A teenager among men http://www.broncosauthorizedshops.com/authentic-dalton-risner-jersey , Juan Soto has impressed his teammates on the Washington Nationals with his maturity and, even more so, his potent bat.

Soto hit a tiebreaking two-run double in the eighth inning, and Washington beat the Baltimore Orioles 4-2 Thursday night in the deciding matchup of a three-game interleague series between neighboring rivals.

Soto, a 19-year-old rookie, is batting .326 with 16 RBIs in 28 games. Starting in the cleanup spot for the first time, he drew a walk and delivered the game’s pivotal hit.

”I think we’re all amazed every single day,” Washington ace Max Scherzer said. ”He puts together great ABs. He has antics and has some flair. He’s a great young player. He’s just enjoying himself.”

Bryce Harper led off the eighth with a double off Mychal Givens (0-4) and Trea Turner followed with a single. After Anthony Rendon struck out, Soto hit a liner into the gap in left-center.

”He’s got unbelievable poise,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez said of Soto. ”No matter what the situation is, he goes out there with a game plan.”

Whatever that plan is, it’s effective.

”I just try to be focused and keep working,” Soto said.

Rendon homered for the Nationals, who received seven strong innings from Scherzer and flawless work from their bullpen.

Newcomer Kelvin Herrera (1-0) pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning and Sean Doolittle got three straight outs for his 20th save in 21 tries.

Seeking to end a rare run of two straight losses, Scherzer left a tied game after allowing two runs – both on solo homers – and striking out nine.

Afterward Drew Lock Jersey , the right-hander heaped praise upon Soto for the manner in which he’s adapted to playing in the big leagues.

”He has a great feel for the strike zone,” Scherzer said. ”To have that type of eye, it’s remarkable for him to be able to do that at this time and this age and this level.”

Activated from the 60-day disabled list before the game, Colby Rasmus homered for the Orioles in his first at-bat since April 6.

”Me and Max, we go way back, so I felt real good,” said Rasmus, who had been sidelined with a hip injury.

In addition, Rasmus made an outstanding throw from right field to the plate, nailing Wilmer Difo on a tag-up play in the seventh inning with the score tied.

Mark Trumbo also homered for Baltimore, his sixth of the season and third in four games.

Baltimore starter Kevin Gausman gave up two runs and four hits over six innings. The right-hander was lifted with the score tied, leaving him winless in his last seven starts.

WALK THIS WAY

Martinez put Harper in the leadoff spot for the first time since May for this reason: ”The thinking is if he’s hitting up top, he’ll start taking his walks again and it will get him going.” It worked. Harper walked twice.

DAVIS COMEBACK

Struggling Orioles slugger Chris Davis will start Friday night in Atlanta, manager Buck Showalter said. Davis hasn’t played since June 11, when an 0-for-5 outing against Boston dropped his batting average to .150. Since then http://www.broncosauthorizedshops.com/authentic-dre_mont-jones-jersey , he’s been working on his swing and mental approach in an effort to turn around his unproductive season.

ROSTER SHUFFLE

In addition to activating Rasmus from the DL, the Orioles optioned OF Joey Rickard to Triple-A Norfolk and moved LHP Richard Bleier (latissimus tear) to the 60-day DL. Also, DH Pedro Alvarez cleared waivers and accepted an assignment to Norfolk.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Orioles: RHP Chris Tillman (back) will next pitch for Class A Delmarva after allowing three runs in two innings for lower Class A Aberdeen on Wednesday night.

Nationals: RHP Brandon Kintzler (flexor strain) is close to coming off the DL. Martinez hopes the reliever can pitch an inning on a rehabilitation assignment before being is activated. … Martinez said RHP Jeremy Hellickson (right hamstring strain) will soon go on a rehab assignment and pitch five or six innings.

UP NEXT

Orioles: Alex Cobb (2-9, 7.14 ERA) helps Baltimore open a three-game series on the road Friday night against the Braves, who lead the NL East.

Nationals: Tanner Roark (3-7, 3.87) takes the mound in the opener of a three-game set against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies, who entered play Thursday in a second-place tie with Washington.

—

Joe Musgrove had quite the homecoming at Petco Park.

Pitching in front of at least 75 friends and family members, the right-hander tossed seven shutout innings against his hometown team and Jody Mercer homered to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 6-3 victory over the sloppy San Diego Padres on Friday night.

Musgrove (3-3), a 2011 graduate of Grossmont High in suburban El Cajon, was facing the Padres for the first time in his three-year big league career. He allowed seven singles while striking out five and walking two.

He had plenty of support as he got into and out of trouble in the seventh. The Padres had runners on first and third after hitting consecutive singles to open the inning but Musgrove retired the side, including inducing Manuel Margot to hit into an inning-ending double play.

”It was incredible,” Musgrove said. ”They were the ones who really pushed me through that last inning. I got first and third and no one out and all I could think about was all the people that are here watching me and how I’d love to get out of this and put on a little bit of a show for them. It was really cool. It was special.”

Musgrove did his best to not get distracted.

”Out of the gate when I’m out warming up, there’s people screaming right and left and every time I took a step I’m getting called from different directions,” he said. ”I was trying to block it out for the most part but I was also trying to acknowledge the people who were here. Throwing my bullpen there’s 50 of my friends standing right above the catcher hollering and stuff. I’ve always done well in front of my family and friends and that’s something that takes me to that next level.”

He had dinner at his parents’ house on Thursday night and planned to go out with them after the game, as well as have a local beer that’s named after the late Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn.

”Tonight was really special for me T.J. Hockenson Jersey ,” he said. ”It’s a night I’ll never forget.”

Musgrove was relieved by Steven Brault, a 2010 Grossmont grad. Brault had a short night, allowing two runs on two hits while getting just one out in the eighth.

”It was cool,” Brault said. ”Felt good coming in, felt confident. Some things didn’t go my way, and that happens. Overall the experience is something that is priceless. Something I never knew I’d actually get to have.”

Brault said it was ”pretty weird” to have two guys from the same high school pitch consecutively against their hometown team.

”If you told us six years ago, seven years ago, that that would happen, we’d probably both go, `That’s ridiculous,”’ he said. ”Just for it to actually happen, and for us to get a win out of it, and Joe pitched so well tonight, it was just awesome to see. It was cool.”

Felipe Vazquez got the last two outs for his 16th save.

The Pirates won for the third time in nine games and the Padres lost for the 10th time in 12 games.

While Musgrove dominated, the Pirates piled on against rookie lefty Eric Lauer (3-5) and the Padres. The Pirates scored an unearned run in the first inning on two singles and Austin Hedges’ passed ball Zach Brown Jersey , and added four runs, including two unearned, in the third. Hedges and shortstop Freddy Galvis each had a throwing error. Gregory Polanco hit a two-run double and was thrown out to end the inning trying to stretch it into a triple. Josh Bell hit an RBI triple and Elias Diaz drove in a run on a fielder’s choice.

Mercer homered to center field leading off the fourth to make it 6-0. It was his fifth.

Lauer allowed six runs, three earned, on nine hits in five innings, struck out three and walked none.

Padres manager Andy Green was ejected before the top of the fourth inning by plate umpire Angel Hernandez. Green apparently was unhappy about a balk call against Lauer while trying to pick off Polanco in the second. The Pirates did not score that inning.

”We felt very strongly that it wasn’t,” Green said. ”That was not the story of the baseball game by any stretch. I don’t think we were very clean early in the game. We did what we’ve done very recently which is show a lot of fight late. It was just a little too late.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: Placed RHP Chad Kuhl on the 10-day disabled list with a right forearm strain.

Padres: Green said OF Franchy Cordero is leaning toward having surgery to remove a bone spur from his right elbow.

UP NEXT

Pirates: RHP Trevor Williams (6-5, 4.03), a 2010 graduate of San Diego’s Rancho Bernardo High, is scheduled to start the middle game of the series. He’s made one career start against the Padres, giving up four runs in six innings and getting a no-decision in an 8-5 Pirates loss at Pittsburgh on May 20.

Padres: LHP Joey Lucchesi (3-3, 3.57) is scheduled to make his third start since returning from a DL stint that lasted just more than a month.