O's continue to build Deadline case with big win in Detroit

DETROIT -- With exactly one week to go until the Aug. 3 Trade Deadline, the Orioles couldn’t have started their critical week much better than they did Monday night.

Baltimore belted three home runs to fuel a strong offensive showing in its series-opening 8-5 win over Detroit at Comerica Park. It was the O’s highest scoring output since an 8-2 win over Kansas City on July 12 and their first time hitting three or more homers since hitting four in a 6-1 victory vs. the Royals on July 11.

Leody Taveras, Coby Mayo and Tyler O’Neill each went deep for the Orioles (52-55), who moved to only two games back of the third American League Wild Card spot as of the conclusion of the game.

This week’s three-game set is an important series for both the O’s and the Tigers, and not only because both teams are trying to decide what their strategy should be for the Trade Deadline. Both clubs are involved in the crowded AL Wild Card hunt, so the results of these games are quite impactful for the standings.

But the Orioles continue to focus on handling what they can control -- and what they know they can do, such as performances like this one.

“The time of year doesn’t really matter,” Mayo said. “If we’re hitting and doing that and cashing in runs and playing complete baseball, that’s going to win games. It doesn’t matter if it’s in March or if it’s in September. I think if we can play games like that more consistently -- especially on the offensive side -- we’re going to win a lot of games.”

Detroit right-hander Keider Montero has been having a strong season, as the 26-year-old entered Monday with a 0.96 WHIP, as well as a 1.80 ERA over his previous 10 outings (four starts). But the Orioles came ready for the challenge.

Baltimore tagged Montero for six runs (four earned) in 4 1/3 innings, scoring in each of the first three frames and in four of the first five.

• Squirrel on the loose at Comerica makes entire grounds crew go nuts

“It was just great at-bats,” manager Craig Albernaz said. “It was a great plan going in, and our guys were diligent and stubborn, and when he did make a mistake out over the plate, our guys put good swings on it. It was a really good offensive performance.”

After Montero’s departure, Mayo blasted a two-run home run off right-hander Brenan Hanifee to push the Orioles’ lead to 7-3 in the fifth. It was the 24-year-old’s 14th homer of the season, but only his fourth off a righty.

Mayo entered the night with a .280/.352/.720 slash line against left-handers and a .152/.215/.234 line vs. righties. Monday marked the first time he recorded multiple hits off a righty in a game since May 7 at Miami, as he also hit an RBI single off Montero in the third.

“I don't think I'm one-dimensional. I think there's a lot more to my game than just hitting lefties,” Mayo said. “Obviously, the left-handed side of things has been great. But I can hit righties. I can do it. And sometimes in the big leagues, it’s really hard, and you have to remind yourself that it’s hard and you have to keep working and pushing forward.”

O’Neill capped Baltimore’s scoring with a pinch-hit home run to open the sixth. The 31-year-old has three career pinch-hit homers -- his previous ones came on Aug. 22, 2018, at Dodger Stadium (for the Cardinals) and on July 8 of this year vs. the Cubs at Camden Yards.

For weeks, the O’s have talked about not paying attention to outside noise, such as trade chatter, postseason positioning and social media. They want to make a push into the playoffs and appear in October, and this is how they think they can do it.

It would certainly help the Orioles’ chances if the front office operates as buyers over the next week and adds to their roster. They could use a high-leverage reliever (ideally one who throws left-handed) and could use another starter and/or an infield bat.

How aggressive will Baltimore be? That could be determined by how the next two games against Detroit go, as well as this upcoming weekend’s three-game home set vs. Philadelphia.

But everybody with the O’s understands this team’s potential -- especially if they can hit.

“I think it’s probably the most important key of this team,” said infielder Jackson Holliday, who had a career-high-tying four hits. “Our pitchers have been great lately, and it’s our job to go out there and score more runs than the other team. ... We’ve got to do our part, because they’ve been doing a really good job lately.”