BALTIMORE–What happened? On a brutally hot day, Charlie Morton slogged his way through six innings, and the Orioles scored 12 runs after he was finished pitching. His clutch performance was key in what could have been his final start with the team.
The 41-year-old right-hander allowed three runs on eight hits while the Orioles scored five runs on sacrifice flies, tying a major league record, in a 16-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays before 16,194 at Camden Yards on Tuesday. The Orioles also hit four home runs.
The game was part of a day/night doubleheader because of a rainout on April 13th.
The Orioles are the only team in major league history to hit four home runs and five sacrifice flies in a game.
“Those are the at-bats that winning teams have right there when you have that many,” interim manager Tony Mansolino said. “Those are really positive at-bats right there. So just proud of the guys. That’s winning baseball.”
At game time, the temperature was 97 degrees, and Morton (7-8) watched as the Orioles (49-58) scored two runs in the first on sacrifice flies by Tyler O’Neill and Cedric Mullins.
They had two more sacrifice flies in the third, setting a club record. Ramón Urías and Mullins had them.
Morton has won seven of eight decisions since May 26th and become a highly sought-after starter ahead of Thursday’s 6 p.m. trade deadline.
“I feel like Charlie, in spite of the early struggles that he had, he’s come out of it incredibly and competed even on a day where maybe he doesn’t have his best location, he gives us a chance to win against a really good lineup and a really good team,” Mansolino said.
Toronto (63-45) scored a run when Davis Schneider’s infield single scored Ali Sánchez. Third baseman Ramón Urías’ throw to first was wild, but the play was ruled a single and error.
Addison Barger’s 15th home run cut the Orioles’ lead to 4-3 in the fourth.
The Orioles, who have won five of six, added six runs in the sixth. O’Neill hit a three-run home run, his fourth in four games, a career high. Urías followed with his seventh. Gunnar Henderson and Colton Cowser had RBI singles in the inning.
They scored four more in the seventh on Henderson’s three-run home run, his 12th, and Urías’ second homer of the game, giving them a 14-3 lead.
In the eighth, Jordan Westburg’s RBI double and Jackson Holliday’s sacrifice fly against catcher turned pitcher Ali Sánchez made it 16-4.
Is Morton thinking about the trade deadline? The deadline is two days away, and Morton is contemplating what comes next.
“I don’t know if I’m thinking more about it,” he said. “I think maybe I’m thinking differently about it, just because it’s fast approaching. [Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias] is going to have some choices to make.
“I wouldn’t say that I’m thinking more about it, necessarily. I do think, though, it’s just kind of becoming more of a reality. And it’s kind of like, it’s a moment in time that you know is there, and you know it exists, but you don’t know how it’s going to play out.
“And as it gets closer, you’re kind of closer to that reckoning moment where something will happen. I guess that’s my attitude about it. I don’t know. I think I probably started thinking about it a few weeks ago, especially coming out of the All-Star break, because it’s just the reality of the game and the professional side of the game.”
What does it mean? Despite playing well recently, the Orioles still trail seven other teams in the wild-card race and a flurry of deals in the next 48 hours are likely.
What’s the stat of the day? The Orioles have scored 50 runs in the last four games.
“I think we’ve got a group that is healthy,” Urías said. “The boys are swinging it well, feeling good, so we’re just carrying the momentum and we’re just feeling good about each other.”
What’s the word? “The people that I know around the league that have had him, and I’ve talked to people just because there have been so many ups and downs here with his health and whatnot, they’ve all told me when he gets hot, watch out, because he’ll carry the team. That’s kind of what we’re witnessing right now. It’s pretty neat.”-Mansolino on O’Neill
What’s next? Brandon Young (0-5, 7.34) will pitch against Eric Lauer (6-2, 2.61) in the second game of the doubleheader at 6:35 p.m.
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