BALTIMORE -- Despite a prolonged slump, Orioles manager Buck Showalter -- citing previous success against Nationals starter Jeremy Hellickson and a need to break up the right-handed bats in the lineup -- penciled Chris Davis in the cleanup spot on Tuesday night.
But Davis, who owns the second-worst slugging percentage in the Majors, didn't reward the effort. Instead the first baseman went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts looking, the unsuccessful at-bats providing a microcosm for Baltimore's season-long struggle to score runs. Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the Nationals marked the 11th time in 13 games the Orioles had been held to three or fewer runs.