Davis halts 0-for-13 slump with homer
Winning 424-foot HR helps Cashner to fourth win of season
Orioles first baseman Chris Davis dug himself such a deep hole offensively this season that even when he starts to climb out of it, there’s still little progress to show for it statistically. So, he must take little victories out of each at-bat and hope that, eventually, he can string together some momentum to end this season on a high note.
The prolific power swing is still there, as Davis showed on his game-winning solo home run in the seventh inning Tuesday night against the New York Mets at Camden Yards. Seemingly effortlessly, Davis sent a changeup from Bobby Wahl deep into the centerfield stands an estimated 424 feet, fueling the Orioles’ offense in a 6-3 interleague win over the Mets.
Davis’ homer ended an 0-for-13 stretch — including eight strikeouts — that dated to the opening game of Saturday’s doubleheader against the Red Sox. He entered the night having struck out in 40 of his past 101 plate appearances, a 39.6 percent strikeout rate that exceeds his majors-worst season mark of 36.5 percent.
Before Tuesday’s game, Orioles manager Buck Showalter reminded reporters that Davis’ best production often comes in bunches, but that this season he’s just never found a groove, and his sub-Mendoza line batting average has made it difficult to quantify any progress.
As the Orioles’ season has become less meaningful, so have Davis’ homers. Tuesday’s blast, Davis’ 15th of the season, marked his first go-ahead home run since June 27.
The Orioles homered three times Tuesday night, getting a solo homer from right fielder Adam Jones in the sixth inning that tied the game and a two-run shot from shortstop Tim Beckham in the eighth to give the Orioles a 6-2 lead.
Despite that cushion, the Orioles had to bring in right-hander Mychal Givens for the save in the ninth after right-hander Miguel Castro gave up a quick run on Brandon Nimmo’s leadoff triple and Todd Frazier’s RBI single.
Givens needed just eight pitches to end the game, striking out Austin Jackson on three pitches, getting a second-pitch popout from Jose Bautista and inducing a game-ending groundout from Kevin Plawecki.
Andrew Cashner (4-10) overcame some costly walks, recording his second straight quality start of seven innings by holding the Mets to two runs on five hits.
Cashner retired the first 10 hitters he faced, not allowing a hit until Jeff McNeil’s one-out single in the fourth inning, and retired 12 of the first 13 batters he faced.
A leadoff walk to Nimmo in the fifth inning eventually scored — despite a double-play ball — on No. 9 hitter Plawecki’s two-out single, and Bautista, who reached on a two-out walk, scored on Amed Rosario’s RBI single.
The Orioles managed just two runs off Mets left-hander Jason Vargas, who entered Tuesday’s interleague series opener with an 8.75 ERA. Jones’ solo homer accounted for one run, and his one-out double in the fourth inning put Renato Núñez, who walked, at third for Mark Trumbo’s sacrifice fly.