Profar drives in 5, A’s top O’s 13-2; Davis doesn’t play
BALTIMORE (AP) — Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin is confident his lineup can put up some big numbers.
Those bats finally broke out against the Baltimore Orioles.
Jurickson Profar got four hits, including a homer, and drove in a career-high five runs, leading Brett Anderson and the Athletics over the Orioles 13-2 Tuesday night and ending a four-game losing streak.
"I just tried to get the bat on the ball," Profar said. "I wasn't thinking about getting RBI, just about getting on base. Every at-bat you have to try to do something to help the team. Tonight, I was getting the hits."
Slumping Orioles slugger Chris Davis didn't play, a day after he set the major league record for the longest hitless streak by a position player at 0 for 49.
Marcus Semien also homered as the A's won on the road for the first time in five tries this season. Center fielder Ramon Laureano threw out another runner and drove in two runs for Oakland.
Anderson (3-0) won his third straight start, allowing two runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings. He retired 11 in a row before Dwight Smith Jr. and Hanser Alberto managed back-to-back singles in the seventh.
Pedro Severino hit a two-run double later that inning that ended Anderson's outing.
"It was a pretty good night, except I didn't get through seven," Anderson said. "I felt good. Got early groundballs. Good to get back to way we play. We have lots of guys up and down lineup who can hit it."
Trey Mancini singled in the first and has reached base safely in all 11 games for the Orioles, who have dropped five of their last six.
The Athletics scored five times in the second off rookie John Means (1-1), who was making his first career start. Alberto had a costly throwing error from third base with two outs that allowed a run to score, and Semien followed with a three-run homer that made it 5-0.
"I was getting soft contact for the most part," Means said. "I had a lot of teammates come up to me and say they've never seen anything like that with all of those infield base hits."
The Orioles ran themselves out of a potential rally in the third. Richie Martin was thrown out by Laureano — who threw out three Boston runners in a series earlier this season — trying to score from second on a single by Joey Rickard that could have loaded the bases with no outs. Rickard was then called out trying to take second on a double steal.
"That's a learning lesson for our guys," Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. "So, we got a little too aggressive there at times. Just one of those nights where a lot of things didn't work out."
Profar hit his first home run of the season off Orioles reliever Richard Bleier in the seventh that provided a 6-0 lead. Profar added another two-run single and Semien had a sacrifice fly off Miguel Castro in the eighth.
Castro had two balks and allowed a two-run single to Laureano and an RBI double to Profar in the ninth.
PINDER STAYS HOT
Oakland left fielder Chad Pinder had three hits and scored three runs. He is batting .409 (9 for 22) over his last six games.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Athletics: Laureano was back in the lineup after missing Monday's game with a jammed right thumb.
Orioles: RHP Alex Cobb, who was supposed to start Wednesday, was placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to April 6 with a lumbar strain. He also began the season on the IL with a right groin strain. ... RHP Nate Karns (right forearm strain) was placed on the 10-day IL and RHP Evan Phillips was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk.
UP NEXT
Athletics: RHP Frankie Montas (1-1, 2.45 ERA) took the loss in his last outing against Houston after allowing two runs and seven hits over five innings.
Orioles: Dan Straily (0-0, 33.75 ERA) will be the starter to replace the injured Cobb. Straily allowed five runs in 1 1/3 innings Sunday against the Yankees.
