Orioles set record in blowout win

Associated Press

Baltimore

Manager Brandon Hyde says his young Baltimore Orioles are a fun team to watch, regardless of how much they’ve been struggling.

The Orioles certainly put on a show the last two nights against the Cleveland Indians.

Andrew Cashner threw seven innings of three-hit ball, Renato Nunez had two of Baltimore’s four home runs and the Orioles clinched their first series win since April with a 13-0 victory over Cleveland on Saturday.

“To win a series, obviously feels great,” Hyde said. “I just want our guys to play well. I’m concerned about how we play. I’m concerned about how we play the game and just the last two games we played really good baseball. It began with our starting pitching.”

Anthony Santander etched his way into Camden Yards’ history when he hit the 100th home run, and 45th by an Oriole, to land on Eutaw Street since the stadium opened in 1992.

“It’s an honor to hit the 100th home run onto Eutaw Street. It’s just unbelievable,” Santander said through a translator. “Hopefully tomorrow we can sweep them.”

Chance Sisco also homered for Baltimore, which has outscored Cleveland 26-0 over the first two games. The Orioles will go for their first three-game sweep of the season Sunday.

Cashner (8-3) was scratched moments before the first pitch as thunderstorms passed through the area. When the start of the game was announced for 5:10 p.m. — an hour and six minutes delay — Cashner was renamed the starter.

He finished with six strikeouts and just one walk and has won four of his last five decisions.

Trey Mancini had three hits and drove in three runs for the Orioles, who had not won a series since April 22-24 against the White Sox. Baltimore had lost its previous 18 series.

“They hit better than us. They played better than us. They pitched better than us. They managed better than us,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “This game will make you laugh sometimes and it will make you shake your head. Sometimes it will make you cry.”

Nunez tied a career-high with four RBIs.

Baltimore took a 1-0 lead in the second on a double by Hanser Alberto off Indians rookie Zach Plesac.

Cashner retired 11 consecutive batters before allowing a bloop single to Carlos Santana.

The Orioles broke open the game with six runs in the fourth. Santander started the rally with a 410-foot solo homer. Jonathan Villar and Mancini later added back-to-back RBI doubles. Nunez ended Plesac’s afternoon with a solo shot to center.

Plesac had his shortest start over seven outings this season, allowing seven runs and seven hits with four strikeouts and three walks over 32/3 innings.

ANOTHER MILESTONE

The Orioles became the first team in Major League history to record back-to-back shutouts while scoring at least 13 runs in each game, according to STATS.

UP NEXT

Indians: Shane Bieber (6-3, 3.83 ERA) earned his first career shutout May 19 against the Orioles, allowing five hits with 15 strikeouts.

Orioles: Gabriel Ynoa (0-5, 6.75 ERA) has given up 13 runs in his last two starts (7 2/3 innings).