Nationals-Orioles Preview

5/18/2008 12:12 AM

By BRETT HUSTON
STATS Writer

In a division packed with big names and big payrolls, few expected the relatively anonymous and inexpensive Baltimore Orioles to spend any time in contention.

With their performances in close games, the Orioles' good start is becoming less and less of a surprise.

After four tight victories in a row, Baltimore will try to win its fifth straight and eighth in nine games on Sunday at Camden Yards as it looks to complete its first sweep of the Washington Nationals.

Aside from Nick Markakis, who had team highs of 23 homers and 112 RBIs last season, no returning Orioles player drove in more than 72 runs in 2007, when Baltimore went 69-93 and finished in fourth place in the AL East for the ninth time in 10 years.

With perennial powers New York and Boston owning two of the highest payrolls in baseball, and the Orioles' two biggest names - Eric Bedard and Miguel Tejada - dealt in the offseason, Baltimore (23-19) was expected to be one of the AL's worst teams.

Although the Orioles' offense has yet to reach 10 runs in a game this season, it's excelled at winning close games.

Eighteen of Baltimore's 23 wins have come by three runs or fewer, including all four in their current streak. Markakis hit a two-run homer and drove in three to lead the Orioles by the Nationals 6-5 on Saturday.

"You're not going to win by three or four runs every night," Markakis said. "We're doing a good job under pressure."

Closer George Sherrill - in his first season with Baltimore after four with Seattle - picked up his 17th save in 18 opportunities, tying him for the major league lead with the Angels' Francisco Rodriguez.

The Orioles' bullpen ERA last season was 5.71 - second-to-last in the majors - but, led by Sherrill, this season's unit has a 3.42 ERA.

"Our pitching's been phenomenal, keeping us in games," left fielder Jay Payton said. "We've been able to get some timely hits. We come in here confident in ourselves. We know if we play good baseball, we've got a chance to win.''

Baltimore will turn to right-hander Jeremy Guthrie (2-3, 4.18 ERA) as it attempts to sweep Washington (18-26) for the first time. Guthrie delivered one of his better outings of the season on Tuesday, when he allowed three runs - two earned - in six innings while striking out seven in a 5-4 win over Boston.

Guthrie is 0-0 with a 1.29 ERA in two career starts against the Nationals.

Washington, which has only scored 17 runs in its last five games, is in last place in the NL East, four games behind fourth-place Atlanta.

One positive for the Nationals' offense is the improvement of third baseman Ryan Zimmerman. After hitting just .222 with two homers through April 28, Zimmerman is batting .314 (16-for-51) with five homers and 10 RBIs in his last 12 games, including a homer on Saturday.

First baseman Aaron Boone, meanwhile, is hitting .526 (10-for-19) in his last six games.

"We gave ourselves an opportunity. We crawled our way back into it,'' Boone said after Saturday's loss. "We just couldn't finish it off tonight.''

The Nationals will look to salvage the final game of the series by sending rookie John Lannan (3-4, 3.74) to the hill. The 23-year-old left-hander allowed four runs and 12 hits over six innings in a 6-3 loss to the Mets on Tuesday.

He has alternated wins with losses over his last four outings.