The Baltimore Orioles have been swinging some hot bats lately, and on Tuesday afternoon, they made MLB history against their division rivals.
The Orioles crushed the Toronto Blue Jays 16-4 in the first game of their doubleheader at Camden Yards. Baltimore pounded out 19 hits, including four home runs, against the first-place Blue Jays.
The Orioles also tallied five sacrifice flies in the rout, becoming just the second team in MLB history with at least four homers and four sac flies in the same game since sacrifice flies became an official stat in 1954 (per OptaSTATS).
The other was the 1955 Boston Red Sox, who smashed the Washington Nationals (now the Minnesota Twins) 16-0 on May 27 at Fenway Park 70 years ago.
That game featured three homers, a double and 10 RBI from rookie first baseman Norm Zauchin, who led the charge with the best game of his career. Third baseman Grady Hatton also went yard for the Red Sox, while four different players contributed sac flies.
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Tuesday’s blowout was a bit more balanced for Baltimore. Three players homered (including the red-hot Tyler O’Neill) and seven Orioles collected multiple hits. The sac flies came from four different players, with Cedric Mullins notching two. Notably, Boston trade target Ryan O’Hearn did not play.
After a slow start to the season, Baltimore’s been on fire recently. The Orioles are 34-26 over their last 60 games and have won five of their last six games heading into Tuesday’s nightcap, scoring a whopping 50 runs during their four-game winning streak.
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Baltimore will look to stay hot tonight behind Brandon Young (0-5, 7.34 ERA) as it goes for its fifth straight win. Toronto lefty Eric Lauer (6-2, 2.61 ERA) will try to cool off the surging Orioles and snap the Blue Jays’ three-game losing streak.
Featured image via Mitch Stringer/Imagn Images
