masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgCLEVELAND – Hyun Soo Kim never felt more loved than during today’s silent treatment.
Kim hit his first major league home run, a two-out bases-empty shot off Indians reliever Jeff Manship in the top of the seventh inning to break a 4-4 tie.
Kim launched a 2-2 fastball into the right field seats, rounded the bases and returned to a quiet dugout. No one acknowledged him. He was completely ignored in the finest of baseball traditions, players and coaches standing along the railing and staring out…

CLEVELAND – Hyun Soo Kim never felt more loved than during today’s silent treatment.

Kim hit his first major league home run, a two-out bases-empty shot off Indians reliever Jeff Manship in the top of the seventh inning to break a 4-4 tie.

Kim launched a 2-2 fastball into the right field seats, rounded the bases and returned to a quiet dugout. No one acknowledged him. He was completely ignored in the finest of baseball traditions, players and coaches standing along the railing and staring out at the field.

After a few more seconds of silent torture, the entire team rushed over to him in celebration. Manager Buck Showalter walked over to shake his hand.

Hyun-Soo-Kim-orange-swing-sidebar.jpgKim’s timing was impeccable. The Indians tied the score in the bottom of the sixth on Jason Kipnis’ leadoff home run, the third today off Chris Tillman.

Tillman allowed three home runs in his first 10 starts before matching that total this afternoon. His string of quality starts ended at four in a row, but he’s in line for the win because Kim muscled up.

You may now refer to him as Kim Kong.

Kim is making his fifth consecutive start in left field. He walked and struck out twice before facing Manship in the seventh.

Kim hit 142 home runs in 10 seasons in the Korean Baseball Organization, including a career-high 28 last year before signing a two-year, $7 million contract with the Orioles.

Joey Rickard replaced Kim in left field in the top of the seventh, and Brad Brach replaced Tillman, who threw 96 pitches.

Tillman allowed four runs and four hits in six innings, with three walks and three strikeouts. His ERA rose from 2.61 to 2.92, but he could gain his seventh win in eight decisions.

Brach struck out the first two batters he faced, walked No. 9 hitter Rajai Davis and retired Carlos Santana on a fly ball to left. His ERA is down to 1.00 in 27 innings.

Update: Nolan Reimold led off the top of the ninth with a home run off Tommy Hunter to increase the lead to 6-4.

The Indians put runners on second and third with no outs in the eighth, but Darren O’Day replaced Brach and escaped the jam. He induced a ground out from Mike Napoli, intentionally walked Jose Ramirez and struck out Lonnie Chisenhall and Yan Gomes.

Chisenhall fouled off six straight pitches and struck out on the ninth. He was 2-for-4 with a home run against O’Day.

Napoli is 2-for-17 with six strikeouts.

Update II: The Orioles defeat the Indians 6-4 to take two of three series on this road trip.

They went 4-5, but they won two of three series.

Zach Britton recorded his 14th save despite allowing back-to-back singles to start the inning, and the Orioles improved to 28-20.