Nationals walk off on Matt Wieters single in the ninth, 7-6 over Orioles in D.C.

Just when it seemed like all hope was lost and the Washington Nationals were going to lose their fourth straight game, Jayson Werth had one of those at bats, battling Baltimore Orioles’ closer Brad Brach for 11 pitches and launching a leadoff blast to right field in Nationals Park to make it a one-run game in the ninth, 6-5.

Bryce Harper followed with an opposite field double that put the potential tying run at second and one out later, after a Daniel Murphy walk, Anthony Rendon hit a single to center to load them up with one down and Matt Wieters won it with a two-run single, 7-6 Nationals.

Nationals now 22-12

HERE’S HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Stephen Strasburg started the night with two on and no one out in each of the first two innings, with a double and a walk in the first and a HBP and single in the second.

He worked his way out of trouble in the first, but a bloop single to right in the second brought Jonathan Schoop in from second for a 1-0 Orioles’ lead early.

O’s starter Wade Miley bunted for a hit in the next at bat, loading them up when Nats’ third baseman Anthony Rendon fielded it and had no play at first and no one to throw to at third.

Seth Smith followed with a sac fly to center, 2-0, and Adam Jones followed with a line drive opposite field single to right and it was 3-0 Orioles after one and a half.

• Strasburg was up to seven Ks from 19 batters faced after he struck out the side in a 13P fourth, but he was also up to 71 pitches after four innings of work, and down 3-0 to the Orioles.

• Anthony Rendon and Matt Wieters walked and singled in succession with one out in the second, but were both stranded. They did it again in the home half of the fourth, and this time Michael A. Taylor came through in his second RBI opportunity, working the count full and lining an RBI single to left to get the Nationals on the board, 3-1 Orioles.

• Chris Davis singled on a line drive to center to start the fifth and one pitch later, a first-pitch slider to Mark Trumbo, the Nationals were in a four-run hole after the O’s slugger hit a two-run home run to the back rows of the Red Porch seats in left, 5-1.

• Ryan Zimmerman stepped up with a chance to tie things up with one swing in the fifth, after Trea Turner, Jayson Werth and Bryce Harper singled, walked and singled, respectively, with Harper’s opposite field liner loading them up.

Zimmerman worked back from an 0-2 count to get it full, but K’d swinging at a change off the plate outside. Daniel Murphy sent a grounder to first that brought in a run and avoided the double play after a force at second. That’s all they got, 5-2 O’s after five.

• Wade Miley’s Line: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 5 Ks, 119 P, 70 S, 7/1 GO/FO.

• Stephen Strasburg’s Line: 6.0 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 2 BB, 9 Ks, 1 HR, 100 P, 68 S, 2/4 GO/FO.

• Blake Treinen took over for the Nationals in the top of the seventh inning, and retired the first two batters before giving up a towering solo shot to left field on a first-pitch slider to Manny Machado, 6-2 Orioles.

• Daniel Murphy singled to start the Nationals’ eighth and scored two outs later on a two-run home run home run to left by Michael A. Taylor, who took former Phillies’ righty Alec Asher deep to left field, 6-4. MAT’s first of 2017.

• Matt Albers tossed a 16-pitch, scoreless top of the ninth.

• Brad Brach battled Jayson Werth for 11 pitches, but the 11th ended up going over the out-of-town scoreboard in right as Jayson Werth made it a one-run game with his sixth home run of the season.

• Bryce Harper followed with an opposite field double to left field, putting the tying run on second. Daniel Murphy walked and Anthony Rendon singled before Matt Wieters won it...

NATIONALS PREGAME NOTES:

• With wins in each of the first two games with Washington, Baltimore improved to 38-24 against their regional rivals, and the Orioles have won eight of the twelve series the two teams have played since 2006.
• Even after three straight losses, the Nationals still have the NL’s best record heading into tonight’s matchup with the Orioles.
• Washington’s offense started the night leading the majors in runs scored (202), AVG (.281), SLG (.485), extra base hits (130), hits (330), doubles (73), and RBIs (198).
• Baltimore’s offense started the night 64 for 213 (.300 AVG) with runners in scoring position.
• Adam Lind hit his third pinch hit home run last night, tying the Nationals’ record for pinch hit homers in a Nats uniform.
• Orioles’ second baseman Jonathan Schoop extended his on-base streak to 24-straight games last night.
• Bryce Harper has reached base in six straight games and starts the home-half of the Interleague matchup with the Orioles leading the majors in OBP (.500), runs scored (36), walks (28), and intentional walks (6).
• Ryan Zimmerman started the night leading the majors in AVG (.41), SLG (.855), RBIs (34), hits (48), multi-hit games (16) and extra base hits (26).
• Stephen Strasburg started the night (1-0) with a 2.25 ERA in two starts and 12 IP vs the Orioles in his career, though his last outing against the O’s was back in 2014.