Washington Nationals 3, Baltimore Orioles 2. This marks the scoreline from the Friday night clash, a contest that saw the Nationals narrowly hold on. The margin of victory was razor-thin, a single run separating the two teams at the final tally. Daylen Lile's consistent offensive output, marked by another home run, played a pivotal role, while pitcher Zack Littell delivered a strong, scoreless performance across five innings.
Lile's homer is not an isolated incident; it represents his fourth home run in his last four games. This streak highlights a recent surge in his power display. Littell's outing was his best of the season, providing a solid foundation for the Nationals' defense.
The Orioles' struggles to plate runs were evident. Shane Baz (1-5) absorbed the loss, giving up three runs on six hits. Looking ahead, the Orioles are slated to face RHP Cade Cavalli (1-2, 4.02) on Saturday, with the Orioles' Chris Bassitt (3-2, 5.21) taking the mound.
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The game's narrative was further shaped by an earlier play where CJ Abrams singled, advanced to third on Lile’s hit, and then scored on a Brady House fly ball to right field in the fourth inning. Lile himself had a near-perfect offensive night, finishing three hits shy of the cycle.
This fixture follows a pattern of close contests and varied outcomes between these two clubs recently. Earlier in the week, the Orioles experienced a significant loss, falling 13-3 to the Nationals, a game where their pitching faltered. Conversely, the Orioles had a decisive 7-0 victory over the New York Yankees on Wednesday, fueled by Kyle Bradish's six one-hit innings and a homer from Adley Rutschman. Prior to that, the Yankees had managed a 6-2 win against the Orioles on Tuesday, with Paul Goldschmidt and Trent Grisham contributing key home runs.
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The Orioles roster has seen some recent activity, with a minor league deal reported for Tommy Pham. There's also ongoing discussion and tracking related to the 2026 MLB ABS challenge system and future drafts.
The match occurred on Friday night, May 15, 2026.