Moments That Mattered: Disastrous 7th Inning Sinks Nats

Tonight’s game was looking great heading into the sixth. Ryan Zimmerman had one or probably two shots to make history with four home runs, and Jordan Zimmermann was handling a potent Orioles lineup well. But the Nats went in order in the top of the frame, and the Orioles came alive in a big way in the bottom half. Six hits, including two homers, turned a 6-3 lead into a 9-6 deficit. It was an unmitigated disaster for the Nats, as their odds of winning dropped from 86.9% to 7.3% in the bottom half of the frame. From there, the Nats went quietly: after they scored six runs through 4.2 innings, the last 13 Nats were retired in order. It was a disappointing missed opportunity, and the Orioles will have the momentum heading into tomorrow’s finale of the home-and-home series.

Most Important Nationals Hit: Ryan Zimmerman’s two-run home run (+13.9%) 

May 29, 2013; Baltimore, MD, USA; Washington Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman (11) hits a solo home run in the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

Zimmerman came to the plate with Denard Span on second and home runs in each of his first two at-bats. His third homer of the game propelled the Nats to a 6-2 lead and put him in the history books. Zimmerman is now the third National with three home runs in a game, joining Alfonso Soriano in 2006 and Adam Dunn in 2010. He finished 3-4 with four RBI.

Most Important Nationals Pitch: Manny Machado‘s game-tying double (+25.3%)

The Orioles trailed 6-3 coming into the sixth, but the deficit was cut to 6-5 by the time Machado came up, thanks to a Steve Pearce two-run home run. With a runner on first, Machado sent a double to left that tied the game and put him in position to score the tiebreaking run. Nick Markakis would deliver him home with a single in the next at-bat, which was the Orioles’ fifth straight hit to open the inning.

Champ of the Game: Obviously, Zimmerman (+33.9%) took this with his three bombs, but the team’s offensive sputtering late in the game prevented him from batting a fifth time. The Orioles’ Chris Davis (+30.6%) had a similarly great game: 4-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R. His 19 home runs leads the league by four.

Chump of the Game: Despite his 1.71 ERA coming in, Jordan Zimmermann (-53.1%) got beaten up by the O’s, allowing seven runs on ten hits in 6+ innings. The Orioles’ starter, Chris Tillman (-38.2%) suffered similarly, allowing six runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings.