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Trachsel, Roberts help Orioles snap five-game skid

May 19, 2007 - 4:39 AM WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- Steve Trachsel helped the Orioles snap their losing skid by beating a familiar foe.

Trachsel posted his first win in his last five starts and Brian Roberts tied a career high with four hits as the Orioles posted a 5-4 victory over the Nationals in Friday's interleague opener.

Nick Markakis had an RBI double for Baltimore, which snapped its season-high five-game losing streak and improved to 73-102 in interleague play.

"Wins are nice, whether they're 10-0 or 1-0. I think we needed this one for the team - just to end the streak," Trachsel said.

Trachsel (2-3), who had received a no-decision in his last two starts, allowed two runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings. His lone mistake was a two-run homer to Dmitri Young in the sixth that ended his night.

The righthander is used to beating the Nationals, only in a different uniform. Trachsel, who signed a one-year, $3.1 million free-agent deal with Baltimore in January, went 10-6 with a 3.41 ERA in 27 starts against the Nationals in his career.

John Parrish was outstanding in relief, throwing 1 1/3 hitless innings. Roberts' RBI single in the eighth proved to be crucial as Danys Baez let Washington climb back into the game with two runs in the eighth.

Ryan Zimmerman, who hit a walk-off grand slam against Florida Saturday night, blasted a first-pitch fastball from Baez well over the left field wall for a two-run homer that pulled the Nationals to within 5-4.

Chris Ray allowed two walks in the ninth but got Zimmerman to fly out to left to earn his ninth save in 11 tries.

Ray nearly blew his second save in as many chances after he allowed three of Boston's five runs in the ninth in a 6-5 loss on Sunday.

Baltimore manager Sam Perlozzo was relieved to break the five game skid, even if his bullpen caused him some nervous moments.

"I feel pretty good with with a three-run lead with those two guys, but it happens," Perlozzo said.

The Orioles were finally on the right side of a one-run game after dropping two straight 2-1 decisions to Toronto.

"I don't think this was a must win," Roberts said. "But, you certainly want to stop it as fast as you can. We just lost a lot of close games. We needed to win a one-run game."

Markakis gave Trachsel a 2-0 lead with an RBI double to right-center off starter Jason Simontacchi (1-2) in the fifth. Two batters later, Kevin Millar drove in Markakis with a single to center for a 3-0 lead.

Corey Patterson hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth to put Baltimore up 4-2, and Roberts provided some insurance with an RBI single.

"The offense came alive a little bit. We executed, and that was good to see," Perlozzo said.

The Nationals, who had their two-game winning streak snapped, fell to 7-12 in interleague play.

Simontacchi, who was coming off his first win since 2003, allowed three runs and eight hits in six innings with six strikeouts. Simontacchi missed the 2004 season after shoulder surgery and pitched in the independent league in 2005.

"I didn't make pitches when I needed to," Simontacchi said. "I can't close the deal. I look at it as me giving up the losing run."