When you've scored just five runs in the last three games, and three or less runs in 20 of the last 25 games, scoring 10 runs seems like an offensive explosion. It was for the Orioles today as they ended a nine-game losing streak with a 10-4 victory over the Marlins.
The Orioles had scored five or less 19 straight games since scoring nine May 24 to beat the Chicago White Sox. That was also the last time they held a four-lead until today. The last time the Orioles scored this many runs they beat Tampa Bay 17-1 at home May 13.
The Orioles (20-50) ended their longest losing streak since July of 2011. Their home losing streak ended at 11 straight, which tied a club record set in 2007. This was just their third win in the last 19 games.
Before today their last win at Oriole Park was on Mother's Day and they win again at home on Father's Day.
Facing 24-year-old right-hander Trevor Richards, they scored two runs each in the second, third and fourth innings. They added two in the fifth off reliever Merandy Gonzalez. Jace Peterson's ground-rule, two-run double to right-center made it 2-0 in the second. The two-bagger scored Mark Trumbo who had singled and advanced to third on Jonathan Schoop's double.
An inning later Trumbo's RBI double and Trey Mancini's RBI single made it a 4-0 lead. Mancini, who began today batting .082 with runners in scoring position, ended an 0-for-21 with RISP on that basehit.
Craig Gentry and Austin Wynns led off the fourth with singles. They scored on Adam Jones' two-run double to right-center to make it a 6-1 lead. Jones has 31 RBIs. Miami had cut their deficit to 4-1 in the fourth on Justin Bour's 11th homer.
The O's added on and made it 8-1 in the fifth. Schoop drew a leadoff walk, his second today and fourth in three games, perhaps a sign he's going to soon break out on offense. This time he scored ahead of Peterson's two-run homer to right, his first as an Oriole.
Peterson had a four-RBI day to tie his career-high, first set May 16, 2015 for Atlanta against Miami. His homer also end a run of 18 straight Orioles solo home runs.
But a blowout was not to be today as Bour's second homer of the afternoon was a three-run shot to pull Miami within 8-4 in the sixth. It was his second career multi-homer game and fifth of his career and he drove in all four Marlins' runs.
O's right-hander Dylan Bundy got some run support and a win today despite allowing the two Bour homers. Over six innings he gave up five hits and four runs with two walks and five strikeouts on 92 pitches. Bundy is 5-7 with a 3.81 ERA overall and 4-2 with a 2.89 ERA in seven career interleague games.
The Orioles needed three relievers to navigate a scoreless seventh. Miguel Castro allowed two singles and a walk and Mychal Givens came on and got the next two batters out. That brought up the lefty-hitting Bour and brought in from the 'pen, the lefty Tanner Scott. Bour was the tie run in the box and with two homers already but Scott struck him out looking at a slider.
The lead grew to 9-4 in the home seventh when Trumbo hit No. 4 on a 1-2 fastball. Trumbo had hit just one homer his last 17 games. Manny Machado's RBI single in the eighth ended the scoring.
The Orioles ended a 1-5 homestand today and now play six in a row on the road at Washington and Atlanta. That stretch starts Tuesday night at Nationals Park after Monday's off day.
Postgame quotes
Trumbo on a needing a win: "Well, it was nice. All of them are needed obviously, but it felt good today. I think there are some guys that had some really good games. You know, Dylan did his job. Our bullpen looked great. It was real nice."
Trumbo on whether O's were looking to go opposite-field today: "When it warrants it. Personally, it just kind of happened that way. I didn't like the swings put on in the first game of the series. Felt they were a little too passive, so I wanted to try and get a better version of my swing going. Fortunately today that is what showed up."
Trumbo on offense being poor for most of the year: "It's been inconsistant, yeah. Usually when a team is struggling as a whole, the pitchers get a lot more comfortable on the other side and they can cruise though some of those innings. So it's important to try and peck away. I'd like to see a whole lot more games that look like this going forward. I think everybody would."
Bundy on the run support: "It was a great. Gives you some room for error. Fortunately we scored all those runs because I needed it there in the sixth - gave up the three-run shot to Bour. Good team win."
Bundy on ending two losing streaks: "It's difficult for everyone I think. We know what we are capable of and we're just not doing it right now. Today was one of those days that we performed the way we should."
Bundy on his struggles in the sixth inning and Scott's key strikeout in the seventh: "I just kind of made two bad pitches to Bour and he got all the runs on me. So, just kind of left some pitches up that inning and they got to me. But glad to get the team win today. Big time situation there for Tanner and he was able to do his job. Great game and great team win overall."
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