Maikel Franco's big swing helped O's get their offense going

By Steve Melewski

Orioles

April 13, 2021, 8:06pm

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It may have been the biggest hit of the night for the Orioles and maybe one of their biggest of the 2021 season so far.

They had lost Game 1 to Seattle 4-3 in eight innings and they were trailing Game 2 by a 4-0 score when third baseman Maikel Franco batted in the last of the third. The bases were loaded and there were two outs. A loss in the nightcap and the Orioles would have a five-game losing streak and would fall to 1-7 since the opening weekend at Boston.

But they got back in the game when Franco lined a four-seamer over the inside corner from Nick Margevicius into the left-field corner. It came off the bat hot at 111 mph and scored three runs when Anthony Santander, sliding in at home, kicked the ball out of the catcher's mitt. A three-run double and Franco came through big in the clutch with two outs.

When Ryan Mountcastle singled to right, Franco scored the tying run to make it 4-4. The Orioles would take a 6-4 lead they didn't hold, but later would get a walk-off win on a RamÃ³n UrÃas single in the last of the seventh. It was the last big hit of Game 2, but Franco had the first.

Over his last four games, Franco is 4-for-13 with a homer and eight RBIs. His 12 RBIs lead the Orioles and no one else has more than eight. He is batting .455 (5-for-11) with runners in scoring position on a team that is batting just .235 with runners in scoring position.

Franco hit a three-run homer and drove in four runs in Sunday's loss to Boston. It was his 16th career game with at least four RBIs and first since Sept. 10, 2020 against Cleveland. He has four multi-RBI games already this season.

Franco has also been that rare Bird in the 2021 season that is not striking out a lot. He has six strikeouts, but also six walks, which ties him for the team lead with Cedric Mullins.

Franco told us pregame on Monday, before the rainout, that he's been working hard on his plate discipline.

"I mean, no question, man," Franco said via Zoom. "It is part of my plan this year. Try to be more tough at home plate. Make pitchers work harder with me. I just try to be aggressive in my zone. So, at the end of the day, it's about taking good pitches to hit. If they don't want to pitch to me, I just try to take my walks. Try to be tough, compete and have nice at-bats."

He had a nice one last night that got the Orioles back in the game at a time when it was looking like overcoming a four-run deficit might be asking too much from this scuffling offense.

"I like the character of our guys," manager Brandon Hyde said after the win. "I really like our players. They work hard every day and their struggles are coming from trying too hard and trying to do it instead of just kind of relaxing and letting the game come, which sometimes happens when you get older."

This was the Orioles' first win at Oriole Park this season, and snapped a 0-4 skid. It was their first walk-off win since Aug. 22, 2020 versus Boston.

Mountcastle doubled to left field in his first at-bat of the nightcap in the second inning and has now doubled in three straight contests. It's part of a five-game hitting streak in which he has recorded four extra-base hits. Mountcastle registered his first career stolen base in the fourth inning.

Mullins extended his season-opening hitting streak to 11 games with an RBI double down the right field line in the fourth inning, giving the Orioles a 5-4 lead. It is the longest active hitting streak in the majors. Mullins has hit safely in 15 straight games, dating to Sept. 24 of last year. In that span, he is batting .414 (24-for-58) with seven doubles, two triples, two home runs, eight RBIs, six walks, and nine runs scored.