By: Gabrielle DiPaula
BALTIMORE - Game 1 of 2 for the Battle of the Beltway series as the Nationals visit Camden Yards. Wojchiechowski makes his third start and fourth mound appearance for the Orioles.
Wojchiechowski pitched threw 5.1 innings giving up three earned runs and striking out seven. This was probably one of the better appearances for Wojchiechowski. His first appearance with the Orioles was in Tampa Bay. He threw 96 pitches in 5.1 innings recording five hits, four runs, two walks and a home run. The result in that game was a loss for Baltimore 3-6.
It wasn't a completely clean first inning for either teams. Each team had a player that was hit by a pitch. "Wojo" hit Trea Turner, the first batter he faced, but was able to get out of the inning with a pop out and retiring the following two batters. Washington's Austin Voth loaded the bases by hitting both Trey Mancini and Renato Nunez and walking Chance Sisco.
A bruised first inning led to a scoring first inning by both teams, again. Matt Adams first plate appearance in the second inning was a homerun landing on Eutaw Street. Hanser Alberto with his fifth homerun of the season tied the game in the second inning 1-1.
After being hit at his first at-bat, Turner doubled with one out in the third inning. Right after Turner, Anthony Rendon also reached second, driving in a run, with the Nationals in the lead 2-1.
Wojchiechowski kept the Nationals quiet through the fourth and fifth innings. After fouling off his leg in the sixth inning, 20-year-old Juan Soto homered to right-center field, giving Washington another run 3-1. It was 95 pitches for Wojo and Shawn Armstrong came in to try and finish the inning. It was a decent night for Wojo but a rough one for the bull pen. Armstrong retired Matt Adams but Dozier sent a line drive to center field, letting him reach first base. While Robles was up to bat, Dozier was able to steal second, and reach third base on a wild pitch. That wasn't it for him though. A balk by Armstrong gave Dozier the go-ahead to home plate, now making it 4-1. The inning finally finished with tallying up his third strikeout of the night.
Miguel Castro replaced Armstrong in the seventh inning. Rendon with his second RBI-double of the night put the Nationals up by another run. Jimmy Yacabonis gave it a shot in the eighth inning. He retired the first two batters but extended the inning by walking Dozier. Robles final and fourth plate appearance was a line drive to left-center field, with Dozier scoring, again, now 6-1.
It was not easy for Tayler Scott who was the closer for the Orioles Tuesday night. With just one in the ninth inning Eaton, singled and Rendon was hit by a pitch. Both Juan Soto and Matt Adam's hits put two more runs on the board. With help from the defense to finish the inning, the Orioles fell to the Nationals 8-1 and are now 28-66.
Aaron Brooks takes the mound on Wednesday to help try and split the series with Washington.
