Orioles Bats Awake From Deep Slumber In Romp Over Rangers

Whenever the Orioles broke out of their latest deep offensive funk it was likely going to come from the longball.

Sunday afternoon that was the case.

Pete Alonso, signing to what constitutes a big expenditure for this stingy ownership group, homered twice, emerging from a funk. Colton Cowser hit his first homer since June 21 (an absolute tank to center). And Tyler O’Neill, who actually has hit the ball better lately, added his own shot, and that was more than enough in a 10-5 win at Globe Life Park to avoid a sweep by the Rangers.

After not hitting a starter pitcher well for weeks, the O’s started clobbering Kumar Rocker from the jump (an approach they’d do well to take Monday in Minnesota against Dean Kremer, a slow starter they dealt before the trade deadline). Alonso produced four RBIs on his homers and the Birds did manage to string together some hits and manufacture some runs as well and push things on the base paths.

“Offense came out strong together,” rookie manager Craig Albernaz said. “Up and down the lineup, great at bats. Six walks … Great swings.”

Jackson Holliday, who was exceptional in July making some critical changes to his approach, but struggling the first week of August, continued to resurgence Sunday. His solo shot Saturday was all they could muster as a team and Holliday, 22, doubled in the first and came around to score with rookie Dylan Beavers driving in a run and former Ranger Leody Taveras doing the same.

They Finaly Found A Start They Could Hit

It was a good day to finally score early with Cade Povich on the mound, and his form quite shaky the past few years. Cowser and Alonso homered in the second to make it 4-0, Alonso would later homer again off the left-field foul pole and the O’s also got two hits from Holliday and three from youngster Coby Mayo, who needs to play regularly ahead of Christian Encarnacion-Strand.

It was a rare game in which almost everyone got into the act with a hit – everyone except for Gunnar Henderson, whose lost season ain’t getting any better. He picked up another 0-for-4 (he did walk) and his season OPS is down to a remarkable .678. Rocker mowed him down to start the game while everyone saw him quite well; Henderson is going to join his buddy Adley Rutschman elsewhere in 2027, and might not do much to improve his trade value in the interim.

Povich was always going to be on a short leash and the length the starters have provided lately – albeit in defeat – had the bullpen fresh and ready to do. His command was off, as it often is, and he was able to get out some jams by picking up strikeouts but surrendered a three-run homer to Brandon Nimmo in the third to make it 5-3.

Povich, like Rocker, worked just three innings and Baltimore’s pen was sterling from there against a Texas lineup that has lacked thump all season. The Orioles (57-61) must find a way to go 4-6 or better on this decisive 10-game road trip and a loss Sunday would have been fairly devastating. The Twins are also clustered with them in the Wild-Card hunt and then they play four in Tampa against one of the premier teams in baseball.

"I really believe in this group," Alonso said on the MASN postgame show. "This is a really special group."

Subscribe To "The Daily Flock" On YouTube For Uncompromising Orioles Coverage And Conversations:

Add us as a preferred source on Google