The Washington Nationals got back in the win column and one game away from .500 once again after throwing a gem on the mound in game one against the Baltimore Orioles, taking a 3-2 win in front of an announced sellout of nearly 39,000 fans.

The Nationals put together a strong outing from its pitching staff after allowing six combined hits. It began with Zack Littell on the mound, who lasted five innings for the first time since April 22 against the Atlanta Braves. Littell finished his start with three strikeouts and two hits allowed along with two walks, turning the ball over to Andrew Alvarez on the same day the team officially announced his return to the big leagues.

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Alvarez finished with three hits allowed and five strikeouts, though his one walk tossed proved to be his final pitch after allowing his first two batters in the ninth inning to reach base.

Yet offensively, it would be the Daylen Lile show once again, who accounted for the lone Nationals‘ hit early after opening the second inning with a double. He ended the night a triple away from hitting for the cycle.

After the two teams combined for three hits through the first three innings, the Nationals were able to generate offense in the bottom of the fourth inning after CJ Abrams singled into center, then Lile singled into right to put runners on the corners. A sac fly from Brady House drove Abrams in for the first run, a good sign given the Nationals entered the night 16-8 this season when scoring first.

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Lile would give the Nationals breathing room in the bottom of the sixth after driving a 379 foot home run over the right field wall, driving in Curtis Mead after opening the inning with a walk.

Yet the game wouldn’t come without drama after Alvarez’s disaster start to the ninth inning left Gus Varland to pitch his way out of two runners on with no outs. Varland would walk his first batter before tossing a strike out, then giving up a sac fly to end the shutout bid.

Butera would then turn to Richard Lovelady to get the final out with still two runners on, yet a single from Gunnar Henderson added a second run. Lovelady would give up another walk, yet ended on a strikeout to notch the save.

The Nationals enter Saturday with their sixth chance to get back to .500 this season when they host the Orioles for game two. First pitch is set for 4:05 PM with Cade Cavalli set to take the mound for the Nationals and Chris Bassitt for the Orioles.

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