Flying high: O's ride 4 HRs to win vs. Cards

June 18th, 2017

BALTIMORE -- Completing a three-game series in which the two clubs combined for 22 home runs, the Orioles slugged their way to an 8-5 victory on Father's Day to steal an Interleague series win from the Cardinals.
Fittingly, the O's opened the afternoon with a homer -- Seth Smith's third leadoff blast this year -- and then chased Cardinals starter from the game with two more homers in the fifth. Baltimore would have had another, too, if not for 's catch to rob .
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"It felt great," Smith said of his leadoff homer. "It's always good to get on the board early. Kind of get the ball rolling. Any time I can help with that, I'm glad to."

The two clubs blasted eight home runs in total on Sunday. connected for a solo shot in the second inning before and went deep in Baltimore's four-run fifth inning. Lynn, who allowed seven runs on nine hits, didn't make it out of the frame.

"I just didn't make pitches from the get-go," said Lynn, who had never previously allowed four home runs in a start. "If you make bad pitches, good teams make you pay, and they made me pay."
Smith went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and an RBI, while Trumbo turned in a 2-for-4 day with three RBIs to support in his first start since his demotion to the bullpen last month. The righty went seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits.

"Felt pretty good," Jimenez said of his outing. "I mean, like I said before, it doesn't matter how things are going for me. I just want to fight. Doesn't matter where I am -- I'm going to try to do the best I can. It felt good to be able to be there for the team today."

With four more home runs on Sunday, the Cardinals finished the series with 12. Still, they salvaged just one win. enjoyed his first multihomer game since 2015, and Fowler went deep for a fourth straight game. , who went deep on Mother's Day last month, also connected for a Father's Day shot, one that pulled the Cardinals to within three runs in the eighth.

"I still feel good about guys having some positive results regardless of how it happened," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said of his offense. "Quite a few of them still feel in a good place. Hopefully [we] take that into our next series, but right now, losing two out of three wasn't part of the plan."
Cards hope to get rotation, bats on same page
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Long gone: Two pitches after Fowler robbed Schoop of his third home run in two days, Castillo sent a solo shot well out of Fowler's reach. It traveled a Statcast-estimated 440 feet and capped an inning in which the O's hit two triples and two home runs. Castillo was the final batter Lynn faced.

Jimenez escapes trouble: Trailing, 2-1, the Cardinals threatened against Jimenez in the third by putting two aboard with two out. Jimenez then fell behind, 3-0, against three-hole hitter Tommy Pham before inducing an inning-ending groundout on a 90.5-mph fastball over the inner-third of the plate. It was the only at-bat the Cardinals took on Sunday with a runner in scoring position.
"He may not admit it, but there's kind of a mental edge there," O's manager Buck Showalter said. "'Hey, I've taken a step back, and the club needs me to deliver something.'"
QUOTABLE
"Since I've been here, I've never seen the ball carry like it carried today. We benefited, too. The one ball that Piscotty hit out to right field, I turned my head -- I was talking to [Wade] Miley at the time. I looked back again, and Adam [Jones] was still moving. We have days like that here. … I don't think there is a tougher place to play in the summer for about a month than this place." -- Showalter, on the eight home runs in Sunday's game
"I remember last time we came in here in '14, they were saying the ball wasn't carrying too much, and next thing you know, it was just one ball after another. It got in the air, and it got out of here. I think it just plays that way sometimes. -- Matheny
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Trumbo's home run in the fifth inning marked his 10th of the season. The Orioles now have six players who have at least 10 home runs this year. They are the second team to do so, behind the Yankees, who also have six players with 10 or more home runs.
This was the second time in Major League history that two teams combined for 22 home runs in a three-game series. It happened previously when the Brewers visited Wrigley Field from May 30-31, 1956. That series featured a doubleheader.
HARDY EXITS IN SIXTH
In the bottom of the fourth inning, J.J. Hardy was hit by a pitch on his right wrist. He took a slow walk down the first-base line and got checked by athletic trainer Rich Bancells, but he remained in the game at the time. However, he was removed at the start of the sixth inning with a right wrist contusion.

"Not good, not good," Showalter said of Hardy's wrist. "We took an X-ray here, saw something that concerned us. I know he's got a scan in the morning, and we'll have a little more definitive idea there."
WHAT'S NEXT
Cardinals: After an off-day Monday, the Cardinals will begin a three-game series in Philadelphia with a 6:05 p.m. CT game on Tuesday. Mike Leake will seek to snap his four-game losing streak as he goes up against . Leake is 3-3 with a 5.40 ERA in 10 career starts against the Phillies.
Orioles: The Orioles will begin a four-game homestand on Monday against the Indians. will take the mound for Baltimore, and he is looking to give his team some depth after going just five innings in two of his past three outings. The righty is 7-5, and his ERA has increased to 3.29. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m. ET.
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