The Washington Nationals entered Tuesday night’s game with a league-best 104 runs in their last 11 contests. The Baltimore Orioles came to town with a starting pitcher who had an ERA of 6.21.
The statistics didn’t matter, as Baltimore starter Aaron Brooks threw six scoreless innings and the Orioles scored two runs in the first inning to beat the Nationals 2-0.
It was the first time the Nationals were blanked since June 13, when they lost at home 5-0 to Arizona.
Washington wasted a strong outing from lefty Patrick Corbin (10-6), who gave up just two runs on four hits with nine strikeouts in seven innings before a crowd of 24,946 at Nationals Park.
Washington (73-58) had won its last five and completed a three-game sweep Sunday on the road against the Chicago Cubs. Baltimore (44-88) is 19-17 at Nationals Park since 2006.
Victor Robles had a two-out infield single in the seventh off Orioles reliever Richard Bleier. The Orioles called on right-hander Miguel Castro to face Yan Gomes, who was retired for the last out of the inning.
Hunter Harvey, another Orioles reliever, loaded the bases in the eighth before fanning Asdrubal Cabrera for the final out to end the threat. Trea Turner had tripled with one out before two walks loaded the bases. Mychal Givens pitched the ninth for Baltimore and got his 11th save.
Brooks (4-7) had fanned Adam Eaton, Anthony Rendon, and Juan Soto in order in the first to leave Turner stranded. Turner had singled to reach base for the 33rd game in a row.
The Orioles took a 2-0 lead in the first as Anthony Santander had an RBI double and Renato Nunez drove in the second run with a sacrifice fly.
Corbin, who entered the game with a home ERA of 1.76, retired the next 13 batters before Hanser Alberto reached on an infield single in the sixth.
It was just the third time Corbin ever pitched against the Orioles. He made one previous start against Baltimore, in 2013, at Chase Field in Phoenix when he pitched for Arizona.
Washington third baseman Anthony Rendon, named the National League player of the week on Monday, entered the game with a hitting streak of 12 games in row. He was hitless in two at-bats with two walks.
The two-game series ends Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. with Max Scherzer (9-5, 2.41) of Washington pitching against Asher Wojciechowski (2-6, 4.67) of the Orioles.
The Nationals are off Thursday and begin a three-game series at home Friday with the last-place Miami Marlins. Washington entered Tuesday 5½ games back of first-place Atlanta in the National League East. The Nationals hold the top wild-card spot in the National League.
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