A simple popup can leave the biggest mark on a game. Especially when it slams into the infield dirt instead of a glove.
Who knew that Adam Jones would reach to lead off the fourth inning on a ball arcing above the area between first and second base? Certainly not Jones, who spiked his bat in disgust and headed up the line, expecting to take a hard right to the dugout.
Jones blew a bubble, the Angels blew a one-run lead, and the Orioles ended their losing streak at seven games and beat an American League opponent for the first time in more than a month.
Mark Trumbo led the home run barrage with two, going back-to-back with Manny Machado in a six-run fourth, and the Orioles avoided another sweep by defeating the Angels 8-2 before an announced crowd of 18,351 at Camden Yards.
The Orioles sent 10 batters to the plate in the fourth. Jones struck out to finish it after second baseman Ian Kinsler turned away from the popup that fueled a rally.
Machado and Trumbo homered after the botched popup, Chris Davis doubled and Chance Sisco walked to chase Deck McGuire. Steve Wilkerson greeted Hansel Robles with a RBI double, his first two-bagger in the majors, and Tim Beckham lined a two-out, two-run single to center field to increase the lead to 6-1.
Kevin Gausman held the Angels to two runs over eight innings, and the Orioles improved to 24-59 overall and won at home for only the second time in 19 games. They're 1-15 against the American League West.
The last victory for the Orioles against an AL opponent came on May 25 at Tropicana Field. Their six wins last month were achieved against the Mets (twice), Marlins, Nationals and Braves (twice).
Gausman didn't walk a batter or register his first strikeout until Jose Briceno chased an 0-2 slider leading off the eighth. He hasn't failed to record a strikeout since June 11, 2017, when he lasted only 3 1/3 innings at Yankee Stadium.
Kole Calhoun homered with two outs in the eighth and Mike Trout struck out on Gausman's 104th and final pitch.
The rotation has posted 39 quality starts, including 10 from Gausman, who's allowed 10 runs over 32 1/3 innings in his last five outings and five over 20 innings in his last three.
No Orioles starter had gotten an out in the eighth inning since Dylan Bundy on June 11.
The first inning proved to be treacherous territory again today, with Gausman allowing a leadoff double to Calhoun and two-out single to Albert Pujols and falling behind 1-0. Gausman has surrendered 10 runs in the first inning this season and the Orioles have been outscored 71-42.
Gausman retired 14 of the next 16 batters before Justin Upton singled with two outs in the sixth. He threw five pitches in the fourth and nine in the fifth to manage his count more effectively than usual.
Trumbo produced his 13th career multi-homer game and first this season with a shot off reliever Eduardo Paredes in the fifth that traveled 444 feet with an exit velocity of 109.8 per Statcast. Trey Mancini homered with two outs after striking out in his first two at-bats, his ball traveling 399 feet.
Paredes wasn't fooling anyone. Davis flied to the fence in left field, Upton's back pressed against it as he made the catch.
Notes: Infielder Corban Joseph cleared waivers and was assigned outright to Double-A Bowie.
Jonathan Schoop played second base in the ninth inning and Colby Rasmus, who was ill, played right field.
Update: Manager Buck Showalter said Wilkerson has "the symptoms of an oblique," which is why the rookie came out of the game.
"Just bothered him to hit and I didn't want to take another chance with him that last inning," Showalter said. "He brought it to our attention about the seventh inning and he wasn't going to hit again. That's why Jon was in there.
"Rasmus got a little better as the game went on."
Showalter will reveal Wednesday's starter on the off-day.
Showalter on Gausman keeping pitch count down: "Anytime that's important, you like that, but especially with the weather like this today. I know his teammates are a big fan of his, but even more so today. He and Cash (Andrew Cashner) on and off the field. But, no, that's impressive. I always kind of look at the player of the game and what they ... you pitch eight innings in that weather and give your team that type of chance to win, that's impressive."
Showalter on popup leading to rally: "That sounds funny to say, but those are the types of things that have been happening to us. Ball gets in the sun. I don't care who you are, if the ball gets in the sun it stays in the sun. A lot of work's done about trying to be ready for it when it does come out if it does. Kinsler's as good a second baseman as there is.
"I thought one of the big keys today, the things we haven't been doing, was the add-on runs. We get the six spot and we add on some more runs. And that keeps a good mentality going."
Showalter on whether it felt like good ol' days: "Like I say all the time, people talk about the good ol' days. These are the good ol' days. They're going to be talking about ... I don't live in that ... Everything's relevant today.
"Obviously, we've got a long way to go, but I want the guys to feel positive going into the off-day. Jon will get back in there."
Showalter on whether team results obscure Gausman progress: "It's not just him. There's a lot of pitchers. I look at where Castro has come from his background and there's a lot of good things going on from that standpoint. But Gaus is a good example of that. I thought he started out pretty well.
"I don't chuckle or eye roll or any of that stuff, it's just, when I hear people kind of (be) negative, Kevin has cut his teeth in the American League East and he's kind of a good-hardened to it. This guy doesn't dwell around too much on successes and failures. He comes from a college program where he was just getting warmed up at 130. He always looks at me when I take him out regardless of the pitch count. I don't think he's used to that. But he's getting an extra day next time out, so I got comfortable letting him get to 100."
On finally winning at home and feeling good walking off field: "We're undefeated in July. Sometimes, you have to laugh to keep from crying, right? Of course, of course. We have good people. It just hasn't happened for us, but we have half the season left. That's the approach we're taking."
On whether fans are getting the team's best at home: "We're not winning enough games here when we play here, so that's not your best. That's a pretty easy answer, right? We want to do better. We haven't been able to hold some leads when we got them. Today we did."
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