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.
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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.
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.
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.
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.