BALTIMORE (AP) — Dylan Beavers had two hits and three RBIs in an eight-run third inning that carried the Baltimore Orioles past the Cleveland Guardians 9-5 Wednesday night.
Coby Mayo tacked on a sixth-inning homer for the Orioles, who had lost seven of eight before cranking up their offense against Cleveland lefty Foster Griffin (15-5).
Chase DeLauter and Nathaniel Lowe homered for the Guardians, who hold a narrow lead for the third AL wild-card spot
and are chasing the first-place Chicago White Sox in the AL Central.
Baltimore trailed 2-0 before sending 14 batters to the plate and getting eight hits in the pivotal third inning.
After the first two batters singled off Griffin, Beavers twice attempted to bunt. Griffin then bounced a pickoff throw to second base)into the outfield, allowing both runners to advance.
Beavers followed with an opposite-field double to left that started Baltimore's parade to the plate.
A single and a walk loaded the bases, and Griffin hit Christian Encarnacion-Strand with a pitch to force in a run. Jackson Holliday then delivered an RBI single before Rece Hinds hit a sacrifice fly for the first out of the inning.
A single by Jeremiah Jackson made it 6-2, and Leody Taveras chased Griffin with his second hit of the inning — a run-scoring single. Two batters later, Beavers capped the uprising with an RBI single to center.
Shane Baz (6-15) allowed five runs in 5 2/3 innings for the Orioles. The right-hander received only 19 runs of support over his previous 14 starts, but he spent most of this game working with a substantial lead.
Rico Garcia got the last five outs for his seventh save.
Both teams are off Thursday. On Friday night, Cleveland lefty Parker Messick (11-9, 2.53 ERA) starts in Minnesota, and the Orioles launch a three-game series in Toronto behind right-hander Chris Bassitt (6-5, 4.96).
___
AP MLB: MLB ' Latest News, Stats, and Scores
