Washington @ Baltimore preview

Last Meeting ( May 20, 2012 ) Baltimore 3, Washington 9

Jason Hammel is coming off the top performance of his career as he takes the mound for the Baltimore Orioles in the opener of a three-game series against the visiting Washington Nationals. Hammel threw a one-hitter for his first career shutout while dominating the Atlanta Braves last Saturday. Hammel allowed only a two-out, seventh-inning single to Jason Heyward. He is 4-0 lifetime against Washington, which leads the National League East by 3 1/2 games.

Baltimore might need a well-pitched outing by Hammel to be in the game against the pitching-rich Nationals after tallying just 12 runs over their last six games. The Orioles didn't have more than six hits in any of the contests during a 2-4 road trip that ended with Baltimore being swept in a three-game series by the New York Mets.

Washington won the final two games of a three-game set against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Nationals have thrived despite injuries to sluggers Jayson Werth (season-ending wrist surgery) and Michael Morse (first homer of the season on Tuesday) and a season-long slump by third baseman Ryan Zimmerman (.226 average, three homers). The Orioles took two of three from the Nationals when the teams met in Baltimore last month.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, Mid-Atlantic Sports Network 2 (Washington), Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (Baltimore)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Jordan Zimmermann (3-5, 2.92 ERA) vs. Orioles RH Jason Hammel (7-2, 2.87)

Zimmermann hasn’t won since defeating the Philadelphia Phillies on May 22. He took a no-decision in his last outing when he gave up two earned runs and five hits in six innings. Zimmermann is 1-1 with a 2.75 ERA in three career outings against Baltimore.

Hammel has won four of his last five outings and has already equaled last year’s victory total when he went 7-13 for the Colorado Rockies. He has limited opposing hitters to a .219 average and has 77 strikeouts in 81 2/3 innings. Hammel has a 3.99 ERA in six career starts against Washington.

WALK-OFFS:

1. Baltimore’s Wilson Betemit is 9-for-20 with two homers over his last seven outings and has a .392 average in 51 career at-bats against Washington.

2. Zimmerman is batting .412 with a homer in 17 career at-bats against Hammel.

3. Orioles OF Nick Markakis won’t begin hitting as slated Friday due to soreness in his right wrist and instead will have the injury re-examined.