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The Baltimore Orioles are making themselves at home on the road – even though their eighth consecutive win in such a scenario wasn’t too far from Camden Yards. Nick Markakis’ solo homer in the 11th inning provided just enough pop to give Baltimore a 2-1 triumph over the Washington Nationals in Friday’s opener of the Beltway Series. The American League East-leading Orioles have won four in a row and seven of nine heading into Saturday’s contest.
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Adam Jones may have saw his consecutive homers streak end at three contests, but recorded his third 10-game hitting streak of the season with an RBI infield single in the first inning. Ian Desmond did homer, but that was all Washington could muster en route to its fourth loss in seven games.
Orioles Nationals Betting
When: 7:15 PM ET, Saturday, May 19, 2012
Where: Nationals Park, Washington, District of Columbia
TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, Fox
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Jason Hammel (4-1, 2.68 ERA) vs. Nationals LH Ross Detwiler (3-2, 2.75)
Hammel has won all three career decisions versus Washington, handcuffing the team with a 1.18 WHIP and .248 batting average against. The 29-year-old has improved upon the latter two numbers against every team in 2012 – posting a 1.10 WHIP and .214 batting average against. Hammel’s last outing was not indicative of that, however, as he yielded five runs in as many innings in a no-decision versus the New York Yankees on Monday.
Detwiler matched Hammel’s effort Monday by posting the same statistics in a no-decision versus San Diego. The sixth overall pick of the 2007 draft, Detwiler dropped his lone career decision to Baltimore. In two starts against the Orioles, he has allowed six runs on 10 hits in 11 innings.
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1. Baltimore isn’t just belting the ball out of the park – it’s doing it with timely effectiveness. The Orioles lead the majors with 62 homers – 27 of which have come in the seventh inning or later. Perhaps it’s no surprise that Baltimore has won 13 of 16 games decided in the seventh inning or later.
2. Ryan Zimmerman, who had two hits in the series opener, is 5-for-14 with a homer and three RBIs in his career versus Hammel.
3. With Friday’s heroics fresh in his mind, Markakis could continue to swing a hot bat when he faces Detwiler. The Orioles’ star is 3-for-6 with an RBI in his career against him.
