Baltimore Orioles vs Washington Nationals — Recap

📰Game Recap

The Washington Nationals quickly stifled a Baltimore Orioles rally in the seventh inning, exploding for seven runs to turn a one-run lead into an insurmountable advantage and secure a decisive victory over their Beltway rivals.

Washington started strong, taking an early lead when Keibert Ruiz launched a three-run homer in the bottom of the second inning. An RBI double from Abrams in the third further extended the Nationals' advantage to 4-0. The Orioles finally broke through in the top of the seventh, as Basallo and O'Neill hit back-to-back solo home runs. Ward then delivered an RBI single, trimming the deficit to a single run.

However, the Nationals immediately countered Baltimore's comeback attempt in the bottom half of the seventh, unleashing a seven-run frame that cemented their lead. Brady House started the outburst with an an RBI double, followed by Daylen Lile reaching on a fielder's choice that scored another run. Ruiz then delivered a two-run single, and Young capped the explosive inning with a three-run home run, pushing Washington's lead to 11-3. Ruiz finished the game with three hits, including his early three-run blast, collecting five RBIs and scoring twice. On the mound, Cade Cavalli delivered a strong outing for Washington, striking out eight while allowing three earned runs over 6 1/3 innings.

The Nationals' immediate and overwhelming response in the seventh inning prevented any further comeback attempts by Baltimore, allowing them to cruise to victory. Washington improved its record to 61-66, while Baltimore fell to 61-64.