Washington Nationals edged out 1-2 by Baltimore Orioles - MLB Update
Lack of run-support costs the starter Jordan Zimmermann his sixth loss of the season as the Washington Nationals are beaten 1-2 by the Baltimore Orioles in first game of the three match series at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland on June 22,
2012.
Orioles rely on pitchers to keep the Nationals quiet and put them under pressure for the rest of the series. Taking advantage from the low scoring game, they managed enough runs that triumph came to their way.
Jason Hammel started for the Orioles and wreaked the bulk of the damage. Keeping the Nationals to just five hits all through the game, he once again triggers debate about issues in their offence.
Neither centre-fielder Bryce Harper nor the third-baseman Ryan Zimmerman stepped up to load the bases. It was something they were supposed to do, given their role in the line-up.
Harper was 0-for-4 and similar was the case with Zimmerman.
While Harper can be ignored as it was one of the rare moments when he struggled on the plate, Zimmerman will be inviting criticism on his continuous failures at the park.
With a .222 batting average and just a .310 slugging percentage, he is far from what was expected from him, before start of the season.
The kind of pedigree Zimmerman boasts as being a player who can strike homers at a time when they are needed the most, thus far his performance in the season has tainted it. In order to reclaim the repute, he will be going out of his ways and bringing hits
consistently.
Michael Morse entered the park as designated hitter for the Nationals. He, along with shortstop Ian Desmond, was one of the rare bright spots coming off from the line-up. As there was no body to capitalise on their hits, contribution was to prove dead-rubber.
Talking about Zimmermann, the starter, Nationals’ manager Davey Johnson stated that it was more due to dearth of runs than anything wrong with his pitches as he suffered the loss.
''He's pitched great, we just haven't been scoring for him,'' Davey Johnson said. ''We hit the ball hard today with runners on, got zilch.''
The Nationals are known for making strong comebacks. Therefore, Orioles cannot afford to be complacent. If the series is to be won, they will be putting up excellent show in the next two games.
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