Cleveland uses the longball to win series opener

By Steve Melewski

Orioles

June 28, 2012, 5:33pm

Comments

Even facing a team that had lost five games in a row while scoring just 11 runs wasn't enough to lead the Orioles to a victory. Instead, the Cleveland Indians hit a pair of three-run homers to end that losing streak in a 7-2 win at Camden Yards to start a four-game series. Johnny Damon delivered a three-run shot off Wei-Yin Chen in the second and Asdrubel Cabrera hit his three-run shot off Luis Ayala in the seventh as Cleveland improved to 38-37 and avoided falling under .500 for the first time since April 14. The Orioles have now been outscored 27-6 in losing the last three nights. Two of the runs allowed by Ayala were charged to Chen, who falls to 7-4 with an ERA of 3.73. He gave up six hits and six runs over 6 1/3 innings, throwing 98 pitches. J.J Hardy, who entered tonight with just four hits in 41 at-bats over his past 10 games, hit a two-run homer in the fifth. It was his 12th of the year. The Orioles have scored just 23 runs over their past 12 games, scoring two runs or less nine times in that stretch. The O's fall to 41-34 with their seventh loss in the past nine games. They fall to 21-18 at home and host the Tribe in game two of this four-game series Friday night.