Baltimore @ Washington preview
Nationals Park
Last Meeting ( Sep 23, 2015 ) Baltimore 4, Washington 3
The Washington Nationals showed signs of life last week, but the pulse of their playoff hopes is faint heading into the finale of a three-game series with the visiting Baltimore Orioles on Thursday. The Orioles eked out a 4-3 victory Wednesday and have handed the Nationals consecutive losses after Washington had won seven of eight to regain a glimmer of hope in the National League East race.
By completing a three-game sweep, the Orioles could all but sink their Beltway rivals’ listing playoff hopes. Washington remains 6 1/2 games behind the New York Mets with 11 games to play, though the division rivals conclude the regular season with a three-game set in New York. The Orioles (75-76) have a chance to get back to .500 for the first time since they were 63-63 on Aug. 26, but still have an uphill climb in the American League wild-card race. Baltimore was eliminated from the AL East race with Toronto’s victory Wednesday and is four games behind Houston for the second wild card.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Baltimore), MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Tyler Wilson (2-2, 3.72 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Tanner Roark (4-6, 4.73)
Wilson had success in a pair of spot starts earlier in the season but was roughed up in his return from an oblique strain Friday. The Virginia native, who turns 26 on Friday, was tagged for six runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings in a loss at Tampa Bay after allowing a total of six runs in 24 2/3 innings over his first six big-league outings (two starts). Wilson has been exclusively used as a starter in a five-year minor-league career and was 5-5 with a 3.24 ERA in 17 starts at Triple-A Norfolk this year.
Roark has been unable to duplicate the success from last year’s breakout campaign, neither as a starter nor out of the bullpen. The 28-year-old gave the Nationals two decent outings while getting stretched out earlier this month, but gave up six runs and eight hits in five innings in a loss to Miami on Thursday. Roark has not won since July 4, when he pitched 4 1/3 innings in relief and allowed two runs to earn the win against San Francisco.
WALK-OFFS
1. Orioles 3B Manny Machado, whose two-run homer - his 30th - provided the tying and winning runs Wednesday, has scored 12 runs in his past 12 games.
2. Nationals RF Bryce Harper, who leads the majors with a .341 batting average, is 0-for-3 with five walks in the series after collecting 14 hits in his previous seven contests.
3. Baltimore 1B/OF Steve Pearce is 7-for-17 with three homers and six RBIs during a five-game hitting streak.
PREDICTION: Nationals 6, Orioles 4