Baltimore Orioles: O’s Salvage A Split In First Round Of The 2019 Beltway Series

After a loss Tuesday, the Baltimore Orioles mounted a comeback to defeat the Nationals to salvage a series split.

Regardless of record rivalry series generally bring out the best in a team. Thus despite entering Wednesday 28-66, the Baltimore Orioles were motivated to avoid being swept on their home field by the Washington Nationals Wednesday evening.

After an 8-1 loss Tuesday night the O’s were able to respond in the final Beltway Series game in 2019 at Camden Yards as they edged the Nationals by a final score of 9-2.

Despite a long home run by Trey Mancini in the bottom of the fourth, the Orioles entered the bottom of the seventh inning trailing 2-1.

Mancini led of the inning with a walk, and Chance Sisco singled setting up the Orioles for a potential rally. Things looked bleak after slugger Renato Nunez flew out to right field but Anthony Santander would deliver as he ripped a line drive to center that dropped for a single and scored Mancini to tie the game. Then, Chris Davis lined a rare clutch single to score Sisco to give Baltimore a lead.

The Orioles would make it a three-run inning after Rio Ruiz hit a sacrifice fly making it a 4-2 game.

In the bottom of the eighth Mancini made sure to add insurance as he ripped his second home run of the game, Santander hit a sac-fly, Stevie Wilkerson hit an RBI double and Ruiz hit an RBI single as the Birds put the game out of reach.

With the win, Baltimore improved to 40-32 all-time against the Nationals. They also assured with the win that their streak of never being swept in a Beltway Season Series as they have never lost every game of a season series to Washington.

In August the two teams will resume their series as the O’s will travel south to take on the Nats at Nationals Park on August 27th and 28th.