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 Chris Davis, Travis Snider and Chris Parmelee all homered in a
six-run fourth inning, and starter Tillman threw seven shutout
innings as the Baltimore Orioles completed a sweep of the
doubleheader versus Cleveland with an 8-0 victory over the Indians.
Tampa Bay and the Yankees both lost on Sunday so the sweep of this
split doubleheader -- the Orioles scored a 4-0 victory earlier in
the day -- lets Baltimore (41-34) pull into a virtual tie for first
place with the Rays (42-35) in the American League East. The Orioles
(.547) actually lead Tampa Bay (.545) by two percentage points.
In addition, the Orioles won the season series (5-1) against the
Indians for the first time in nine years. Also, according to STATS,
LLC, this is the first time the Orioles have posted two shutouts in
a doubleheader since Sept. 6, 1974 -- also versus the Indians.
Tillman (6-7) now has won four straight decisions, punctuated by a
no-decision last Sunday versus the Blue Jays, where he gave up six
runs in 1 1/3 innings. The Orioles gave him a 7-0 lead in that game
that he could not keep.
This time, he gave up just four hits and struck out six in seven
innings. Tillman has struggled with control and command at times
this year but did not walk a batter as the Indians (33-41) rarely
threatened.
"I've been there so many times," he said. "You sit in the dugout so
long, and you've got to go out and make pitches right away. I wasn't
capable of doing that last time. It was good to be able to do it
this time."
The second victory pushed the Orioles back to the top spot by
percentage points but there wasn't much conversation about it.
"The only thing I look at is the loss column every now and then,"
Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "I don't pay much attention to
the other part of it. See if you can stay engaged and roll the dice
in September. That's what it's about."
The six-run fourth inning -- powered by solo homers from right
fielder Davis, left fielder Snider and a two-run shot from first
baseman Parmelee -- gave Tillman the early eight-run lead, and that
proved to be plenty.
Right-hander Toru Murata (0-1) made his major league debut for the
Indians (33-41) and looked good at times but the Orioles got to him
for five runs on four hits in 3 1/3 innings.
"He got through it the first time," Indians manager Terry Francona
said. "The second time through ... he left some balls up. That hurt
him. I thought he had very good poise. I love the way he was out
there [and] enjoying, competing."
Orioles second baseman Ryan Flaherty got a two-run single in the
second before the three-home run fourth. Murata gave up two of the
homers and left with the Orioles up, 4-0.
The Indians finished with eight hits, four of which came in the last
two innings against left-hander T.J. McFarland. Left fielder David
Murphy went 4-for-4, all singles.
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Also, Francona was thrown out in the top of the ninth by home plate
umpire Ron Kulpa after arguing balls and strikes.
Baltimore took an early lead in Game 2 thanks to a two-out error
from Jason Kipnis. The Cleveland second baseman couldn't come up
with Snider's hard grounder, and that kept the inning alive.
Shortstop J.J. Hardy sent Snider to third with a double to right.
Flaherty followed with his two-run single for a 2-0 lead.
The Orioles broke it open in the fourth when they belted three
homers en route to their six-run inning and an 8-0 lead.
Davis started things with a lead-off homer against Murata, which
Snider duplicated two batters later to give the Orioles a 4-0 lead.
Murata's night ended after he followed that with a walk of Hardy.
Later in the inning, former Oriole Ryan Webb then entered to face
Manny Machado, and the third baseman ripped the right-hander's first
pitch down the line in left for a two-run double and a 6-0 lead.
Parmelee followed with his two-run homer that gave the Orioles the
eight-run cushion, which led to a very quiet Cleveland clubhouse
afterward.
"I feel like we just need to get it back in the saddle," Indians
center fielder Michael Bourn said. "We just have to continue to play
hard, get things clicking right and that's about it."
NOTES: The victory in the first game of Sunday's doubleheader was
the 5,000th for the Orioles since the team moved to Baltimore from
St. Louis for the 1954 season. ... The Orioles recalled LHP T.J.
McFarland from Triple-A Norfolk to use as their 26th player in the
second game of this doubleheader. He was returned to Norfolk after
the game. ... Indians 2B Jason Kipnis saw his 20-game hitting
streak, the longest in the major leagues this year, come to an end
in Game 1. He went 0-for-4 in the 4-0 loss. ... The Indians
announced before the second game that they released RHP Scott
Atchison, whom they designated for assignment on June 23.
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