BALTIMORE—After losing records in July and August, the Orioles have begun September with three consecutive wins against the Colorado Rockies, who have the worst record in the National League, and the Chicago White Sox, on their way to the worst record in modern major league baseball.
The Orioles recorded a lopsided win for the second time in two games against the lowly White Sox, 9-0, before 15,108 at Camden Yards on Tuesday night.
The Orioles (81-59) have won three in a row for the first time since July 14th-20th and with their 81st win secured a third straight non-losing season.
Cade Povich (2-7) breezed through a career high 7 1/3 innings, allowing five hits, striking out 10, also most in his career, without walking a batter.
Burch Smith and Craig Kimbrel combined for the final five outs to register the Orioles’ eighth shutout of the season.
The Orioles benefited heavily by sloppy play by the White Sox (31-109) Starting pitcher Nick Nastrini (0-7) walked six batters, five in the second inning while throwing just 1 2/3 innings.
Overall, White Sox pitchers walked nine Orioles.
Chicago has lost 12 straight games and 42 of 46. They must finish 12-10 to avoid losing 120, the current record for most losses in a season, set by the 1962 New York Mets.
Nastrini allowed three runs in the first on RBI doubles by Ryan O’Hearn and Anthony Santander and a run-scoring single by Colton Cowser.
Nastrini’s bases-loaded walk to Cowser, the fourth of the second inning, scored, Gunnar Henderson. Eloy Jiménez popped to short left, and third baseman Miguel Vargas ran into leftfielder Andrew Benintendi, and the ball was dropped scoring O’Hearn, Santander and Cowser.
Vargas was charged with the error, and after Nastrini walked Cedric Mullins, Vargas left the game with a right-eye abrasion.
Mullins’ RBI single in the fourth and Santander’s sacrifice fly in the fifth put the Orioles ahead, 9-0.
Chicago interim manager Grady Sizemore was ejected for arguing a strike call to Benintendi in the sixth, and a moment later, home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt ejected Benintendi for jawing about a called third strike.