Daylen Lile’s go-ahead single in the 10th inning snapped Washington’s four-game losing streak as the Nationals beat the Baltimore Orioles 4-3 on Saturday night, with Luis García Jr. homering and Washington’s bullpen holding late.
BALTIMORE — The Nationals had been waiting to exhale. After four straight defeats, they were still grinding through another tight game when the next inning finally delivered.
In the 10th, Daylen Lile singled off Ryan Helsley to lead off the frame, driving in the automatic runner, Dylan Crews, for the go-ahead run. Washington hung on for a 4-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday night.
Luis García Jr. also swung the momentum in Washington’s favor with a homering day. He led off the fifth with a 418-foot blast to right off Orioles starter Brandon Young, giving the Nationals a 2-1 lead.
Clayton Beeter pitched a clean 1-2-3 ninth for Washington. Justin Lawrence then worked through a bases-loaded situation, inducing Samuel Basallo’s game-ending groundout in his Nationals debut to earn his first save since 2024.
Earlier. Washington starter Foster Griffin battled through trouble. allowing an unearned run on three hits and two walks over seven innings while throwing 112 pitches—the most by a Nationals pitcher since Patrick Corbin had 113 against Pittsburgh on June 28. 2022. Griffin tied his career high with nine strikeouts.
Baltimore’s late push came when its patience finally met a crack in Washington’s bullpen. In the eighth, Chadwick Tromp singled off PJ Poulin and moved up on a passed ball. Poulin retired the next two batters, but Pete Alonso doubled to left off Orlando Ribalta to make it 3-2. Alonso then scored to tie it when pinch hitter Basallo singled.
The scoring started sooner for Washington. In the second inning, Lile doubled and scored on Jorbit Vivas’ single. The Orioles answered back in the bottom of the inning when Tromp delivered a two-out RBI single.
García’s homer was only part of the damage. In the sixth, Blaze Alexander committed fielding and throwing errors on Vivas’ leadoff grounder, and Drew Millas singled two batters later to drive in Vivas.
Young took the loss for Baltimore after allowing two runs on seven hits in five innings. He struck out a career-high eight batters.
For Washington, the win snapped a four-game losing streak. For Baltimore, it was another stumble—the Orioles have dropped three of four.
Sunday’s series finale sends Washington RHP Zack Littell (6-6, 5.40 ERA) against Baltimore RHP Kyle Bradish (5-7, 3.64).
Washington Nationals Baltimore Orioles Daylen Lile Luis García Jr. RBI single 10th inning Justin Lawrence Clayton Beeter Foster Griffin
10th inning win?? love when it gets dramatic last second.
Did he really hit the go-ahead off some guy named Helsley? Sounds like a made up name lol. Anyway Orioles bullpen needs to get it together, always choking late.
I’m confused though, it says snapped Washington’s losing streak but they still struggled all game. Also “unearned run” sounds like the pitching was fine? Like how can it be unearned if it was still runs and hits and all that.
Sounds like Nationals finally woke up when the automatic runner was in there. Honestly MLB rules like that are wild, feels like they just get gifted a run then everyone pretends it’s clutch. But hey Garcia homered so I guess that part was cool.