masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgEach home run by Orioles first baseman Chris Davis causes me to grab the game notes to make sure he hasn’t set another record.

He just did.

Davis hit his 53rd home run tonight, a solo shot off Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz that reduced Boston’s lead to 8-3 in the sixth inning. It’s also his 28th homer in Baltimore.

Why is that significant?

Because Davis was tied with Frank Robinson for the single-season franchise record at 27. Robinson did his damage at Memorial Stadium in 1966.

Davis…Each home run by Orioles first baseman Chris Davis causes me to grab the game notes to make sure he hasn’t set another record.

He just did.

Davis hit his 53rd home run tonight, a solo shot off Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz that reduced Boston’s lead to 8-3 in the sixth inning. It’s also his 28th homer in Baltimore.

Why is that significant?

Because Davis was tied with Frank Robinson for the single-season franchise record at 27. Robinson did his damage at Memorial Stadium in 1966.

Davis increased his RBI total to 138. He leads the majors with 96 extra-base hits.

The only Orioles to lead the majors in extra-base hits are Robinson with 85 in 1966 and Cal Ripken Jr. with 85 in 1991.

No player in baseball history has ended a season with exactly 53 homers. Weird, right?

Zach Britton shut out the Red Sox on five hits over 3 2/3 innings, with no walks and two strikeouts. He did let two inherited runners score after replacing Scott Feldman in the third inning.

Steve Johnson struck out two Red Sox in a scoreless seventh.

Update: Johnson issued back-to-back walks with two outs in the eighth, and manager Buck Showalter summoned Mike Belfiore for the left-hander’s major league debut.

David Ortiz greeted him with an opposite-field three run homer to give Boston an 11-3 lead.

Welcome to The Show, kid.

Ortiz is now tied with Cal Ripken Jr. for 45th place on the all-time home run list with 431.

Update II: Jonny Gomes homered on Belfiore’s first pitch of the ninth inning, and the Orioles lost to the Red Sox 12-3.

Maybe this spoiler thing isn’t their style.

The Orioles are now 0-1 when Belfiore gives up two home runs.