Flaherty and Lough score big off bench, plus Sisco pursues a batting title

If you list a job description for Adam Jones it might include driving in runs and showing leadership. For Chris Tillman it might include anchor the top of the rotation. For other players that job description might be less clear cut, but for players like Ryan Flaherty and David Lough it must includes the words 'be ready.' That pair combined for five hits, four runs and three RBIs in the Orioles' 12-8 win over Minnesota on Sunday. Flaherty went 2-for-5 with a triple and three-run homer. Lough went 3-for-5 and scored twice. When you are a reserve player you have the difficult task of trying to stay sharp without regular at-bats and then trying to deliver in the few chances you do get. On an O's team where depth is important, the ability to deliver is important. "Always nice to be in there," Flaherty said Sunday as he started for the first time since Aug. 16. "Feels good to contribute, obviously. If you are not in there every day when you get in there make the most of the opportunity to help the team in some way. Whether it's with the glove or bat, do something to help the team win that day." Lough's outlook is quite similar. Yesterday was also his first start since Aug. 16. "Whatever I can do," Lough said of trying to stay sharp on the bench. "Whether it's early batting practice with the machine, just being in the cage. Always staying ready. That is what I do. From the fifth inning on, when I don't play, I'm always game ready. Ready to go in when called upon. "To go into games late and go up and face some tough bullpen guys, is not easy to do. We take pride in that. We try to do something to help our team win." While Lough's .226 average falls well short of the .286 he hit with Kansas City when he finished eighth in the American League Rookie of the Year vote last season, Lough said his time as an Oriole has been special this year. "It's been great. I love the clubhouse," he said. "We have a great group of guys, led by Buck and everything seems like it's clicking for us." More notes on the O's: * The Orioles have swept the Twins in three-game series' at Camden Yards and they even swept the Twins at home in a five-game series from July 1-3, 1966, but they have never had a four-game home sweep of Minnesota. They shoot for that this afternoon. The O's have swept a four-game road series at Minnesota in August of 2011. * The O's lead the season series 4-2 over the Twins after going 3-3 last season. Since April 19, 2011, the Orioles are 18-8 against the Twins, including a 9-3 mark at home. * After he came up with a career-high four hits on Sunday, O's catcher Caleb Joseph is batting .357 (20-for-56) over his past 16 games with three doubles, five homers and 12 RBIs. * Joseph singled twice in the sixth inning Sunday. The last Oriole to have two hits in the same inning was Jones on May 25, 2011 versus Kansas City. * After being hit by a Ricky Nolasco pitch in the first inning, Jones has now been hit in a career-high three straight games. This mark ties the Orioles' club record shared by Brady Anderson (June 23-25, 1996), Chris Hoiles (June 10-14, 1996), and Frank Robinson (June 10-14, 1968). * With his next double, Nelson Cruz will become the 10th Oriole to record a season with 35 or more home runs and 25 or more doubles, joining Anderson (1996), Albert Belle (1999), Chris Davis (2013), Jim Gentile (1961), Rafael Palmeiro (1995-96, 1998), Boog Powell (1969-70), Mark Reynolds (2011), Robinson (1966), and Ken Singleton (1979). It will be the 13th 35+HR/25+ 2B season in club history. The Sisco kid update: The Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds have never had a player win a batting title, but by the end of today that likely will change. With one day left in the regular season, catcher Chance Sisco leads the league in batting average at .340 and Lakewood's Willians Astudillo is at .336. Sisco has gone 5-for-7 over the last two games raising his average six points. He was pinch-hit for in the ninth inning last night, which was apparently related to his pursuit of the batting crown. Sisco may sit out today's game. Several times during this Orioles homestand, manger Buck Showalter has mentioned Sisco and his pursuit of the batting crown. Showalter wondered if he should sit out in the exact situation they face today with him leading the race by four points. If Sisco does win the batting title, he will have earned it. Just 19-years-old and the Orioles second round draft pick last year, Sisco has batted .361 in 66 games since the South Atlantic League All-Star break. This kid has been raking. He is going to set a Shorebirds team record for highest batting average in franchise history. The current mark is .320 by Richie Paz in 1998. The Sisco kid has had quite a year on the O's farm.