Nick Markakis ends RBI drought as Orioles beat Angels

Nick Markakis began today in a 6-for-33 stretch, without an RBI over his last eight games and with just one over his past 13 contests. But the Orioles right fielder delivered huge hits this afternoon in the eighth and 10th innings as the Orioles beat the Angels 3-2 in 10 innings. The win allowed the Orioles to finish their trip through Toronto, Chicago and Anaheim with a 6-4 record. The last time the Orioles had a winning record on a 10-game trip, they went 6-4 at Toronto, Minnesota and Boston in September 2004. Markakis, who had come up with a two-run single in the eighth to give the team a brief 2-1 lead, delivered an RBI single up the middle in the top of the 10th to make it a 3-2 game.

Robert Andino drew a leadoff walk off Latroy Hawkins, advanced to second on a sac bunt and third on a groundout. Markakis then hit one up the middle for the go-ahead RBI and a three-RBI day. The Orioles had struggled on offense all afternoon against right-hander Dan Haren when Markakis got them on the board in the eighth. But the lead lasted just one batter as Howie Kendrick's homer in the last of the eighth off Pedro Strop tied the game at 2-2. Wei-Yin Chen pitched very well in getting a no-decision for the Birds. He went a season-high 6 1/3 innings and gave up just five hits and one run over 96 pitches. It was the Orioles sixth quality start on the year, but just their third in 13 games and Chen's first. Strop wound up getting the win and Jim Johnson pitched the last of the 10th to record his seventh save in seven chances and 15th in a row dating to last August. The Orioles are now 9-7 on the season and 7-2 in games decided by two runs or less. The Orioles now head home for an off-day tomorrow before they host Toronto on Tuesday night to begin a six-game homestand at Camden Yards.