O's rely on HRs to win third straight over Phillies
PHILADELPHIA -- The Orioles would like to have the Phillies on their schedule more often.
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They jumped to an early lead and held it in Wednesday night's 6-4 victory over the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Chris Parmelee and Travis Snider each homered to help the Orioles, who won both contests earlier this week against the Phils in Baltimore. They have won 11 of their last 13 games.
"April and May, it's like fighters in the first few rounds, kind of feeling their way around trying not to get knocked out, see what the other guy's got, see what they've have," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said of his team's change in approach in recent weeks. "But sooner or later, you've got to start throwing punches."
The Phillies have lost nine consecutive games and 19 of their last 22. It is their longest losing streak since an 11-game skid in September 1999.
"I think we can do better," shortstop Freddy Galvis said. "For sure, we can do better. It's not happening right now."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
New park, same power: One day removed from hitting a franchise-record eight home runs in a 19-3 rout of the Phillies in Baltimore, the Orioles' bats stayed hot Wednesday. Parmelee's and Snider's home runs off Phillies starter Kevin Correia made it 10 in two days and 19 in the past week. More >
Video: Must C Crushed: Snider goes deep in Orioles' win
Phillies' offense can't cash in: The Phillies entered the night averaging 3.03 runs per game, the lowest average of any team in baseball since 1972. An example of their offensive shortcomings came in the fourth inning, when Maikel Franco singled and Ryan Howard doubled to put runners on second and third with no outs. But Domonic Brown struck out looking, Cameron Rupp struck out swinging and Cody Asche struck out looking to end the inning. The Phillies finished the night 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
"The fourth inning was a big inning," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "The four unearned runs we gave up. And then in the bottom of the inning, we had our opportunities. Those things add up." More >
Video: BAL@PHI: Sandberg on missed opportunities in loss
Fortuitous fourth, shaky seventh: Orioles starter Ubaldo Jimenez came through with a vital shutdown inning in the fourth after allowing the first two Phillies he faced to work their ways to second and third with no outs. Thirteen pitches later, Jimenez had struck out the side, beginning a streak of 10 straight batters he retired. However, the next time runners worked their way into scoring position against the starter, the Phillies made him pay to the tune of three runs. Jimenez allowed three earned runs in 6 2/3 innings, walking none and striking out eight.
Video: BAL@PHI: Ubaldo strikes out Asche to escape trouble
"That's what we needed," Showalter said of Jimenez's fourth inning. "You don't want to let them back into this, they have a lot of power throughout their lineup. You know they're going to make a run at you, it's just a matter of if you've got enough runs and you can withstand the runs they're going to make at you." More >
Galvis boots one, hits one: Galvis committed his 10th error of the season to start the fourth inning, and it led to four unearned runs. Galvis' strength is supposed to be his defense, but his 10 errors are tied for the sixth most in baseball. He had been struggling offensively, too. He entered the night batting .137 (13-for-95) with a .313 OPS in 24 games since May 15, but he hit a three-run home run to right field in the seventh inning to cut Baltimore's lead to 6-4. More >
QUOTABLE
"Hey, we get it, all right? He's a great player and he's up here to prove that he belongs. He's a great guy and I'm glad that he's having success." -- Orioles outfielder David Lough, joking about Parmelee's success in his first two games back in the big leagues this year
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
The Phillies' first-inning ERA is 6.31 (47 earned runs in 67 innings), which is the second highest in baseball. Only the White Sox (7.29 ERA) have fared worse in the first inning. The Phillies also have allowed 14 first-inning home runs, which is second only to Toronto (15).
WHAT'S NEXT
Orioles: Bud Norris will start for the Orioles, hoping to continue to get the run support that has helped him all year. Despite the right-hander's 8.29 ERA, the Orioles are 4-4 in his eight starts this year, much of which stemming from the team-high 3.50 runs per game he receives.
Phillies: Phillies right-hander Sean O'Sullivan will try to snap the Phillies' nine-game losing streak in the series finale Wednesday night. Since throwing six scoreless innings May 17 against Arizona, O'Sullivan (1-5, 5.08 ERA) has a 6.14 ERA in his last five starts.
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