Gunnar Henderson Takes Eight Total Bases To Lead Orioles Over Nationals

Henderson finished the weekend against the Nationals going 6-for-13 with a run scored, three runs batted in, a home run and a stolen base.

May 17, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) celebrates at home plate after hitting a home run against the Washington Nationals during the first inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The third time was the charm for the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday, as they took down the Washington Nationals 7-3 in the final game of the series.

Baltimore’s bats found life – striking for 11 hits and three home runs from the likes of Gunnar Henderson, Coby Mayo and Colton Cowser. The Orioles added three doubles on the day and were buoyed by Henderson’s four-hit performance.

Henderson went 4-for-5 on the day with two singles, a double, a home run and two runs batted in – taking eight total bases. The 24-year-old drove in two runs and stole a base as well. It’s a far cry from where he was less than a week prior. 

His numbers were at their lowest following May 13’s matchup against the Yankees – .197/.253/.393 with a .646 on-base plus slugging percentage. He fought back, even in two losing efforts against the Nationals over the weekend by going 6-for-13 from the plate over three games. Henderson now sits at a .214/.269/.423 slash line with a .692 OPS, 10 home runs and six stolen bases in 196 at-bats this season.

Henderson belted a home run over the right field fence to put the Orioles up 1-0 in the top of the first. Samuel Basallo lead off the top of the second inning to set the table for Mayo’s fifth home run of the season to give the Orioles a 3-0 lead. The Nationals got on the board with a homer from Jacob Young to narrow Baltimore’s lead to 3-1 in the bottom of the second.

Taylor Ward started the top of the third with a walk, followed by Henderson’s single to center field to move Ward to third. Pete Alonso followed up with a sacrifice fly to plate Ward for a 4-1 lead. Baltimore kept throwing haymakers – first with Leody Taveras doubling to left field and later Cowser blasting his first home run on the year over the right field fence with a 113.3 miles per hour exit velocity off of Miles Mikolas for a 6-1 lead at conclusion of the top of the fourth.

Washington answered with a sacrifice fly by Keibert Ruiz to score Daylen Lyle with one out to move the score to 6-2 at the end of the fourth. The Nationals struck again on an RBI single from CJ Abrams to score James Wood in the bottom of the seventh. Baltimore added an insurance run in the ninth from Henderson’s single to score Jeremiah Jackson for the 7-3 lead.

Baltimore’s pitching line was bound by its bullpen with Anthony Nunez taking the victory and Rico Garcia closing the game. 

Brandon Young had the start, going 3.2 innings and allowing two runs (two earned) on five hits, three walks and three strikeouts. Nunez was pure in his outing – going 1.1 innings with three strikeouts, while allowing zero hits. 

Tyler Wells pitched two innings, allowing one run (one earned) on three hits with two strikeouts. Yennier Cano pitched an inning, walking one batter, while striking out another and allowing no hits. Garcia finished off the game with one hit allowed and two strikeouts in an inning of work.

Garcia is now 3-0 through 20 innings pitched with 24 strikeouts on a 0.45 earned run average and 0.45 WHIP in his first full season as an Oriole. As for Cano, he appears to be back to his 2023 All-Star form this season with a 1-1 record, 1.06 ERA, 0.59 WHIP and 12 strikeouts through 17 innings pitched.

Baltimore’s (21-26) next game is on Monday against the first-place Tampa Bay Rays (30-15) at 6:40 p.m.