BALTIMORE (AP) — Trevor Rogers pitched into the seventh inning and Blaze Alexander hit a two-run single to lift the Baltimore Orioles to a 3-1 victory over the Washington Nationals on Friday night.
Washington has lost four straight and seven of nine.
Rogers (5-7) followed up his seven one-hit innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers last weekend by allowing a run and five hits in 6 1/3 innings Friday. He struck out seven without a walk.
Tyler Wells finished the seventh, Grant Wolfram struck out two in the eighth and Ryan Helsley worked a perfect ninth for his eighth save in nine chances.
Andrew Alvarez (1-1) permitted two runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings.
After Coby Mayo led off the bottom of the fourth with a double, Tyler O'Neill drew a walk and Jackson Holliday also earned base on balls two outs later. Then Alexander hit a line drive to left to put Baltimore up 2-0.
Alexander quickly cost the Orioles another run, though, when he tried to go from first to third on Taylor Ward's single. Holliday would have scored easily from second on the play, but Alexander was thrown out at third before Holliday reached the plate.
It was not even the first time this month those two players were involved in a mishap like that. On June 8 against Seattle, Holliday tagged up from third on a deep flyout, but Alexander tried to advance from first to second and was tagged for the third out before Holliday made it home.
This time the Orioles overcame the mistake. Keibert Ruiz singled home a run for the Nationals in the fifth, but that's all they managed. Mayo answered with an RBI double in the seventh.
Brandon Young (6-2) starts for the Orioles on Saturday night against Washington's Foster Griffin (8-2).
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
Washington Nationals pitcher Andrew Alvarez throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Friday, June 26, 2026, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson throws to first base but is unable to get Washington Nationals' Jacob Young who was safe on his throwing error during the third inning of a baseball game, Friday, June 26, 2026, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
Baltimore Orioles pitcher Trevor Rogers throws during the third inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Friday, June 26, 2026, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
GUADALAJARA, Mexico (AP) — Spain defeated Uruguay 1-0 after another goalkeeping mistake by Fernando Muslera to advance to the knockout stage of the World Cup and eliminate the South American powerhouse on Friday.
Uruguay, a two-time champion, will go home without any victories in its three Group H games. Spain, the European champion, won the group with seven points and will face the second-place team from Group J — either Austria or Algeria — on Thursday in Inglewood, California.
Álex Baena scored in the 42nd minute after Muslera couldn’t fully swat away his shot from inside the area. It was the third blunder of the tournament by the 40-year-old Muslera, who was pulled at halftime by coach Marcelo Bielsa.
At 19th in the FIFA rankings, Uruguay is the highest-ranked team to be eliminated so far.
Cape Verde, which played Saudi Arabia to a 0-0 draw in the other group game on Friday, finished second in the group with three points, one more than both Uruguay and Saudi Arabia. Uruguay finished third but without enough points to be among the best eight third-place teams that will advance.
A few Uruguay players cried on the field after the final whistle. Many fans booed the team as it left.
The match was one of the most anticipated of the group stage, but it featured few significant scoring chances by either team.
Uruguay players loudly advocated for a penalty in the final minutes after Federico Viñas went down inside the area.
There was some tension near the end. Uruguay’s Agustín Canobbio was sent off in stoppage time for a tackle on Spain defender Paul Cubarsi. His teammates had to escort him off the field, and after the final whistle he returned to try to talk to the referee.
Uruguay, the World Cup winner in 1930 and 1950, came into the final group match in turmoil after draws against Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde. Uruguayan media said there were reports of players not being happy with veteran Argentine coach Bielsa.
Spain, seeking its second World Cup title, opened with a shocking 0-0 draw against Cape Verde but was coming off a 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia. La Roja haven’t made it past the round of 16 since winning their lone title in 2010.
Spain striker Lamine Yamal, who entered the tournament nursing a left hamstring injury, had a lackluster outing and again didn’t play the entire match, being replaced by Ferran Torres in the 76th. The 18-year-old Yamal was replaced at halftime against Saudi Arabia and came off the bench in the second half against Cape Verde.
Uruguay midfielder Manuel Ugarte had to replaced because of an apparent knee injury near the end of the first half. He was on the ground seeking medical assistance when Spain opened the scoring, and was eventually taken off the field on a stretcher.
King Felipe VI of Spain was among the crowd of 45,065 at Estadio Akron.
A moment of silence was observed before the match in memory of those who died when back-to-back earthquakes struck Venezuela late Wednesday.
AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
Spain's Pedri, top, and Uruguay's Sebastian Caceres vie for the ball during the World Cup Group H soccer match between Uruguay and Spain in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Spain's Aymeric Laporte (14) battles for the ball with Uruguay's Darwin Nunez (9) during the World Cup Group H soccer match between Uruguay and Spain in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Spain's Lamine Yamal (19) controls the ball against Uruguay's Mathias Olivera (16), Rodrigo Bentancur (6) and Manuel Ugarte (5) during the World Cup Group H soccer match between Uruguay and Spain in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera (23) is beaten by a shot from Spain's Alex Baena (15) for the opining goal during the World Cup Group H soccer match between Uruguay and Spain in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko )
Spain's Alex Baena, left, is congratulated after scoring his side's opening goal by Rodri during the World Cup Group H soccer match between Uruguay and Spain in Zapopan, near Guadalajara, Mexico, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
