BALTIMORE (AP) — Cedric Mullins hit a leadoff homer as part of a three-hit day, and the Baltimore Orioles scored their most runs since 2015 and had a season-high 21 hits in an 18-5 rout of the Cleveland Indians on Sunday,
Baltimore entered 24th among the 30 major league teams in scoring, then put across its highest runs total since beating Oakland 18-2 on Aug. 16, 2015.
After losing their final 14 games in May, the Orioles are 4-1 in June and won two of three against Minnesota to start their homestand before beating the Indians twice in three games.
“I think when you have days like this, you just relish in the moment,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “We don’t have many blowout wins, so to have a big lead and to continue to add on and to continue to have guys have really good at-bats all the way through until late in the game is fun to watch.”
Ramón Urías also homered for Baltimore, which has won back-to-back series on the same homestand for the first time since May 8-13, 2018, when the Orioles won two of three against Kansas City and then three of four against Tampa Bay.
Amed Rosario and Bobby Bradley hit two-run homers for Cleveland, 3-7 against the AL East this season.
Mullins reached base in his first five plate appearances before his flyout in the eighth ended his on-base streak at 11. He had hits in nine consecutive at-bats in that span, Baltimore’s longest streak since Charles Johnson’s nine in a row from Sept. 13-17, 1999, and one shy of Ken Singleton’s team record from April 26-28, 1981.
“Not a single person prior to that at-bat told me anything, probably for a good reason, and I choked it anyway,” Mullins said of the eighth inning. “But it’s OK. It’s just continuing to have good at-bats from this point forward.”
Jorge López (2-6) won for the first time in seven starts at Camden Yards this season, allowing three runs and four hits in five innings.
Already ahead thanks to Mullins’ homer, Baltimore took control in the second against Cal Quantrill (0-2), who allowed seven runs --- five earned --- and five hits in 1 1/3 innings.
Austin Wynns and Mullins hit RBI singles in the second, and Quantrill bounced his throw on Trey Mancini’s comebacker past catcher René Rivera for a two-run error. Anthony Santander’s two-run double off Nick Sandlin made it 7-0.
“A couple soft hits, I make an error, bad start for the game,” said Quantrill, who was making his second start of the season. “Definitely didn’t give the team a chance to win.”
Baltimore added five runs in the fourth against reliever Sam Hentges, a rally that featured back-to-back infield singles that scored a runner from second. Santander hustled home on Ryan Mountcastle’s hit deep in the hole to shortstop. Freddy Galvis raced home on DJ Stewart’s single to second baseman Cesar Hernandez, who was positioned in shallow right as part of a shift.
“I thought it was very good baserunning on their part,” Cleveland manager Terry Francona said. “You never take away when somebody does something good. At the same time, our awareness needs to be a little bit better. I don’t know if we get the first guy out, but I think we have a chance on the second one. Ultimately, being aware quicker, those things won’t happen.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: Baltimore placed LHP John Means (shoulder strain) on the 10-day injured list. Means, 4-2 with a 2.28 ERA and a no-hitter against Seattle on May 5, left his start Saturday after facing only five batters and recording two outs. Hyde said an MRI exam revealed no structural changes to Means’ shoulder. Means will be shut down for 7-10 days. ... LHP Zac Lowther was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk, pitched two innings and was optioned back to Norfolk after the game. … LHP Brandon Waddell was claimed off waivers by St. Louis. Waddell, who pitched a scoreless inning in his lone appearance with Baltimore, was designated for assignment Friday.
UP NEXT
Indians: Following an off day, Cleveland begins a two-game series at St. Louis on Tuesday. RHP Shane Bieber (6-3, 3.08 ERA) is 8-3 with a 3.91 ERA in 12 career interleague starts.
Orioles: Baltimore also has Monday off. The Orioles continue their eight-game homestand Tuesday against the New York Mets as LHP Bruce Zimmermann (3-3, 4.96) draws the start.
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