Orioles 2, Nationals 0
BALTIMORE -- Nick Markakis and Manny Machado each had RBI doubles, and starter Freddy Garcia threw eight shutout innings as the Baltimore Orioles scored a 2-0 victory over the Washington Nationals Thursday night at Camden Yards.
The Orioles (30-24) took three of four in this "Battle of the Beltways" series with the Nationals (27-27), with the first two games being played in Washington before coming to Oriole Park the past two nights.
Baltimore took the lead on a Markakis RBI double in the third, and Machado's eighth-inning, run-scoring double added some insurance.
Garcia fed the Washington hitters a steady stream of off-speed pitches, and he cleverly mixed speeds and spots, allowing only three hits and striking out six without a walk. The right-hander often had the Nationals hitters out in front of pitches and settled into a good rhythm early.
Garcia (2-2) gave up two hits in the second, but then retired 13 straight before Roger Bernadina's two-out single to right in the sixth. After that, Garcia set down the final seven batters he faced in a 113-pitch effort on a humid evening.
Jim Johnson came on in the ninth and earned his 17th save by retiring Washington in order. The right-hander had blown four saves in five appearances before locking up saves the past two nights.
Nationals starter Dan Haren (4-6) almost matched Garcia but didn't get any help on offense. The right-hander threw 7 1/3 innings and gave up just two runs on eight hits with five strikeouts, but it wasn't enough on this night.
Both teams wasted good early scoring chances early. The Orioles stranded Nate McLouth at third in the first, and the Nationals put runners at second and third with one out in second before Garcia escaped trouble by retiring the next two batters.
The Orioles took the lead in the third. Ryan Flaherty led off with a single and later moved to second on Machado's two-out single.
Markakis followed with a double down the right field line to knock in the game's first run. That put runners at second and third with two outs, but Haren struck out Adam Jones.
NOTES: McLouth extended his hitting streak to eight games when he led off the bottom of the first with a double to left-center. ... Baltimore backup C Taylor Teagarden, on the disabled list since April 28 due to a dislocated left thumb, will go to Triple-A Norfolk on a rehab assignment this weekend. If everything works out, he could return to the Orioles next week when they're on the road. ... The Nationals kept OF Bryce Harper out of the starting lineup for a fourth straight game as he continues to battle bursitis in his left knee. He hurt the knee on the team's last road trip, and the team is hoping he might be ready for Friday's game in Atlanta.
