Orioles stay homer happy (updated twice)

By Roch Kubatko

Orioles

July 26, 2011, 4:34pm

Comments

Nolan Reimold led off the top of the fourth inning with his sixth home run, increasing the Orioles' lead to 5-3. Robert Andino singled, and J.J. Hardy belted his second homer of the night, a two-run shot that upped his season total to 16. Brandon Morrow had surrendered only five homers in his first 17 starts before tonight. The Orioles have hit three against him. Reimold reached the second deck in left-center field. Nobody questions his power. Keep running him out there and let him stake a claim to the left field job in 2012. Adam Lind hit a three-run shot off Jake Arrieta in the bottom of the third - his sixth homer against the Orioles this season, and the fifth consecutive game that he's gone deep against them. Arrieta committed a throwing error and hit Jose Bautista in the head, forcing the former Oriole out of the game. Still think the Orioles need to pitch inside more often? Bautista would like a minute for rebuttal. Instant update: Adam Jones singled with one out, the Orioles' ninth hit, and Morrow came out of the game. Morrow lasted only 3 1/3 innings on his 27th birthday. Update II: Aaron Hill homered to lead off the bottom of the fourth. Why should he be left out? Arrieta has surrendered 21 homers this season.