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Orioles 9, Nationals 6

BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Orioles overcame a career-high three home runs by Washington's Ryan Zimmerman by scoring six times in the seventh inning for a wild 9-6 victory over the Nationals before an announced crowd of 39,129 on Wednesday night at Oriole Park.

With the Nationals holding a 6-3 lead, Steve Pearce cut the margin with a two-run homer off Nationals starter Jordan Zimmermann. Manny Machado tied the game two batters later with a double that scored Nate McLouth.

Nick Markakis then gave the Orioles their first lead, 7-6, with a single up the middle. Chris Davis followed by hitting his second home run of the game and league-leading 19th of the season with a towering, two-run shot to center.

Zimmermann allowed a season-high three homers and seven earned runs. He also gave up 10 hits with three strikeouts and one walk over six innings.

Davis went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and Markakis also homered for the Orioles.

Zimmerman became the first National League player to hit three home runs in a game at Oriole Park. Roger Bernadina also hit a home run for the Nationals.

Steve Johnson and Tommy Hunter pitched scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth, respectively. And Jim Johnson, who has blown four of his past five saves chances, closed out the game with a scoreless ninth.

Baltimore starter Chris Tillman allowed six runs, including a career-high four homers, on eight hits with four strikeouts and a one walk over 4 2/3 innings.

The Nationals aggressively attacked Tillman and finally ended his night with three runs in the fifth. Denard Span provided Washington with a 4-2 lead with a double, extending his hitting streak to 10 games. Two batters later, Zimmerman hit a two-run home run to center field.

Zimmerman joined Alfonso Soriano and Adam Dunn as the only Nationals to homer three times in one game.

Tillman became the sixth Orioles starter in the past seven games to not complete six innings. But the Orioles starter's struggles began in the first inning when the Nationals opened the scoring with a two-out solo home run by Zimmerman.

The Orioles tied the game in the bottom half of the inning when Ryan Flaherty hit an RBI double in his first at-bat since being called up from the minors.

Washington then took a 3-1 lead when Roger Bernadina and Zimmerman led off the fourth with back-to-back home runs. Bernandina's shot was the 68th to land on Eutaw Street, joining Adam Dunn as the only Nationals player to accomplish that feat.

Chris Davis pulled the Orioles to within a run in that same inning with his league-leading 18th home run of the season to center. Davis has also scored a run in eight consecutive games, three short of the franchise record set by Frank Robinson.

NOTES: To make room for Flaherty, who was called up from Triple-A Norfolk prior to the game, the Orioles optioned 2B Yamaico Navarro to the Tide. ... Despite some struggles, Orioles rookie RHP Kevin Gausman will start Sunday against the Detroit Tigers, manager Buck Showalter confirmed. ... Baltimore 1B Chris Davis extended his hitting streak to eight games, tying a season-high. ... Nationals LF Bryce Harper was not in the lineup for the third consecutive game after aggravating a knee injury he suffered while running into the right-field wall at Dodger Stadium on May 13. ... Washington 2B Danny Espinosa returned Wednesday against the Orioles after missing the previous four games with bone chips in his right wrist.