Lopez rocked early as Orioles drop the Nats, 8-1

By Byron Kerr

Nationals Orioles

August 23, 2016, 6:19pm

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BALTIMORE - A rough start for Nationals right-hander Reynaldo Lopez in an 8-1 setback to the Orioles.

Lopez could not get through the third inning, as Baltimore scored six runs early to hand the Nationals their third straight loss.

The Orioles scored three runs on four hits in the first two innings, racing out to a 3-0 advantage. Mark Trumbo and Adam Jones smacked RBI singles, while Matt Wieters laced a run-scoring single down the right field line. Lopez walked a batter and allowed two hits in each frame.

In the third, the Orioles took a commanding lead with three runs on four hits and the benefit of a costly Daniel Murphy error.

Jonathan Schoop delivered an RBI double to make it 4-0. Two batters later, J.J. Hardy reached on a Murphy fielding error, which allowed two more runs to come home and make it 6-0 Orioles.

Lopez's night ended after 2 2/3 innings. He allowed six runs, four of which were earned, on seven hits with three walks with two strikeouts. He threw 82 pitches, 48 for strikes.

The Nationals avoided the shutout in the seventh. Danny Espinosa's RBI single plated Ryan Zimmerman and made the score 6-1.

Center fielder Trea Turner went 4-for-4 with a double. The four hits, which included three singles, were a career-high.

In each of his first two at-bats, he stole second. But each time, Orioles manager Buck Showalter challenged the out calls. Each time, video review from New York overturned the calls on the field and Turner was called out by caught stealing.