Gunnar Henderson hit a two-run home run in the first inning as the Baltimore Orioles defeated the visiting Washington Nationals 4-1 on Wednesday night.
Orioles starter Dean Kremer worked six innings and allowed one run on five hits with three strikeouts. Kremer (5-9) snapped a personal five-game losing streak with his first victory in seven outings.
Yennier Cano, Cionel Perez and Seranthony Dominguez combined on three hitless innings of relief. Dominguez registered his third save of the season and his second since joining the Orioles from the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Orioles, who gained a bit of momentum heading into a four-game series with American League East rival Boston, snapped a two-game skid as teams split the two-game intraleague set. They each won two games in the season series.
Henderson’s 30th home run was his first in eight games and just his second homer since the All-Star break.
Rookie starter DJ Herz (2-5) remained winless in four road starts for the Nationals. He limited the Orioles to two runs on four hits in six innings while striking out five.
Alex Call had two of Washington’s five hits, but the Nationals couldn’t replicate the onslaught of offense that included 14 hits in Tuesday night’s 9-3 romp. The teams combined for 12 hits Wednesday after cranking out a total of 24 a night earlier.
No Baltimore batter had more than one hit, though the Orioles drew five walks to go with seven total hits.
Austin Slater, in just his eighth game with the Orioles, reached on a leadoff bunt single two batters before Henderson’s homer.
The Nationals scored in the second inning on Call’s two-out double.
Jackson Holliday’s RBI single and Adley Rutschman’s sacrifice fly in the seventh stretched the Orioles’ lead to 4-1. Those runs were charged to Washington reliever Robert Garcia.
Baltimore improved to 5-4 in home games since the All-Star break.
–Field Level Media