A look at the Orioles' outstanding offense in June (plus other notes)

The Orioles offense in June has been in a word, well, spectacular.

The Orioles have hit 51 home runs this month. If they hit five more homers in the remaining three games in June, they will set a major league record for most homers in the month. The current mark is 55 by the 1996 Oakland Athletics. If the Orioles hit eight homers over the next three games, they will set a major league record for most homers in any single month. The current mark is 58 held by the 1987 Orioles and the 1999 Seattle Mariners.

The Orioles lead the majors in several team offensive categories this month, a month in which they are 17-8. They lead in team batting average (.299), slugging percentage (.534), OPS (.891), runs scored (159) and home runs. The Orioles are averaging a stunning 6.4 runs per game this month.

A month-by-month look at the Orioles:

* April (14-9 record): .273 average, .463 slugging, .796 OPS, 34 homers, 3.63 ERA, 4.7 runs per game
* May (14-13 record): .242 average, .416 slugging, .725 OPS, 35 homers, 4.15 ERA, 4.1 runs per game
* June (17-8 record): .299 average, .534 slugging, .891 OPS, 51 homers, 4.72 ERA, 6.4 runs per game

The Orioles have several players having big months on offense in June:

* Pedro Alvarez is batting .315 and slugging .667 with an OPS of 1.023, six homers and 15 RBIs.
* Chris Davis is batting .280 and slugging .634 with an OPS of 1.036, eight homers and 22 RBIs.
* Adam Jones is batting .315 and slugging .639 with an OPS of .987, 10 homers and 25 RBIs.
* Manny Machado is batting .345 and slugging .598 with an OPS of .967, five homers and 15 RBIs.
* Jonathan Schoop is batting .347 and slugging .589 with an OPS of .978, five homers and 15 RBIs.
* Mark Trumbo is batting .270 and slugging .540 with an OPS of .864, seven homers and 18 RBIs.
* Matt Wieters is batting .274 and slugging .548 with an OPS of .905, five homers and 20 RBIs.

The 'pen is mightier: Over the last two days, Orioles starting pitchers Chris Tillman and Tyler Wilson combined to allow 20 hits and 11 runs in 10 innings versus Tampa Bay. But in the same two games, the O's bullpen pitchers put up eight scoreless innings. Those bullpen performances allowed the Orioles to come from behind and win Saturday night and hold off Tampa Bay Sunday after they pulled within a run in the middle of the game. On a day when the offense scored 12 runs, Davis said the bullpen was big in that win.

"Those guys have been there for us day in and day out," Davis said. "Feel like every night it's a different guy. That is what you want from your bullpen. Those guys that go out there and grind and know they will be called on when the game is close and they do the job."

The Orioles bullpen has not allowed a run over the last five games and 16 innings. The scoreless run has lowered the 'pen ERA for the year from 3.11 to 2.91.

Bundy's run: Speaking of scoreless streaks, O's right-hander Dylan Bundy has put one together. He pitched three scoreless innings on Sunday and has not allowed a run over his past four games. In that time, he has thrown 9 1/3 innings allowing five hits with one walk and 10 strikeouts. His ERA for the year is now 3.55 in 33 innings.

"I definitely think Dylan has always had the potential to do what he's doing," Davis said. "Just needed the experience. It's been a lot of fun to watch him progress and mature. I'm proud of him."

These last four Bundy outings have come on four days, five days, four days and five days of rest. He is pitching on extended rest and throwing multiple innings. He threw a season-high 57 pitches yesterday.

"I was just throwing all my pitches for strikes, even though I was in some deep counts," Bundy said. "Was able to throw my off-speed for strikes in some fastball counts today and I think that helped me out quite a bit."

The Orioles are not stretching Bundy out to be a starting pitcher, but he said pitching on extended rest much like a starter certainly makes him sometimes think ahead to his future and a time when he can be a starting pitcher again.

"Yeah definitely," Bundy said. "I'd love to start this year. But that is not in the plans right now, and I'll just have to wait until next year and take advantage of what I can do this year."