O's lose lead, but not game to complete 9-2 homestand with win over Reds
Well, that was some homestand.
The Orioles beat the Cincinnati Reds 9-7 tonight in a game that felt like they won twice. They took a 6-0 lead in the first inning, got tied up 7-7 in the seventh and then pulled out the 9-7 victory.
J.J. Hardy's two-out two-run single in the seventh snapped the 7-7 tie and provided the winning margin. Hardy is batting .385 this year with runners in scoring position and two outs.
Earlier, the Orioles bashed three more homers and Chris Tillman extended his streak to 17 consecutive starts allowing three earned runs or less. The Orioles completed a three-game sweep with the win.
Now 82-57, the Orioles have clinched a third straight winning season for the first time since 1992-94. They went 9-2 on this homestand, outscoring their opponents 67-38.
Nice run differential.
The Orioles are 24-7 at home since June 30 and they moved 25 games over .500 for the first time since Oct. 2, 2012.
The Orioles exploded for six runs against right-hander Mike Leake in the last of the first and all the runs scored with two outs.
Nelson Cruz started it with a two-run homer. Later, Kelly Johnson doubled to plate a run with his first O's hit. Nick Hundley capped the rally with a three-run shot to left field.
For Cruz, it was No. 37. That ties him with Albert Belle (1999) and Mark Reynolds (2011) for the second-most homers by a first-year Oriole. Frank Robinson tops that list with 49 in 1966.
Leake entered this start with a 2.89 first-inning ERA, allowing 10 runs and two homers in that inning all year. He also gave up just two homers in 38 2/3 innings in August. But he allowed three homers and seven runs over four innings tonight.
Jonathan Schoop hit a solo homer in the fourth inning to clear the fence for the third game in a row for the first time in his career. It was his 15th on the season.
Schoop has averaged a homer every 13.7 at-bats in the second half. To put that in perspective, Cruz has hit one every 14.1 at-bats this season.
Tillman pitched six innings, allowing five hits and three runs with two walks and six strikeouts. But he got a no-decision. Over his last 17 starts, Tillman has pitched to an ERA of 2.26 and he has 14 quality starts. Tillman's streak of 17 consecutive starts with three or fewer earned runs is now the fifth-longest in club history. The record is 25 by Dave McNally in 1968.
The Orioles finished 12-8 in interleague games, setting a club record for most interleague wins in one year.
The O's begin a six-game road trip on Friday night at the Tampa Bay Rays with Wei-Yin Chen (14-4, 3.83 ERA) facing right-hander Alex Cobb (9-7, 2.98 ERA).
Earlier, the Orioles bashed three more homers and Chris Tillman extended his streak to 17 consecutive starts allowing three earned runs or less. The Orioles completed a three-game sweep with the win.
Now 82-57, the Orioles have clinched a third straight winning season for the first time since 1992-94. They went 9-2 on this homestand, outscoring their opponents 67-38.
Nice run differential.
The Orioles are 24-7 at home since June 30 and they moved 25 games over .500 for the first time since Oct. 2, 2012.
The Orioles exploded for six runs against right-hander Mike Leake in the last of the first and all the runs scored with two outs.
Nelson Cruz started it with a two-run homer. Later, Kelly Johnson doubled to plate a run with his first O's hit. Nick Hundley capped the rally with a three-run shot to left field.
For Cruz, it was No. 37. That ties him with Albert Belle (1999) and Mark Reynolds (2011) for the second-most homers by a first-year Oriole. Frank Robinson tops that list with 49 in 1966.
Leake entered this start with a 2.89 first-inning ERA, allowing 10 runs and two homers in that inning all year. He also gave up just two homers in 38 2/3 innings in August. But he allowed three homers and seven runs over four innings tonight.
Jonathan Schoop hit a solo homer in the fourth inning to clear the fence for the third game in a row for the first time in his career. It was his 15th on the season.
Schoop has averaged a homer every 13.7 at-bats in the second half. To put that in perspective, Cruz has hit one every 14.1 at-bats this season.
Tillman pitched six innings, allowing five hits and three runs with two walks and six strikeouts. But he got a no-decision. Over his last 17 starts, Tillman has pitched to an ERA of 2.26 and he has 14 quality starts. Tillman's streak of 17 consecutive starts with three or fewer earned runs is now the fifth-longest in club history. The record is 25 by Dave McNally in 1968.
The Orioles finished 12-8 in interleague games, setting a club record for most interleague wins in one year.
The O's begin a six-game road trip on Friday night at the Tampa Bay Rays with Wei-Yin Chen (14-4, 3.83 ERA) facing right-hander Alex Cobb (9-7, 2.98 ERA).
LATEST ORIOLES NEWS
LATEST NATIONALS NEWS
About the author
By accepting you will be accessing a service provided by a third-party external to https://www.masnsports.com/