May 9, 2017; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones (10) is greeted by teammates after scoring the game winning run in the 12th inning against the Washington Nationals at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Photo Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports
BALTIMORE — Mark Trumbo delivered a walk-off single in the bottom of the 12th inning as the Baltimore Orioles rallied for their sixth straight win, a 5-4 decision over the Washington Nationals on Tuesday night.
Adam Jones started the game-winning rally with a one-out single off right-hander Jacob Turner (1-1). Manny Machado followed with a soft single to center that sent Jones to third. The Nationals intentionally walked Chris Davis to load the bases. Trumbo then lined a single to left on the first pitch from Turner for the game-winning hit.
It was Trumbo’s second walk-off hit this season and the seventh of his career.
Logan Verrett (2-0) earned the victory with three innings of scoreless relief.
Baltimore (22-10), which has the best record in baseball, nearly won it in the 11th when J.J. Hardy doubled with two outs, but he got thrown out at the plate by right fielder Bryce Harper after a Caleb Joseph single.
The Orioles forced extra innings with a two-run rally in the bottom of the ninth against Enny Romero that tied the game 4-4. He allowed a walk, later balked and gave up an RBI double to Jonathan Schoop.
Hardy followed with the game-tying single. The last two hits came with two outs as Romero blew the save opportunity.
Washington (21-12) had taken a 4-1 lead in the eighth when Adam Lind hit a pinch-hit three-run homer off Baltimore starter Ubaldo Jimenez.
Lind now has three pinch-hit homers this season and eight in his career.
Jimenez lasted 7 2/3 innings and allowed four runs on five hits but could not quite match Washington starter Max Scherzer. The right-hander allowed two runs on four hits in eight-plus innings. He struck out 11, tying a season high.
The Nationals took an early lead on a Daniel Murphy solo homer in the second inning, and the Orioles did not even get a hit off Scherzer until Seth Smith tied the game with his solo blast in the sixth.
Jones cut the lead to 4-2 with a homer in the eighth, which set up the ninth-inning dramatics.
NOTES: LHP Zach Britton (left forearm strain), the Baltimore closer, has been shut down for 10 days. Various media reports were saying Tuesday night that Britton could be out 45-60 days. Manager Buck Showalter said the Orioles will rotate their closers — RHPs Brad Brach, Darren O’Day and possibly Mychal Givens or even LHP Donnie Hart. … Washington RHP Koda Glover (left hip impingement) is heading out to Double-A Harrisburg for a rehab assignment, and the club hopes he might be able to return next week.
