Full Breakdown
Orioles Avoid Series Sweep with 7-3 Victory Over Nationals
5/18/2026, 1:00:38 PM
Game Summary
On May 17, 2026, the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Washington Nationals 7–3 in Washington, D.C., preventing a three-game sweep. Gunnar Henderson opened the game with a solo home run off Nationals starter Richard Lovelady, giving Baltimore a 1–0 lead. Coby Mayo added a two-run shot in the second inning, extending the margin to 3–0. A sacrifice fly by Pete Alonso made it 4–1 in the third, and Colton Cowser hit his first home run of the season in the fourth, pushing the lead to 6–1. The Nationals responded with a Jacob Young homer in the second and a run in the seventh, but Henderson’s RBI single in the ninth sealed the final 7–3 score.
Recent Form and Series Context
Before the win, the Orioles had lost three of four games and had been held to three runs or fewer in eight of their previous nine contests. The loss in the first two games of the series left Baltimore without a run until the seventh inning, a pattern broken by the early scoring in this game. The victory restored competitive balance in the three-game series and kept the Orioles from a sweep.
Key Performances and Statistics
- Gunnar Henderson recorded four hits in five at-bats (a solo homer, a double, and two singles), drove in two runs, and logged his 10th home run of the season. The performance marked his fifth career four-hit game. It also halted a recent 2-for-20 slump spanning his prior five games.
- Coby Mayo contributed a two-run homer after a nine-pitch at-bat, accounting for the second-inning surge.
- Colton Cowser hit his first home run of the year, his first in 111 plate appearances, delivering a two-run blast in the fourth inning.
- Anthony Nunez earned the win in relief, pitching 1 1/3 scoreless innings and striking out three batters, improving his record to 2-0.
- Brandon Young (Orioles starter) allowed two runs on five hits, issued three walks, and recorded three strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings.
- Jacob Young (Nationals) hit a career-high fifth home run, narrowing the deficit to 3–1 in the second inning.
- The Nationals’ James Wood added two hits and a walk, while Keibert Ruiz and CJ Abrams contributed a sacrifice fly and a run-scoring grounder, respectively.
Upcoming Schedule
Following the win, the Orioles’ rotation will feature left-hander Trevor Rogers (2-4, 5.77 ERA) in the series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night, where he will face Rays left-hander Shane McClanahan (4-2, 2.27 ERA). The Nationals had not announced their starter for the same game.
