Zack Littell controlled the game for five innings, and Washington held on for a 3-2 victory over Baltimore at Nationals Park.
Littell allowed two hits over five scoreless innings, walking two and striking out three on 87 pitches to earn his second win of the season. The right-hander carried a 6.10 ERA into the game but kept the Orioles quiet through the middle innings.
Washington built its lead gradually. Brady House drove in the first run with a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning, scoring Abrams. Two innings later, Daylen Lile connected for a two-run homer to right center, a 379-foot shot that scored Curtis Mead and extended the lead to 3-0.
Baltimore mounted a late charge in the ninth. Jeremiah Jackson cut the deficit with a sacrifice fly that scored Samuel Basallo, then Gunnar Henderson singled to center to bring home Tyler O'Neill and make it 3-2. But the rally ended there, leaving the tying run on third base.
Shane Baz took the loss for Baltimore, allowing three runs on six hits over seven innings with four strikeouts. Lile finished 3-for-4 with two RBIs for Washington. The Nationals improved to 21-23 while Baltimore fell to 20-24.