Thursday and head to Boston.