masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgNow that a 19-game losing streak has ended, the Orioles can win a series for the first time in about a month if they beat the Los Angeles Angels today. It’s the final game of a three-game series and the sixth game of a nine-game homestand.
The Orioles hit three homers off right-hander Shohei Ohtani last night – Cedric Mullins, Anthony Santander and DJ Stewart all connected – as they won 10-6. It was the Orioles’ first win since Aug. 2 and first home win since July 28.
After they had scored…

Now that a 19-game losing streak has ended, the Orioles can win a series for the first time in about a month if they beat the Los Angeles Angels today. It’s the final game of a three-game series and the sixth game of a nine-game homestand.

The Orioles hit three homers off right-hander Shohei Ohtani last night – Cedric Mullins, Anthony Santander and DJ Stewart all connected – as they won 10-6. It was the Orioles’ first win since Aug. 2 and first home win since July 28.

After they had scored just five runs in being swept by Atlanta over the weekend and 18 runs in their previous 10 games as this series began, the Orioles have scored 18 runs over the last two nights. They have 22 hits, including seven doubles and six homers, versus Angels pitchers.

Last night was the first time they scored 10 or more runs since beating Houston 13-3 on June 29. During the losing streak, they had scored three runs or fewer 12 times.

Today they look for back-to-back wins for the first time since taking two in a row at Detroit July 30-31. Their last series win came with a sweep of Washington July 23-25. Since then they have gone 0-6-2 in series.

The Orioles have homered 32 times in the month of August, zero with runners in scoring position. And 28 of the 32 home runs have been solo homers, with just four coming with runners on base, each time at first.

The O’s have homered three times in each of their last two games, and they have 15 games this season with three or more home runs, with 11 of the 15 coming at Oriole Park. The O’s have homered 89 times at home, tied for the third-most in the American League and tied for the sixth-most in the majors, despite playing the fewest home games in the majors (59).

The Orioles have 15 individual multi-home run games, with Mullins leading with four such games. The 15 multi-homer games are the second-most such games in the majors, trailing only Toronto’s 16.

Thumbnail image for Santander-HR-Trot-White-Sidebar.jpgSantander has homered in back-to-back games for the second time this season and for the sixth time in his career. From Aug. 8-11, he homered in three straight games. He is 7-for-9 this series with three doubles, two homers and five RBIs, raising his OPS from .712 to .765 in two games.

Eight of Santander’s 14 home runs this year have come in the month of August, along with five doubles, and he is slugging .747 in 20 games this month. That is the highest slugging percentage in the AL and the third-highest in the majors among qualified hitters. Overall in August, Santander is batting .360/.385/.747 (27-for-75), with his 1.131 OPS leading the AL and ranking third in the majors. For his career, 24 of Santander’s 46 home runs have come in August.

The Orioles (39-86) last night improved to 5-69 when trailing after seven innings. The Angels (63-65) missed a chance to get back to the .500 mark for the 26th time this year with Wednesday’s loss. Most recently, they were at .500 at 54-54, 56-56, 57-57, 58-58, 61-61 and 62-62.

On the mound today, lefty Keegan Akin (0-8, 7.92 ERA) gets the start for the Orioles. He gave up three runs over five innings on Friday versus Atlanta, in his longest outing since June 16. The Orioles are 1-10 in his 11 starts.

Right-hander Jaime Barria (2-2, 5.87 ERA) starts for the Angels. Friday at Cleveland he allowed six hits and five earned runs over two innings in a 9-1 loss. The five runs allowed was a season high. The 25-year-old Barria, from Panama, has a 1.98 ERA in home games, but just 9.00 on the road, allowing 17 earned runs in 17 innings.