Could Trumbo's adjusted stance explain HR streak? (O's up 6-0)

Is Mark Trumbo red-hot at the plate or still mired in a slump? Is he totally locked in or continuing to labor?

It can't be both, though arguments work for both sides.

Trumbo has eight hits in 49 at-bats over his last 14 games, a .163 average that's lowered his season mark to .256. He's batting .173/.231/.429 since the All-Star break.

The full Trumbo story always has to include his home runs, though, and his streak was a hot topic earlier today on MLB Network.

Trumbo's last seven hits are home runs. Mark McGwire strung together 11 in a row in 2001. Lucas Duda (2015), Marcus Thames (2008) and Albert Belle (1995) had eight hits in a row that were home runs, date provided by MLB Stat of the Day.

Marcus Thames? Yes, it happened while playing for the Tigers. He hit 25 homers, one shy of his career high.

Trumbo's last non-homer hit came on an RBI single off former Orioles farmhand Andrew Triggs in the fourth inning of an Aug. 11 in Oakland. The streak began in the fifth with a grand slam off Daniel Coulombe.

Trying to explain why the last seven hits are home runs can be as challenging as squaring up a knuckleballer.

"It's hard to say," Trumbo said today while sitting at his locker. "The mindset' on any of those hasn't been to hit a home run, you know? It's mainly just trying to be on time and ready. I think a couple of these, at least, have been with two strikes."

Trumbo made an adjustment at the plate that is worth mentioning, though it may not offer a full explanation. All theories are welcome.

"I kind of went to a no-stride recently while in Oakland," he said. "Definitely not to hit for more power. Mainly just to get a better look at the ball, maybe lay off a few of those pitches that I was chasing. I think all of the home runs recently have been with the no-stride stance.

"Not trying to overthink it at all, but the main purpose of it was just to get a little bit better look and check off some of those pitches to avoid chasing."

The streak doesn't warrant the same fuss as The Streak, of course, but it's gaining attention as Trumbo continues to lead the majors in home runs - his total now up to 38, more than he accumulated in the past two seasons combined (36). And there are no cheapies in the bunch. The ball doesn't scrape the backside of the fence.

"I think I realized it maybe sometime in the last series with the Astros," he said. "The last hit I got was in Oakland, kind of a jam-shot bloop single, but it was for an RBI and it kind of got me back on track just a little bit. And ever since, that's kind of what happened."

Update: Trumbo broke the streak with a two-out RBI single off rookie Reynaldo Lopez in the bottom of the first inning, giving the Orioles a 1-0 lead. Trumbo was thrown out trying for a double.

Kevin Gausman stranded two runners in the top of the first, but it cost him 27 pitches.

Update II: The Orioles scored twice in the second on Matt Wieters' RBI double and Adam Jones' infield hit. Jones is 2-for-2 with an RBI and run scored.

Update III: Lopez lasted only 2 2/3 innings and left with the Orioles leading 6-0. Jonathan Schoop had an RBI double after singles by Chris Davis and Mark Trumbo, and Daniel Murphy's fielding error with two outs allowed two more runs to score.