Orioles Smash Dodgers Pitching To Clinch Series With 12-1 Win

The Baltimore Orioles pitched better and hit better than the best team in baseball twice in about 18 hours in Los Angeles, and snapped a remarkable streak in the process.

The World Series champ Dodgers had not lost consecutively in the span of 35 straight ballgames heading into Sunday and had displayed a penchant for remarkable comebacks along the way (including Friday). And that was ended by the Orioles, of all teams, who have been among MLB's worst clubs on the road all season.

Strange but true.

The Orioles hammered Dodgers pitching from the first inning through the eighth on Sunday to earn a rare series win on the road, smashing LA, 12-1. Brandon Young continued his run of strong starts and the O’s rebounded from a ninth-inning meltdown on Friday night to beat LA in one close game and one blowout.

“It was fun,” rookie manager Craig Albernaz said. “That’s what our offense is capable of, and it was great to see these guys show up after a tough game one here (Friday) ... Now the real task is being consistent."

It was a glimpse of what the Orioles are capable of, but those moments have come in very small bursts (they haven’t won more than three in a row all season) thus far as the midpoint of the season approaches. This was by far their best road series, all things considered, since sweeping the White Sox very early this season, and could perhaps give them some verve finishing this extended West Coast swing against the struggling Angels.

The Orioles (37-42) jumped all over Dodgers starter Emmet Sheehan Sunday, with rookie catcher Samuel Basallo driving in the first run – he was behind the plate for a day game after a night game with Adley Rutschman back on the Injured List – and that lead just kept expanding.

"Sammy asked to catch today," Albernaz, a fomer catcer himself, noted.

Baltimore led, 2-1, after one and 6-1 after four and, 10-1, after seven. Colton Cowser led the way with RBI hits in his first three at bats including a homer to dead center, doing lefty-lefty damage in big way. Blaze Alexander added a late homer and he has continued an absolutely ridiculous stretch at the plate going back to April 28. Pete Alonso, who has relished hitting at Dodgers Stadium in his career, hit his team-high 18th homer.

“Just getting to see a few more and honestly trying to be slow and work to the middle of the field.” Cowser told the MASN broadcast after the game of his recent success against lefties.

It was more than enough for Young.

Young used his two-seam fastball with aplomb to keep Dodgers off balance and register called strikes, and punched out five in five innings of work. He had been pitching into he seventh recently, but didn’t have to Sunday with such a big lead, and his pitch count was inflated by deep counts. He isn’t gifted with amazing stuff but continues to grind and battle and void big innings, now sporting a 3.07 ERA on the season.

“He was grinding,” Albernaz said. “He wasn’t as sharp as he has been, but he did a great job of keeping us in it.”

Bird Seed

Jackson Holliday left Saturday’s game with some groin discomfort and did not play Sunday, with Jeremiah Jackson at second base … Outfielder Michael Siani, called up from AAA with Rutschman on the IL, made his first appearance for Orioles on Sunday … The Orioles list Kyle Bradish, Shane Baz and Trey Gibson, all coming off very strong outings, as their probable starters in Anaheim.

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