Hammel hammered as Angels complete two-game sweep

Well, this could have gone better for the Orioles. After not giving up an earned run on just six hits over his last two starts covering 17 innings, Jason Hammel gave up eight runs tonight to match his career high as the Angels routed the Orioles 13-1 at Camden Yards. The Angels have now won six of their last seven and 13 of 17 as they sweep the two-game series. The Angels are a major league best 36-19 since April 28. Hammel, who entered with the sixth best ERA in the American League at 2.61, gave up eight hits along with eight runs in his shortest outing as an Oriole, just 3 1/3 innings. He is now 8-3 and his ERA increases to 3.29. Hammel was 2-0 with an ERA of 1.61 in June and had given up two earned runs or less in 10 of his 14 starts before this outing. Kendrys Morales knocked in four runs and Torii Hunter hit his 10th homer in the first inning as part of a two-RBI night. Hammel's previous shortest outing was five innings, three times before. The Orioles fall to five games out of first place at 41-33 and they have lost six of their last eight games, following a stretch where they won seven of eight games. The Oriole pitchers had an ERA of 2.22 over their previous eight games before allowing 20 runs on 32 hits in this series. The Orioles host Cleveland for a four-game series beginning Thursday night when Wei-Yin Chen (7-3, 3.38 ERA) pitches against right-hander Zach McAllister (1-1, 3.96 ERA).