Wieters receives nice ovations in return (Orioles win 6-4)

BALTIMORE - Catcher Matt Wieters received a nice ovation and a video montage to the theme from the 1970s hit TV show "Welcome Back, Kotter" as he took warmup pitches from left-hander Gio Gonzalez tonight in the bottom of the first.

Then the home crowd gave much louder cheers as the Orioles blasted three homers in the first to take a 4-0 lead after one frame. Gonzalez allowed solo homers to Joey Rickard, Mark Trumbo and a two-run shot to Trey Mancini.

In the top of third with one out, Wieters was announced and received a standing ovation as he stepped into the batter's box for his first at-bat. He tipped his helmet to the crowd in acknowledgement. Wieters grounded out to the shortstop, who was playing between first and second bases in a shift.

Prior to the game, Nationals manager Dusty Baker was asked if it could get a bit emotional for Wieters in his first game back against the team he spent eight seasons with to begin his career.

"Yeah, probably so," Baker said. "When you come into this game, you always think ... that your gonna remain in that organization for 20 years. But shortly after you get there, then you realize you probably won't.

"That realization came to me when the Braves let Hank Aaron go back to Milwaukee or when (the Giants) traded Willie Mays back to the Mets. I was like, 'Whoa, I guess I'll be making a few stops'. It's always good to go back and where you started. There's always added motivation to go back and try to beat the team that traded you."

Wieters spoke about his first season with the Nationals as he sat in the visitor's dugout for the first time at Camden Yards as the opponent.

"It's a different vantage point, for sure, but it's a good feeling coming in today and being able to walk into the Yard like I did for so many years," he said. "It definitely brought a smile to my face and I'm excited to be able to play here again."

Update: After three innings, the Orioles lead the Nationals 4-0.

Update II: The Orioles continued to see Gonzalez well, but then again, his defense did him no favors in the fourth. Caleb Joseph contributed an RBI single with one out and two men on. A throwing error by Anthony Rendon on a Rickard grounder allowed J.J. Hardy to score.

After four innings, the Orioles lead the Nationals 6-0.

Update III: The Nationals finally broke through against Orioles starter Kevin Gausman in the fifth. Rendon led off with a double. Two strikeouts later, Michael A. Taylor laced a run-scoring double to make it 6-1 Orioles.

Update IV: Jayson Werth doubled and went to third on a wild pitch to begin the sixth. Bryce Harper brought him home with a run-scoring infield single. After six innings, the Orioles lead the Nationals 6-2.

Update V: Gonzalez lasted six innings, allowing six runs on seven hits with four walks and two strikeouts. But this start will be remembered for the three homers and four runs the Orioles scored in the first. He tossed 108 pitches, 60 for strikes.

Update VI: Harper smacked a solo homer off reliever Darren O'Day. His 10th homer came with two outs on a 2-2 pitch in the eighth. Mid-eighth, Orioles lead the Nationals 6-3.

By the way, Blake Treinen recorded a 1-2-3 seventh.

Update VII: In the ninth, the Nationals rallied with an one-out RBI double from Wieters off of Orioles reliever Brad Brach to make it 6-4. With Adam Lind on third and pinch-runner Trea Turner on second, pinch-hitter Brian Goodwin's hot shot was caught by Chris Davis for the second out at first base. Turner got caught up between second and third. Lind didnt break for home off of third. Davis threw to Hardy, who ran Turner toward third base. Hardy then tagged Lind out between third and home to end the game.

Final score: Orioles 6, Nationals 4.