"Nationals outfielder Josh Willingham waited patiently in the on-deck circle, preparing for a steady dose of Baltimore Orioles closer Alfredo Simon and his blazing fastball.

Except the chance never came. Simon, covering first base on a ground ball in the bottom of the 10th inning, stepped on the bag and sprained his ankle. He was done for the game. Into the breach stepped Cla Meredith, a right-handed reliever with a funky motion.

Willingham didn't have much time to think about the change and adjust. He simply deposited a 2-1 pitch over the wall in left field to lift his club to a dramatic 4-3 victory at Nationals Park.

Washington (23-22) took two of three games over the weekend in this inter-league rivalry series and climbed back over .500 as it leaves town for a 10-game road trip. The Orioles (14-31), meanwhile, lost another heartbreaker after tying the game off Nats' closer Matt Capps with two runs in the top of the ninth inning."