WASHINGTON -- Jayson Werth was under the weather earlier Wednesday and wasn't in the Washington Nationals' original lineup.

However, Werth convinced manager Dusty Baker he was good enough to play, so he took his regular spot in left field and second in the batting order.

That paid off several hours later.

Werth hit a solo homer in the ninth inning to pull his team within a run, and then Matt Wieters lined a two-run single down the right field line with the bases loaded and one out against former teammate Brad Brach as the Nationals came back to beat the Baltimore Orioles 7-6.

Werth not only put a run on the board but also fouled off several pitches and made Brach throw 11 pitches in the at-bat.

"That is why I love batting behind him," said Bryce Harper, whose double to left followed Werth's leadoff homer.

Wieters drove in Harper and Daniel Murphy, who had walked, by lining a shot past his former teammate, first baseman Chris Davis.

Baltimore had won the first two games of the home-and-home series in Charm City, and there were many Orioles fans in the crowd Wednesday.

"You just have to keep believing," Washington starter Stephen Strasburg said.

The comeback before a crowd of 32,984 salvaged a big night for Washington sports fans, as a few miles away, the Washington Capitals lost Game 7 to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL playoffs while the Washington Wizards lost Game 5 in the NBA playoffs in Boston.

"We needed a win. We played poorly the first two games all around," said Wieters, the former Orioles catcher who signed with Washington in February. "I looked for something I could try to elevate a little bit. You have to keep grinding. A big win."

The loss ended a six-game winning streak for the Orioles, who had won 19 of the previous 26 games against Washington. It was the biggest comeback of the year for Washington, which trailed 5-1 and 6-2.

Baltimore will look to win the season series for the sixth year in a row Thursday.

"A lot of good hitters over there," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said of Washington.

The winner was former Orioles right-hander Matt Albers (2-0), who pitched a perfect ninth with three strikeouts, while Brach (0-1) took the loss. The Nationals snapped a three-game slide.

Baltimore's Mark Trumbo (two hits) slammed his fourth homer in the fifth inning, and Manny Machado hit his ninth -- a solo shot in the seventh off Blake Treinen -- to give the Orioles a 6-2 lead.

Washington's Michael A. Taylor hit a two-run shot in the eighth off Alec Asher to pull the Nationals to within 6-4. It was the first homer of the year for Taylor, who had two hits.

Baltimore starter Wade Miley went five innings and gave up five hits and two runs with four walks and five strikeouts.

"I just didn't make pitches and execute," said Miley, who threw 119 pitches.

Strasburg yielded five runs and eight hits while striking out nine in six innings.

Wieters had three hits for the Nationals, and Werth, Taylor and Harper had two apiece.

"I tell you, Jayson Werth had a super at-bat," Baker said of the ninth-inning battle with Brach. "Rarely do you have an at-bat like that when you end up hitting a homer.

"That was probably the best win of the year for us. Tonight we got a big game, tomorrow again."

NOTES: CF Adam Eaton, in his first year with the Nationals, began a rehab program Wednesday that should last about six to nine months, GM Mike Rizzo said. Eaton underwent surgery Tuesday to repair a torn left anterior cruciate ligament that he sustained April 28. ... The Orioles sent RHP Logan Verrett to Triple-A Norfolk and recalled LHP Vidal Nuno from the Tides. ... Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he hopes to have C Welington Castillo (right shoulder tendinitis) playing this weekend for Double-A Bowie and have him be ready to come off the disabled list Tuesday. Castillo has been out since May 1. ... Washington RHP Koda Glover (hip), who has been on the disabled list since April 26, pitched one scoreless inning Wednesday for Double-A Harrisburg.