Washington @ Baltimore preview
Oriole Park at Camden Yards
Last Meeting ( May 23, 2010 ) Baltimore 3, Washington 4
The Baltimore Orioles' bats were on fire Thursday night. Interim manager Juan Samuel is hoping they have a few more flames left.
The Orioles look to continue their offensive ways tonight when they open a three-game interleague series at home against the Washington Nationals.
Baltimore halted a three-game losing streak in a big way Thursday, erupting for a season high-tying 17 hits and 11 runs against the Florida Marlins. The outburst marked just the second time this season the Orioles reached double digits in runs, with the first coming on May 1 - a 12-9 victory over the Boston Red Sox.
Miguel Tejada was the offensive star for Baltimore, going 4-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs. The veteran, who entered having driven in just one run this month, matched his season high for RBIs and belted his first homer since April 30 in the seventh inning, ending his career-high drought at 205 at-bats.
Adam Jones went 3-for-5 with a homer and two RBIs, Luke Scott also drove in a pair of runs and Craig Tatum collected three hits for the Orioles, who improved to 12-23 at home and 5-13 under Samuel.
Veteran Kevin Millwood notched his second consecutive victory after losing his first eight decisions this season despite yielding four runs and eight hits in five innings.
Baltimore, which is 4-11 - including a 1-5 mark at Camden Yards - in interleague play this season, has posted just five victories in its last 26 games and eight in its last 36 contests. The Orioles hope to put together consecutive wins for the first time since capturing three in a row from May 12-14 when they send rookie Jake Arrieta to the mound.
Arrieta will be making his fourth career start, all this season, when he toes the rubber against Washington. The 24-year-old right-hander was victorious in each of his first two outings before struggling on Sunday, allowing six runs - five earned - and five hits in a 9-4 loss at San Diego.
The Nationals are coming off their seventh loss in nine games, a 1-0 setback to the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday. Rookie phenom Stephen Strasburg suffered his first career loss even though he lowered his ERA to 1.78 by surrendering just one run in six innings.
Over its last nine contests, Washington has not scored more than four runs in a game and has been shut out twice.
The Nationals, who are 5-10 against American League teams this year, put their hopes for victory on the shoulders of right-hander J.D. Martin.
Despite being winless, Martin has pitched well this season, allowing two earned runs or fewer in three of his four starts. The 27-year-old rebounded from his worst outing of the season by yielding only one run in six innings against the Chicago White Sox on Saturday but still wound up on the losing end of a 1-0 decision.
Martin has 18 strikeouts and just one walk in 25 1/3 innings this year.
The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Washington won two of three at home from May 21-23, dropping the series opener before posting a pair of one-run victories.