Looking at the Orioles' historic home run tear through June

The Orioles have a big lead in the American League East, but with one game remaining in June, the story is their steady stream of home runs - and how they are different from the other record-setting teams.

Mark Trumbo's home run Wednesday in San Diego gave the Orioles 55 home runs during June, tying the record held by the 1996 Oakland Athletics. The Orioles are three short of tying the all-time monthly record by the 1987 Orioles and the 1999 Seattle Mariners.

The noteworthy thread is that none of the other teams made the postseason. The '96 Athletics were third in the AL West. The '87 Orioles lost 95 games. The '99 Mariners were four under.

Another common thread: None of those teams could pitch or put together a lineup that could do anything more than be all-or-nothing.

At 5.01, the '87 Orioles had the second-highest ERA and were second-to-last in on-base percentage (.322). Larry Sheets led the Orioles that season with 31 home runs. Eddie Murray hit 30, Cal Ripken Jr. 27 and Fred Lynn 23.

The '99 Mariners, led by Ken Griffey Jr.'s 48 home runs and Alex Rodriguez's 42, were 10th in average (.274) and ninth in on-base percentage (.343).

The '96 Athletics got 52 home runs from Mark McGwire, 35 from Terry Steinbach and 22 from Scott Brosius. But the Athletics ranked 10th in on-base percentage (.344) and 10th in ERA at 5.20. They did hit eight home runs in one game against the Angels on June 27.

According to Elias Sports Bureau, this season's Orioles are the fourth team in history to have at least seven players - Adam Jones, Chris Davis, Trumbo, Pedro Alvarez, Jonathan Schoop, Manny Machado and Matt Wieters - with five home runs in a month.

The home runs are nice, but what makes the Orioles unique is their ability to make contact and pump up their on-base percentage, which at .334 is second in the AL behind Boston's .354.

"We don't focus on hitting home runs, but they'll be there when we concentrate on getting good pitches to hit," Orioles outfielder Mark Trumbo says.

According to ESPN, the Orioles have been robbed of three home runs in June: Kansas City's Lorenzo Cain stole one from Alvarez, Toronto's Michael Saunders robbed J.J. Hardy and Tampa Bay's Taylor Motter robbed Jones.

Former pitcher Ron Darling, a TV analyst for the New York Mets, says power-hitting teams are difficult to pitch against, especially the Orioles during hot temperatures in hitter-friendly Camden Yards.

"If you don't have your best stuff, you get in trouble by giving up a walk or a hit, and the next thing you know, a guy pops one out of the ballpark," Darling says. "You can't be too cute against this team. They'll hurt you in a hurry."

Opponents are finding that out, especially in June.