 took the mound with a 6.21 ERA and was facing a team averaging 9 1/2 runs over its last 11 games. The right-hander allowed just four baserunners and struck out six, including four in a row bridging the first and second innings.Rookie Hunter Harvey entered in the eighth for the fourth time since making his debut on Aug. 17. After Trea Turner hit a one-out triple, Harvey struck out Adam Eaton, walked Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto to load the bases and fired a few fastballs around 100 mph before striking out Asdrubal Cabrera .It was the kind of performance the Orioles were looking for when they drafted him in the first round of the 2013 draft.''When you throw 99 and it sounds like a vacuum cleaner going by me, it's pretty serious heat,'' Eaton said.Mychal Givens, the last of four Orioles relievers, got three straight outs to complete the four-hitter and earn his 11th save.''It's a great win, no doubt about it,'' Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said. ''That's a really good ballclub, a playoff ballclub that's the hottest team in baseball right now. To be able to come in and put zeroes up for nine innings, it's a testament to our pitchers.'' Brooks and the Baltimore bullpen outpitched Patrick Corbin (10-6), who gave up two runs and four hits in seven innings with nine strikeouts. The left-hander was 5-0 in 12 starts since June 11.Corbin came in with a 1.76 ERA at home and promptly gave up two first-inning runs. Hanser Alberto opened the game with a single on the first pitch and Corbin hit Trey Mancini in the foot with a slider before Anthony Santander doubled in a run and Jonathan Villar delivered a sacrifice fly.It was hard to imagine at the time, but that would be enough offense to defeat a club that totaled 41 runs during its five-game winning streak and had not been blanked since June 13.Turner and Victor Robles each had two hits for Washington.''It's not easy to flush,'' Martinez said of the defeat. ''I'll go home and watch the game.'' BEEN A WHILEThe last time the Orioles took a shutout into the seventh inning was July 21, at home against Boston, behind Asher Wojciechowski. That was 34 games ago.MOUNTCASTLE MVPIf the Orioles rebuild is to be successful, most of the stars will come from their minor league system. One of Baltimore's top prospects, 22-year-old first baseman Ryan Mountcastle, has been chosen MVP of the International League. The 2016 first-round pick batted .308 with 25 homers and 80 RBIs over 121 games with Norfolk in his first season at the Triple-A level.''We've had a lot of bright spots, good stories this year in our minor league system, and Ryan is obviously one of those,'' said Hyde, who offered no clue whether Mountcastle would be summoned when rosters expand next month.TRAINER'S ROOMNationals: Closer Sean Doolittle (right knee tendinitis) will throw a simulated game Wednesday and if all goes well could be activated as soon as this weekend. ... Left-handed reliever Roenis Elias (left hamstring) had a bullpen session Tuesday. If he feels good Wednesday, he might pitch an inning in a simulated game, Martinez said.Orioles: Mark Trumbo started a rehabilitation assignment with Norfolk in a last-ditch effort to play in the big leagues this season. He's been on the injured list all year while recovering from right knee surgery. The 33-year-old led the majors with 47 homers in 2016. ... Alberto started Tuesday after taking a knee to his head and neck Sunday while being tagged out at second base.UP NEXTNationals: Max Scherzer (9-5, 2.41 ERA) starts in the series finale Wednesday, his first appearance at Nationals Park since July 25.Orioles: Wojciechowski (2-6, 4.67) is 0-3 with a 6.00 ERA in five starts since July 26.---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports)
Orioles next to try to stop Nationals' surgeFLMThe Baltimore Orioles have won four of their past six games, finally getting some good starting pitching. But life is going to get tougher on Tuesday when they start a two-game series at the Washington Nationals.Washington has been one of the hottest teams in baseball over recent weeks.The Nationals, who stumbled to a 19-31 start, have gone 54-26 since then, which is the best 80-game stretch in club history, according to MLB.com.Washington is coming off a three-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field last weekend that gave the Nationals a four-game lead for the top spot in the wild-card race.The Nationals, who have won five in a row, closed that series by doing what they've done a bunch of times -- blowing a late lead before bouncing back to win. Washington failed to hold a late lead Sunday against the Cubs but pushed across a run in the top of the 11th thanks to a wild pitch, and then Anthony Rendon lined an RBI single that helped lock up a 7-5 victory."Resilient," manager Dave Martinez said of his team on MLB.com. "They're very resilient. I'm telling you. I've said this all along. They're not going to quit. That's who they are." Patrick Corbin (10-5, 3.17 ERA) will start for Washington in the opener. The left-hander has won at least 10 games in each of the past three seasons, although this is his first with the Nationals.He's 0-0 with a 4.00 ERA in two career games against Baltimore.Right-hander Aaron Brooks (3-7, 6.21) is coming off his first win as an Oriole in his last start. Brooks, who was claimed by Baltimore on July 6 after he was waived by the Oakland A's, has no record and a 3.38 ERA in one game against Washington.The Orioles took two out of three from Kansas City and split a four-game series with Tampa Bay in their most recent homestand. On Saturday, John Means threw seven solid innings before Dylan Bundy went five on Sunday, and the bullpen took care of the rest both days.Means' situation is up in the air as the Orioles placed him on the family medical emergency list Sunday and brought up right-hander Tayler Scott to pitch in the bullpen. The Orioles said Sunday they do not yet know if Means can make his next start, set for Friday in Kansas City.Hanser Alberto left Sunday's win over the Rays due to a head contusion and a cervical neck strain after a collision at second base. Manager Brandon Hyde said there were no signs of a concussion.Renato Nunez felt some tightness in his left hamstring in the seventh, and Chris Davis batted for him an inning later.The Orioles have scored 15 runs in their past two games. Jonathan Villar homered in each of the past three games and became the sixth Oriole to have 20 homers and 20 steals in one season."He's just a really good player, and he has a ton of tools and can do a ton of things," Hyde told MLB.com after Sunday's game. "His second half has been fantastic." --Field Level Media
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