hree-game series before heading into the All-Star break

BALTIMORE -- After the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals expended everything they had in three consecutive spirited games, the neighbouring rivals parted ways knowing they will see each other again in August. And perhaps again after that. Steve Pearce homered and scored twice to help Wei-Yin Chen earn his ninth victory, and the Orioles beat Washington 4-3 on Thursday night for their eighth win in 10 games. Adam Jones and Nelson Cruz both drove in a run for the Orioles, who built a 4-0 lead in the third inning and held on. Baltimore took two of three from the Nationals in this rain-shortened, home-and-home interleague showdown between division leaders. "I personally enjoyed that series a lot, just cause of the proximity and the atmosphere down in D.C.," said Orioles reliever Darren ODay, who worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth. "Theyre top of the NL. Hopefully we get to play them a few more times, later in the year in October. That would be nice." The Orioles won the opener in Washington, needing 11 innings to do so, before rain postponed Tuesdays game until Aug. 4. The Nationals prevailed on Wednesday before coming up short in the finale. Although the teams are based only 40 miles apart, enthusiasm for the series isnt exactly Mets-Yankees or Cubs-White Sox. But theres still hope. "It was a good series. It was very well put together," losing pitcher Gio Gonzalez said. "It showed that theres a lot of hope for a Beltway Series. They looked good and we looked good. Everyone had some fun." Jayson Werth homered for Washington and Ryan Zimmerman had two hits and an RBI. Chen (9-3) gave up three runs and eight hits in 5 2-3 innings, walking none and striking out six. The Taiwanese left-hander is 6-1 in 12 starts since May 3, and his nine wins are most on the team. After ODay survived the eighth, Zach Britton got three outs for his 15th save, capping his 22nd consecutive scoreless appearance at home by retiring Werth with a runner on first. At that point, the Orioles and many in crowd of 30,417 breathed a collective sigh of relief. "Thats a very good team," Jones said. "We love the competition, and we love the fact that you never know what could happen in October. You could have a Battle of the Beltway when its a little colder and bring the fans back out." Gonzalez (6-5) allowed three earned runs and six hits in 6 2-3 innings. His streak of 22 consecutive scoreless innings ended when Pearce connected in the first. Gonzalez won his previous three starts without giving up a run and was unbeaten in four starts following a one-month stay on the disabled list with a shoulder injury. "I felt fine," he said. "Its a tough lineup, all the way down to the last guy." Pearce put the Orioles in front for good with a drive to left on a 2-0 pitch. It was his 11th home run, more than his previous three seasons combined. Baltimore added three runs in the third after Gonzalez retired the first two batters. After an RBI double by Jones put runners at second and third, Cruz grounded a run-scoring single in the hole that shortstop Ian Desmond gloved before throwing wildly to third, allowing Jones to score. That ended Washingtons 13-game errorless streak, which matched the teams longest run since the franchise moved from Montreal in 2005. Zimmermans two-out RBI single made it 4-1 in the fourth, and Washington got runners on the corners with two outs in the fifth before Chen struck out Anthony Rendon on three pitches. The Nationals closed to 4-3 in the sixth. After Werth homered on an 0-2 pitch -- his second long ball in two nights -- Zimmerman doubled and Desmond chased Chen with an RBI double off the scoreboard in right field before Tommy Hunter retired Wilson Ramos on a groundout. Ramos later flied out with the bases full in the eighth. NOTES: Desmond got hit on the thumb with a pitch but said he was OK. ... Baltimore optioned RHP Bud Norris to Double-A Bowie and recalled RHP Preston Guilmet from Triple-A Norfolk. Norris pitched Wednesday and wont be needed against until after the All-Star break. ... The Orioles host the New York Yankees in a three-game series before heading into the All-Star break. Miguel Gonzalez (4-5) faces New Yorks Hiroki Kuroda in the opener Friday night. ... Washington closes the first half with a three-game series in Philadelphia. Jordan Zimmermann will start for the Nationals on Friday night. ... Ramos extended his career-best hitting streak to 13 games, but teammate Bryce Harper went 0 for 3 and is in a 1-for-20 skid over his last six games. Jaylen Brown Jersey .Brothers B.J. and Justin Upton each homered and had an outfield assist, and the Braves held on for a 4-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night. Bob Cousy Jersey . Strasburg (1-1) got 14 consecutive outs in one stretch and allowed only three hits, including Marcell Ozunas homer in the seventh. The right-handers lone walk was to the last batter he faced. Washingtons starter Wednesday, Jordan Zimmermann, left after a career-low 1 2-3 innings, leaving the bullpen "taxed," as manager Matt Williams put it. http://www.shopceltics.com/Cheap-Al-Horford-Celtics-Jersey/. The 57-year-old Tietjens has coached New Zealand to nine IRB World Sevens titles and to four Commonwealth Games gold medals as its only coach in the professional era. New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew said the re-signing was made with a focus on 2016 when sevens will be in the Olympics. Walter Brown Jersey . With one penalty, Fourcade finished in 24 minutes, 58.2 seconds, just nine-tenths of a second ahead of Timofey Lapshin, who shot clean in the cold. Larry Bird Jersey . - Aroldis Chapman, with two black eyes, has returned to the Cincinnati Reds clubhouse four days after being hit in the face by a line drive.TORONTO -- American tennis legend Pete Sampras offered some words of praise for Milos Raonic just hours after the Canadian star helped make Rogers Cup history. Raonic and fellow Canadian Vasek Pospisil both advanced to the semifinals at the mens event in Montreal, marking the first time in the Open Era that two Canadians will meet in the semis. Sampras, in Toronto for a Legends Cup exhibition event with fellow former world No. 1s Jim Courier and John McEnroe, says the No. 13-ranked Raonic is due for a breakthrough but it wont come easily. "Hes up against (Novak) Djokovic and (Andy) Murray and Roger (Federer) and four great players, and it takes time," said Sampras. "I think hes a threat already. I think hes got a huge game, monster serve, willing to come in and do some things and get to the net." Sampras is second all-time in Slams won (14) and weeks spent as the worlds No. 1-ranked player (286). He won two Australian Opens, seven Wimbledon titles, and five U.S. Opens. He exited pro tennis by winning his very last match in the 2002 U.S. Open final against Andre Agassi. Samprass reflected back on his own career and the time it took him to find the kind of success that has so far eluded Raonic in the majors.dddddddddddd "I didnt figure this game out until I was probably 22 or 23, so when everything was settled in I was physically and mentally great. I knew where I stood in the game," he said. "It just takes time. I know Milos does the right things; he works hard; he wants to do well. "He just has to be patient. It isnt going to happen overnight." The 41-year-old Sampras is often asked about the state of the American game. When the new ATP ranking are released, there will be no American men in the top-20 for the first time. "People ask me all the time whats wrong with American tennis. I dont know why," he said. "Its looking a little slim. Were in decent shape, but obviously we want our guys to be ranked No. 1 like we were in the 90s. "The world has gotten a little better. Maybe the U.S has gotten a little bit complacent. I really dont know. I think what happened in the 90s with Andre, me and Jim was rare." 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