Schoop Helps Orioles Rally Past Angels 3-2
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jonathan Schoop scored the tying run on a seventh-inning balk and delivered the decisive RBI single in the eighth to carry the Baltimore Orioles past the Los Angeles Angels 3-2 Saturday.
The victory assured the Orioles sole possession of first place in the AL East at the All-Star break, which begins after the conclusion of Sunday's schedule.
Mark Trumbo hit his major league leading 28th home run for Baltimore, a solo shot in the second inning. It was the Orioles' 135th homer of the season, their most before the break.
Angels starter Nick Tropeano gave up one run and five hits in six innings, striking out eight. He left with a 2-1 lead, but the bullpen promptly gave it away.
After the Orioles got runners to second and third in the seventh against JC Ramirez, Joe Smith (1-4) came in and immediately dropped the ball from the set position for a balk, enabling Schoop to trot home.
In the eighth, Manny Machado and Chris Davis singled before Schoop lined a single to center to bring in the go-ahead run.
Brad Brach (6-1) worked the eighth and Zach Britton finished for his 26th save. Both relievers are going to the All-Star Game.
Daniel Nava had two RBIs for the Angels, who were bidding for their season-high fifth straight win.
Limited to three hits over the first five innings, Los Angeles erased a 1-0 deficit in the sixth. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases for Nava, who ripped a two-run single off the right-field scoreboard.
That chased Yovani Gallardo, who allowed two runs and walked four in five-plus innings.
Mychal Givens came in and pitched out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam. In the seventh, Givens struck out Mike Trout with two outs and a runner on third.
One of the game's finest defensive plays occurred in the fifth inning. After Jett Bandy hit a liner off the wall in left-center, Adam Jones barehanded the carom and zipped a throw to second base for the out. Andrelton Simmons followed with an inconsequential single.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Angels: C.J. Cron was placed on the DL late Friday with a fractured left hand, so Ji-Man Choi and Jefry Marte will split time at 1B, manager Mike Scioscia said.
Orioles: Setup man Darren O'Day (right hamstring strain) will throw on flat ground Sunday. There is no timetable for his return. "We need to get him back," manager Buck Showalter said. "He completes the bullpen."
UP NEXT
Angels: Tim Lincecum (1-2, 7.50 ERA) wraps up the first half Sunday by making his fifth start since signing with LA on May 20.
Orioles: Chris Tillman (11-2, 3.55) can surpass his win total of the 2015 season with a victory in the series finale.
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