Nationals vs. Orioles: Edwin Jackson and Washington bullpen stifle Baltimore, 3-1

BALTIMORE — Edwin Jackson missed a button as he pulled on his shirt late Saturday night. “Tired,” he said, shaking his head as he realized the mistake. “One of those days.” The fourth starter in the Washington Nationals’ rotation knew he did not have his best pitches — his “blow-away stuff,” as he called it — from the moment he set foot in the bullpen to warm up. Even on presumed off nights, as he and the rest off the deepest, best staff in the major leagues would show, the Nationals’ pitchers can conceal any ills.

The Nationals threw the full weight of their 12-armed monster at the Baltimore Orioles, evening the series with a 3-1 victory before a sellout crowd at Camden Yards.

Their offense, meanwhile, scraped together three runs. They determined Ryan Zimmerman, after going 0 for 4 and dropping his average to .218, is likely nearing another cortisone shot in his troubled shoulder and another stint on the disabled list. “If things keep going the way they’ve been going,” Zimmerman said, “we’re going to have to do something.”

The Nationals have received almost nothing on offense all season from Zimmerman, their cornerstone player. And still, they are in first place by 3½ games and loud music blared in their clubhouse Saturday night. They can thank their pitching staff, which has a 2.96 combined ERA. It was spearheaded Saturday by Jackson and Tyler Clippard, who converted his 12th save in 12 chance since he took over last month as the Nationals’ closer.

“Everybody is coming out every day to be the best pitcher that is on the field that day,” Jackson said. “That’s the mentality we all have when we take the field, to be the better pitcher that day. It’s just one those things when the team is rolling and everything is going good, everybody is positive and everybody is taking the field with a positive approach, and it’s just showing in the way we play right now.”

Clippard will only receive more chances. After the game, Manager Davey Johnson anointed Clippard as the closer even when Drew Storen returns from elbow surgery. Since May 22, when he first took over the ninth inning, Clippard has been robotic in his dominance. After a perfect ninth Saturday, including a strikeout of Adam Jones, he has allowed no runs and one hit and struck out 16 in 13¹ / ₃ innings.

“Right now he’s my closer, and the way he’s going I can’t see going to somebody else,” Johnson said. “They’d have to show me up here probably in a setup role before they have the opportunity to close.”

The Nationals feel just as good about their rotation. Jackson lowered his ERA to 2.91. after allowing one run on four hits over 6¹ / ₃ innings.

“That’s insane,” Clippard said. “It make us smile. I just can’t imagine what those other teams are thinking when Edwin is our fourth guy. It’s a joke.”

But Jackson knew early it would not be easy on Saturday, even though the Orioles’ starting lineup entered the game a 10 for 74 against him with 19 strikeouts. In the bullpen, he could not muster his usual velocity. In the early innings, he threw his fastball around 90 mph. Pitching coach Steve McCatty turned to Johnson and asked, “What’s wrong with him?”