How an inning comes unraveled

The Orioles had a chance to come up with a big inning in the first and they didn't do it. The Nationals had a chance to come up with a big inning in the first and they did it. Corey Patterson and Nick Markakis opened the top half with singles into center field, but Miguel Tejada grounded into a routine double play. Patterson scored, but one run didn't suffice. Nyjer Morgan and Cristian Guzman opened the bottom half with singles, Kevin Millwood drilled Josh WIllingham in the left shoulder with two outs to load the bases and Roger Bernadina cleared them with a triple to center field. Millwood was late covering first on Guzman's ball. Zimmerman bounced into a force after the two singles, and I thought the Orioles turned the double play. First base umpire Brian Runge didn't agree. On the triple, Adam Jones didn't break back immediately, and the ball appeared to deflect off his glove as he leaped for it on the warning track. Millwood, who threw 23 pitches in the inning on a day when the Orioles really need him to go deep, let his frustration show by punching at the air before backing up home plate. At least Jones didn't assume it as a home run and slam his glove to the ground. That's about the only thing that went right for the Orioles in the first.