WASHINGTON (Interstat) — Keibert Ruiz went 3 for 5 with a home run and five RBIs as the Washington Nationals pounded the Baltimore Orioles 13-3 on Saturday evening at Nationals Park. Ruiz’s three-run homer in the second inning sparked a seven-run seventh that broke the game open. Brady House added a two-run homer and finished 2 for 2 with three RBIs, and Jacob Young homered and drove in three. Cade Cavalli (2-2) struck out eight over 6 1/3 innings, allowing three earned runs on eight hits. Chris Bassitt (3-3) took the loss, surrendering four earned runs over five innings. The Nationals improved to 23-23; the Orioles fell to 20-26. Attendance was 40,559. Time of game: 2:56.

WASHINGTON (Interstat) — Cade Cavalli pitched six strong innings and the Washington Nationals erupted for seven runs in the seventh inning to beat the Baltimore Orioles 13-3 on Saturday afternoon at Nationals Park, splitting the two-game series between the Beltway rivals. The Nationals improved to 23-23, while the Orioles fell to 20-26. The game drew 40,559 fans and lasted 2 hours, 56 minutes. Baltimore took a brief lead in the top of the seventh on back-to-back home runs by Samuel Basallo and Tyler O’Neill, but Washington answered with a seven-run bottom of the seventh that broke the game open. The Orioles had scored three runs in the inning to tie the game at 4-4 before the Nationals’ outburst. Cavalli earned his second win against two losses, allowing three runs on six hits over six innings. He struck out six and walked one. Chris Bassitt took the loss, falling to 3-3, after giving up four runs on six hits in five innings. He struck out four. The Orioles struck first with three runs in the seventh. Basallo led off with his sixth home run of the season, a solo shot to right field. Tyler O’Neill followed with his second homer, a line drive to left. Leody Taveras then singled, and after Coby Mayo struck out, Jeremiah Jackson flied out. Gunnar Henderson walked, and Taylor Ward singled to center, scoring Taveras and putting Baltimore ahead 4-3. Adley Rutschman lined out to shortstop CJ Abrams to end the inning. Washington had taken a 3-0 lead in the second inning on Keibert Ruiz’s fourth home run, a three-run shot to right field that scored CJ Abrams and Nasim Nuñez. The Nationals added a run in the third when Abrams doubled to right, scoring James Wood from third, making it 4-0. Baltimore managed only two hits through the first six innings against Cavalli, who retired the side in order in the first, third, fourth and sixth innings. The Orioles had a chance in the second when Taveras singled and Coby Mayo singled, but Jeremiah Jackson grounded into a double play to end the threat. The Nationals blew the game open in the bottom of the seventh. After James Wood walked to lead off the inning, Curtis Mead popped out. Brady House then doubled to left, scoring Wood to make it 5-3. Abrams singled to left, moving House to third. Daylen Lile reached on a fielder’s choice that scored House, with Abrams advancing to second. Nuñez walked to load the bases. Ruiz then singled to left, driving in Abrams and Lile, making it 8-3. Joey Wiemer reached on a fielder’s choice that cut down Nuñez at home, but Jacob Young followed with a three-run homer to left, his fourth of the season, scoring Ruiz and Wiemer to make it 11-3. Wood flied out to end the inning. Washington added two more in the eighth. Curtis Mead walked, and Brady House hit his seventh home run, a two-run shot to left, to extend the lead to 13-3. The Orioles went down in order in the ninth. Baltimore’s offense produced 10 hits. Taveras went 2 for 4, Ward went 2 for 5 with an RBI, and Basallo and O’Neill each homered. Gunnar Henderson went 0 for 3 with a walk. Adley Rutschman went 0 for 4. Jeremiah Jackson went 1 for 4. Pete Alonso doubled and singled in four at-bats. Washington totaled 13 hits. Ruiz had three hits, including a double and a home run, and drove in three. Abrams had two doubles and a single, scoring twice. Jacob Young homered and drove in three. Brady House doubled and homered, driving in three. Daylen Lile had two singles. James Wood doubled and scored twice. Reliever Keegan Akin took the loss in the seventh, allowing six earned runs on three hits in one-third of an inning. Josh Walker allowed two runs on two hits in one inning. The series finale is Sunday afternoon at Nationals Park. Baltimore then travels to Tampa Bay for a three-game series, while Washington hosts the New York Mets for four games beginning Monday. The loss was Baltimore’s second straight, following a 3-2 defeat to Washington on Friday. The Orioles had won four of their previous six before the weekend. Washington snapped a two-game losing streak after being swept in a doubleheader at Cincinnati on Thursday. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Washington 6, Baltimore 5. Interstatl’s ELO system had projected Baltimore with a 52.00 percent probability to win. Baltimore had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 1.5. The total score of 16 went under the over-under line of 9.5.

BASEBALL PREVIEW: Orioles at Nationals WASHINGTON (Interstat) — The Baltimore Orioles visit the Washington Nationals on Saturday evening at Nationals Park in an interleague matchup of teams hovering near .500. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. under cloudy skies and a temperature of 71 degrees. Baltimore (20-25) sends right-hander Chris Bassitt (3-2, 4.10 ERA) to the mound. Bassitt has allowed three earned runs or fewer in four of his seven starts this season. Washington (22-23) had not announced a starter as of Friday. The Nationals won the opener of this two-game series 3-2 on Friday, with right-hander Zack Littell earning the win after allowing two hits and no earned runs over five innings. Left fielder Daylen Lile went 3 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs. For Baltimore, shortstop Gunnar Henderson went 2 for 5 with an RBI in Friday’s loss. Players to watch Baltimore: RHP Shane Baz has struggled recently, losing his last three starts. He allowed three earned runs over seven innings in Friday’s loss to Washington, but has a 6.14 ERA over his last five outings. Washington: RHP Zack Littell (2-3) has been effective in limited work. Over his last two appearances — one start and one relief outing — he has allowed one earned run over 8 2/3 innings. Betting line Baltimore is a -1.5 favorite, according to Interstat’s ELO system. The over/under is 9.5 runs. Interstat’s game simulator projects a 6-5 Washington win, but the ELO system gives Baltimore a 52% probability of victory. Up next Baltimore: At Washington on Sunday; at Tampa Bay on Monday. Washington: Hosts Baltimore on Sunday; hosts the New York Mets on Monday.