BALTIMORE – Jordan Zimmermann sank to his knees, dejection etched on his face. For six innings he dominated the Baltimore Orioles. It took just four pitches for his fine work to unravel.
The 24-year-old right-hander had allowed just two runners to reach base as the Nationals clung to a small lead. But in the bottom of the seventh a single by Nick Markakis and a home run by the ageless Vladimir Guerrero – a Camden Yards special that landed all of 365 feet away and cleared the left-field wall by inches – were enough to doom Washington in a 2-1 loss on Sunday afternoon at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
“I know it’s a tough loss. But at the same time we still have to give credit to Jordan,” catcher Ivan Rodriguez said. “He pitched very, very good game – in and out, get ahead in the count. He threw all his pitches for strikes. He did tremendous.”
But it was a bitter pill for Zimmermann to swallow because in his last start – May 12 at Atlanta – he suffered a similar fate. That night he struck out 11 Braves in just 6 1/3 innings, allowed four hits with one walk and only a solo homer to Chipper Jones. The Nats led 5-1. But a walk and a bloop hit with one out in the bottom of the seventh ended his night and set the stage for a game-tying grand slam off reliever Sean Burnett. Washington eventually lost in 10 innings.
That nightmare repeated itself Sunday as the Orioles (21-24) took two of three games to win this first installment of the Battle of the Beltways series. Zimmermann used a slow curveball to keep Baltimore’s hitters off balance. Heading into the seventh inning he’d allowed just two baserunners – a ground-rule double by Mark Reynolds and a walk to Luke Scott, both in the second inning. Otherwise, Zimmermann was in complete control, retiring 13 Orioles in a row with only two balls hit out of the infield. But Markakis’ single to right set up Guerrero, who lined an 0-2 curveball just over the fence in left. That turned a 1-0 Nats lead into a 2-1 deficit.
“That’s tough, but it’s baseball,” Zimmermann Said. “You have to find a way to bounce back and get ready for you next start.”
Washington originally went ahead when No. 9 batter Alex Cora reached on an infield single to the left side with the bases loaded. But that was all the support Zimmermann would receive. The Nats (21-25) left Ian Desmond stranded at second with one out in the first. It had first-and-second with one out in the third when Baltimore starter Chris Tillman struck out the next two batters. Singles in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings all went for naught, too.
Those missed opportunities proved costly. In the ninth Matt Stairs drew a one-out walk off Orioles closer Kevin Gregg and Brian Bixler pinch ran. But Gregg – after a couple of close calls went against him – struck out Roger Bernadina and watched catcher Matt Wieters throw out Bixler, who was running on the play, at second base. Wieters is now 14-for-28 when opposing runners try to steal.
“Vladimir is a guy that there’s no safe spot to pitch him. He can do that,” Riggleman said. “And they’ve got that American League lineup. You’re going to see four or five guys in a row come up there and you may get them out, but somebody is going to pop one sooner or later. That’s why you’ve got to score some runs and have a little margin for error.”
Nats Notes
First baseman Adam LaRoche sat out Sunday’s game against the Orioles and will get a second opinion on his ailing left shoulder in New York on Monday. LaRoche, playing with a labral tear in that shoulder, will sit out Monday’s game at Milwaukee.
Washington manager Jim Riggleman was ejected just one batter into the game after leadoff hitter Roger Bernadina was called out for stepping on home plate after a successful bunt attempt.
Nats starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann was the hard-luck loser. As a small consolation, the Auburndale, Wisc. Native celebrates his 25th birthday back home Monday when the Nats begin a three-game series in Milwaukee.
