BALTIMORE- What happened? On June 20th, the Orioles scored a season-high 17 runs against the New York Yankees. The Orioles left the Bronx 24 games over .500, and then lost five straight games.
Not since then had the Orioles scored as many runs as they did on Monday when they produced 13 runs on 18 hits and eight walks in a 13-3 win over the Chicago White Sox. The Orioles stranded eight runners in four frustrating innings before a six-run sixth broke open the game.
Chicago lost its 11th straight and 41st of 45. The White Sox are 31-108 and are on pace to finish 36-126, which would be the worst record in modern baseball history. The 1962 New York Mets finished 40-120.
The Yankees defeated the Texas Rangers to remain a half-game in front of the Orioles in the American League East.
Gunnar Henderson hit a leadoff home run, his 34th of the season, equaling Cal Ripken Jr. (1991) and Miguel Tejada (2004) for most home runs by an Orioles shortstop. It was their 12th leadoff home run of the season, nine by Henderson.
Henderson, Austin Slater and Cedric Mullins each drove in three runs. Mullins hit his 14th home run.
Corbin Burnes won his career-high 13th game, recording his first win since August 4th. He allowed two runs in the first, one unearned, on six hits in five innings, walking one and striking out four.
Cole Irvin recorded his first save with the Orioles by pitching the final three innings.
“Beginning of the game was really frustrating because we left so many runners out there,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “Our bats weren’t the best there with multiple runners on base the first few innings. But fortunately, we broke it open there in the sixth, got some big hits.”
How much fun was the offense to watch? Each starter had at least one hit and scored a run. The Orioles had baserunners in every inning. They were 7-for-23 with runners in scoring position and left 16 on base.
“It’s a ton of fun, especially when everyone, one through nine, contributes like that,” Slater said. “I think that’s the offense we believe that we are, and it was fun to see it come out today, especially after a tough travel last night. To come out the way we did today showed a lot of toughness, and I think it hopefully turns the tides for us here.”
Slater broke out of an 0-for-15 skid with a second-inning single and was on base five times with two singles, a double, a hit by pitch and a walk.
Acquired by the Orioles for cash considerations on July 30th from Cincinnati, Slater is batting .295 with the Orioles. With San Francisco, he hit .211 in 43 games before a July trade to the Reds, and he was just 2-for-18 (.111) with Cincinnati.
“A lot of it is just swing mechanics, and just the mental game,” Slater said. “The hitting coaches we have here are unbelievable. A lot of credit goes to them, getting me back to where I think I should be as a player and as a hitter.
“At the beginning of the season, some of it was health related, and as the season kind of went on, you’re trying to dig yourself out of a hole and maybe try too hard. And then you get traded a couple times and come here and get a staff that believes in you and also has a plan for you has felt really, really comforting and has helped a ton.”
Slater hit well in August, his first month with the Orioles, while many of the bigger names slumped.
“It’s very rare a team doesn’t have a month like we had in August, and even in July,” Slater said. “To still be where we are in the playoff hunt with those last two months being down months, I think is pretty incredible, and hopefully exciting for us to know, ‘Hey, we’ve had stretches of playing our worst brand of baseball, and we’re still right in it.’ We can play the kind of baseball we played today, and if we keep doing that, we’ll be where we want to be.”
Burnes left after five innings, and it was only 3-2 after the top of the fifth, and he didn’t get to enjoy watching their six-run sixth inning while he was still in the game.
“Offensively we know that’s the team that we are,” Burnes said. “We saw it for the first three months of the year before we got into a little funk. But there’s a reason why this offense is one of the best offenses in the game. They showed it tonight. I think they will continue to. Lotta good [at-bats] tonight. Usually you have one of those games to kind of get you going and all of a sudden sparks everyone and everyone starts raking. So hopefully this is the game that carries us.”
Did Burnes think he improved? Burnes allowed his two runs in the first. Two bloop hits and a dropped pickoff throw by first baseman Ryan O’Hearn led to the runs.
“I know that when I’m getting soft contact, I’m in a good spot,” Burnes said. “Sometimes there’s just not much you can do about it … I mean, it’s tough knowing I’m making good pitches and getting good contact. Most of the time, it’s going to go for outs.
“But occasionally you’re going to go through the stretch that you’re in and then everything falls in, feels like you’re stuck. But made some pitches and got out of it. It’s easy to try to make an adjustment when you’re getting weak contact. I’ve done this long enough I know that when I’m getting weak contact and making good pitches that things are going to turn in my favor.”
What does Jiménez think of playing his old team? Eloy Jiménez, whom the Orioles acquired from the White Sox on July 30th, was looking forward to facing his old team for the first time, but he didn’t play on Monday.
“It’s going to be fun. I’m really excited to see them,” Jiménez said. “But at the end of the day, I play for the Baltimore Orioles now.”
It’s better for Jiménez being away from a team that’s on pace to set a modern-day record for most losses in a season.
“I was surprised because on that day I didn’t think I was going to get traded,” he said. “But God’s plan was that I was going to get here, and I’m here.”
What does it mean? Even though they were playing arguably the worst team in baseball history, the Orioles still scored 13 runs, and they hope it will lead to a more healthy offense in the coming games.
What’s the word? “I’ve got a lot of memories, good, bad and OK.”-Jiménez on his time with the White Sox.
What’s the stat of the day? 16. The Orioles could have scored even more runs, but they left 16 on base. The team record is 18.
What’s going on in the minor leagues? The Orioles’ minor league affiliates were off on Monday. High-A Aberdeen and Single-A Delmarva begin their final weeks of the season on Tuesday.
What’s next? Cade Povich (1-7, 6.58) will face Nick Nastrini (0-6, 7.04) on Tuesday night at 6:35.
Call for questions: Most weekdays, I’ll be answering at least one Orioles question. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com