Field Level Media
May 23, 2021
Kyle Schwarber belted a two-run homer as part of a four-run first inning as the Washington Nationals completed a three-game sweep of the visiting Baltimore Orioles with a 6-5 victory on Sunday.
Patrick Corbin (3-3) allowed four runs on 11 hits over 5 2/3 innings for Washington, which recorded its second series sweep of the season. Brad Hand struck out Anthony Santander with two runners on in the ninth inning for his seventh save.
Baltimore has lost six in a row and 13 of its last 15 games. Trey Mancini went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored.
The Orioles jumped to an early lead for the second straight day with three runs in the top of the first against Corbin.
Mancini and Santander delivered consecutive RBI singles before Pedro Severino grounded into a double play. Maikel Franco then doubled in a run to score Mancini from third.
Santander had a pair of hits and extended his hitting streak against the Nationals to 12 games, dating back to July 17, 2019.
Washington responded in the bottom half with four runs off Matt Harvey (3-5). Josh Bell singled in a run with one out ahead of Schwarber's two-run blast to right field. Starlin Castro struck out, Josh Harrison doubled, and Alex Avila delivered a run-scoring double to put the Nationals ahead 4-3.
Harvey gave up six runs (five earned) on nine hits over 4 2/3 innings. The 32-year-old right-hander has allowed 18 earned runs over his last three starts covering 10 2/3 innings.
The Orioles had two runners on with no outs in the third but were able to only push one run across when Mancini scored from third on Franco's sacrifice fly.
Trea Turner had two hits and put Washington ahead 5-4 in the fourth with a sacrifice fly that scored Avila, who doubled to begin the inning.
The Nationals added to their lead with two outs in the fifth when Andrew Stevenson drew a bases-loaded walk from Cole Sulser.
The Orioles pulled within a run in the seventh on Mancini's RBI groundout. Baltimore recorded 13 hits but finished 3-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
--Field Level Media