ORIOLES IMPROVE THEIR POWERFUL START TO 13-5
baltimore» Adam Jones hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the seventh inning, Hyun Soo Kim and Jonathan Schoop also went deep, and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6-3 on a cold, damp Monday night at Camden Yards.
All three home runs were off Chris Archer (2-1), who gave up five runs, six hits and five walks in 6M innings. The right-hander didn’t allow a longball in any of his previous four starts this year.
Baltimore trailed 3-1 before Kim and Schoop connected on successive pitches in the sixth inning. In the seventh, Archer hit Seth Smith with a pitch, and Jones followed with a drive deep into the leftfield seats.
It was the fifth win in seven games for the Orioles, whose 13-5 record is tied with the Astros for the best in the American League.
MONDAY’S HIGHLIGHTS
Brian Dozier hit a bases-clearing double as the Twins beat the Rangers 3-2, ending the Rangers’ four-game winning streak. Dozier’s two-out double in the fifth came after Martin Perez (1-3) walked the bases loaded, giving free passes to the three of the bottom four batters in the Twins’ lineup. Dozier had only three RBIs his first 17 games this season. Those were the only walks and runs allowed by Perez in his six innings. Phil Hughes (3-1) allowed two runs on six hits over six innings. The right-hander, who has won all three of his road starts this season, struck out two and walked one. Brandon Kintzler worked the ninth for his fifth save in as many chances. The right-hander hasn’t allowed a run in his 9L innings over nine appearances. … Addison Russell set a career high with four hits and Jason Heyward homered for the third time in four games and drove in four runs as the Cubs jumped the Pirates early in a 14-3 victory. Ben Zobrist added three RBIs for Chicago as the defending World Series champions won for the fifth time in six games. Anthony Rizzo had three hits, extending his hitting streak to 13 games. Kyle Schwarber, Kris Bryant and Miguel Montero all had two hits apiece for the Cubs. Chicago scored four runs with two outs in the first inning off Chad Kuhl (1-2) and added five more in the second to give Brett Anderson (2-0) all the breathing room he would need. Anderson struggled at times with his command, walking six in six innings while striking out three and allowed three runs, one earned. … Eric Thames homered twice to raise his major leagueleading total to 10, Hernan Perez added a three-run shot, Matt Garza pitched for the first time this season and the Brewers beat the Reds 11-7. The left-handedbatting Thames got just enough muscle on an 0-2 pitch from Amir Garrett (2-2) to slice an opposite-field, two-run homer in the second. He extended his home run streak against the Reds this season to five consecutive games with a solo shot to right in the first. Perez’s three-run homer capped that inning. … Matt Davidson had two hits and three RBIs in an eight-run sixth, Chicago’s highest-scoring inning in five years, and the White Sox routed the struggling Royals 12-1. Miguel Gonzalez (3-0) lowered his ERA to 2.00, allowing an unearned run and two hits in eight innings. Davidson set a career high with three hits and tied his best with four RBIs. Melky Cabrera, Todd Frazier and Tyler Saladino drove in two runs each for the White Sox, who outhit the Royals 15-2. The Royals have lost five straight and have scored a major league-low 47 runs.