Cruz gives O's lead, Flaherty and Lough reach highs and lows (free baseball!)

Nelson Cruz's sacrifice fly tonight off Indians reliever Mark Lowe in the bottom of the seventh inning gave the Orioles a 6-5 lead. The Orioles have scored six runs or more in four straight games for the first time since May 22-25, 2013. Cruz is tied with White Sox rookie Jose Abreu for the RBI lead in the American League with 42. The run was unearned after the Indians committed back-to-back errors with one out. Ryan Flaherty hit a three-run homer to give the Orioles a 5-3 lead and failed to make two plays in the field that led to two Indians runs. David Lough was booed after bouncing into a 1-2-3 double play with the bases loaded and no outs in the fifth, and cheered after he robbed Asdrubal Cabrera of a three-run homer with a leaping catch in the sixth. Baseball is a funny game. The Orioles loaded the bases with no outs in the fifth against Indians starter Justin Masterson and failed to score. They were within an out of stranding two runners in the sixth and erupted for five runs. Baseball really is a funny game. Flaherty's three-run homer in the sixth wiped out a 3-2 deficit. The ball barely cleared the out-of-town scoreboard in right, but it produced Flaherty's first homer since Sept. 25, 2013. Indians starter Justin Masterson, working on three days rest, appeared to hit a wall in the fifth after hitting J.J. Hardy and Flaherty. He already had issued a leadoff walk to Steve Clevenger. The sacks were full with nobody out. Lough, who came into the game batting .175 and struck out in the third, bounced to the mound, where Masterson started the double play. Nick Markakis lined to first, and the Orioles still trailed 3-0. Known to score their runs in bunches, the Orioles hung five on Masterson in the sixth and drove him from the game. Clevenger singled up the middle with two outs to score Adam Jones, who reached on a gift double to right-center field. Hardy followed with an RBI single and Flaherty unloaded. Lough walked and was caught stealing. Still a rough night at that point. Wei-Yin Chen retired nine in a row before Yan Gomes singled with one out in the seventh. Carlos Santana hit a chopper up the middle, Flaherty cut in front of Hardy and the ball deflected off his glove for an infield hit. David Murphy followed with a ground ball that Flaharty bobbled before settling for the out at first base as Gomes scored. No. 9 hitter Mike Aviles singled in the tying run and manager Buck Showalter signaled for left-hander Brian Matusz. Chen should have been out of the inning. Instead, he was out of the game - charged with five runs and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings, with no walks, one strikeout, one home run and one wild pitch. He threw 92 pitches 68 for strikes. Michael Bourn singled and Cabrera followed with a drive to left-center field that looked like a three-run homer until Lough reached above the fence. It's been a wild and crazy game, and it's not over. Update: It's really not over. Pinch-hitter Lonnie Chisenhall homered off Darren O'Day with one out in the eighth to tie the game 6-6. O'Day replaced Brian Matusz after Michael Brantley struck out. O'Day has allowed two earned runs in 18 innings this season, on solo homers by Mike Napoli and Chisenhall. O'Day struck out two batters in the inning, but we're tied. Update II: Clevenger struck out with two on and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, and we're headed to extras. Indians reliever Cody Allen walked Nelson Cruz intentionally with first base open and two outs to pitch to Clevenger. Zach Britton retired the Indians in order in the top of the ninth, striking out two and inducing a foul pop up. He's allowed two earned runs and 13 hits in 24 2/3 innings. Britton has returned to the mound for the 10th. The Orioles are 4-0 in extra innings.