BALTIMORE _ The Orioles' early-season tumble to the worst record in the major leagues was predicated by a bunch of patchwork lineups that were necessitated by injuries and inconsistency.
Now, just seven games into this nine-game homestand, the Orioles have put together their best stretch of baseball this season. Yes, it's a reflection of how poorly this club played before this stretch, but out of nowhere, the Orioles are scoring runs in bunches and finally look more like their complete selves, and their 17-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays was an example of that.
The club has unquestionably benefited from the return of middle-of-the-order bats Jonathan Schoop and Mark Trumbo. But it is also now suddenly a team that is better able to put its pieces where they belong, and it's resulted in wins.
The Orioles (13-28) _ winners of five of their past six games, including three of four against the Rays, a team that outscored them 35-12 in an abbreviated two-game series at Camden Yards three weeks ago _ have seen their share of routs this season. However, on Sunday, they were finally on the winning side of one with their largest offensive output this season, as well as their largest margin of victory in 2018.
Outfielder Joey Rickard, who was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk before the game when the team was able to option outfielder Anthony Santander because he fulfilled his Rule 5 draft requirements, had his first multihomer game in his first start back with the big league club as part of a four-homer attack.
In seven games since returning home from a winless road trip out west, the Orioles have scored 58 runs, averaging 8.3 a game. The Orioles averaged 3.4 throughout their first 34 games this season.
Dylan Bundy's rebound start Sunday set the tone. Bundy _ who failed to get an out in his most recent start and hadn't gotten out of the fifth in any of his three previous starts, held Tampa Bay to two hits over seven scoreless innings.
The Orioles homered three times _ all solo shots _ in the second inning, including back-to-back blasted by Danny Valencia and Rickard to open the frame. Trey Mancini added his sixth homer of the season later that inning for a 3-0 lead.
Then the Orioles offense finally put together crooked-number innings, putting the game out of reach with a seven-run fourth that chased Rays left-hander Blake Snell from the game and a six-run seventh.
Valencia, who was just 1-for-6 against Snell but mashes against left-handers, tied his career high with four hits. Shortstop Manny Machado had three hits to improve his batting average to .350 and two RBIs to boost his American League-leading total to 38.
The 6-7-8 hitters in the lineup _ Valencia, Rickard and Craig Gentry _ combined to drive in 11 runs. Valencia, Rickard and Machado each scored three runs.
