The Baltimore Orioles blasted their way to their fifth straight win Sunday with a 12-5 outburst against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Outfielder Adam Jones led the way by collecting four hits, two runs scored, an RBI and a walk. Jones now has eight hits in his last three games and has scrapped his way to a .265 average on the season. His recent offensive outburst can be attributed to his move to the leadoff spot in the lineup.
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Orioles slugger Chris Davis added to the fray in a big way. He went 2 for 4 while bashing his seventh grand slam since the start of 2011 — the most in the majors during that span. Davis combined with the resurgent Mark Trumbo to account for seven of the Orioles' 12 runs.
With the win, Baltimore is 31-13 at home this season. The Orioles have also opened up a four-game lead over the Boston Red Sox for first American League East .
If the Orioles' rotation can stay steady — a big "if" — they might be able to make some noise in the postseason as few lineups in the big league can match their explosiveness.
Player of the day
The Cincinnati Reds have had all kinds of problems with their rotation this season, but Anthony DeSclafani is back and pitching lights out. Sunday, he tossed eight scoreless innings with five strikeouts and no walks in a 3-0 win against the San Diego Padres. DeSclafani is now 2-0 with a 1.52 ERA on the season.
Highlight
Justin Verlander shows what giving up four home runs in one inning looks like
⚾️➡️💪➡️👋
— MLB (@MLB) June 26, 2016
Four times. In one inning. Well done, @Indians: https://t.co/ZKPLv4YjH2 https://t.co/TOBjTf25Jj
Verlander was touched up for eight earned runs off of nine hits in 4 2/3 innings as he watched the Cleveland Indians sweep his Tigers.
Three things to know
— After punching out 13 batters in seven innings of one-run ball against the Chicago Cubs, Jose Fernandez now has six outings with 13 or more strikeouts in his short career. No one else in Miami Marlins history has more than three. There are only seven combined that aren't from Fernandez. The Cubs, meanwhile, have now lost six of their last seven games.
— Corey and Kyle Seager are the first set of brothers to have 15 home runs before July 1 since Aaron and Bret Boone in 2003.
— St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Matt Carpenter finished with two home runs and a triple while helping his team to an 11-6 win against the Seattle Mariners. The Cardinals hit six home runs as a team.
What's next
Mets (40-34) at Nationals (44-32), 7:05 p.m. ET — Noah Syndergaard (8-2, 2.08) will make the start despite battling elbow soreness last week. He has been on a roll this season, with wins in six of his last eight starts. Washington will have Joe Ross (6-4, 3.11), who has enjoyed a breakout campaign himself, on the mound to help the struggling Nationals stay in front in the NL East.
Indians (44-30) at Braves (26-49), 7:10 p.m. ET — Winners of nine straight games, Cleveland has one of the best starting rotations in all of MLB. Trevor Bauer (5-2, 3.20) will take the mound after tossing a complete game his last time out.