Davis Hits 2 HRs, Has 6 RBIs As Orioles Beat Rangers 12-1
BALTIMORE (AP) — Chris Davis homered in a six-run first inning, added a grand slam in the fourth and finished with a career-high six RBIs to help the Baltimore Orioles breeze past the Texas Rangers 12-1 on Tuesday night.
It was the 19th career multihomer game for Davis, making his fifth start since coming off the disabled list with an oblique strain. Baltimore's cleanup hitter hadn't gone deep since June 10 and has 16 home runs after hitting 38 last season.
The Orioles scored six runs against Tyson Ross (2-2) before making an out, and that was enough to send Baltimore to its second straight win over Texas following a three-game sweep by the Chicago Cubs.
Dylan Bundy (9-8) allowed one run and four hits in six innings to earn his first victory since June 24.
Vying to stay afloat in the AL playoff picture, Texas pitched poorly and sputtered at the plate. In addition, center fielder Carlos Gomez got his glove around Davis' first-inning drive before the ball escaped over the wall.
Shin-Soo Choo homered for the Rangers, who have lost three in a row and scored only six runs in their last four games.
After Choo hit the 23rd leadoff homer of his career, Baltimore responded with gusto in the bottom of the first. Jonathan Schoop doubled in two runs, Davis followed with the drive that eluded Gomez's grasp and Trey Mancini capped the uprising with a two-run homer.
In the fourth, Ross was lifted after a single, an error and a walk loaded the bases. Davis hit the second pitch from Austin Bibens-Dirkx into the center field seats. It was his eighth career grand slam, the first this season.
Ross gave up nine runs, eight earned, in 3 1/3 innings. He's 0-3 with an 18.23 ERA in eight career games against Baltimore.
Seth Smith homered in the eighth to complete the Orioles' most lopsided win of the season.
NO DAY TRADER
Rangers manager Jeff Banister isn't thinking about buying or selling as the non-waiver trade deadline nears. "We need to go out and win baseball games with these guys," Banister said. "We don't worry about where we are in the division. The bottom line is that we have to go out with this group of players. We believe in these guys."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rangers: Banister said he's "not sold" on the idea of a rehab assignment for RHP Keone Kela (right shoulder soreness) before the reliever comes off the DL. ... LHP Jake Diekman (ulcerative colitis) is in a throwing program and still has hope of playing this season. ... RHP A.J. Griffin (oblique), on the 60-day DL and eligible to be activated on July 26, is set to pitch for Triple-A Round Rock on Wednesday. He pitched three scoreless innings Friday for the Rangers rookie league team in Arizona.
Orioles: RHP Hunter Harvey, the 22nd overall pick in the 2013 draft, is slated to start in the Gulf Coast League on Wednesday — his first outing since elbow ligament replacement surgery last summer.
UP NEXT
Rangers: Martin Perez (5-6, 4.55 ERA) starts Wednesday in the third game of the series. He's 3-0 in his last four starts and his ERA hasn't been this low since May 29.
Orioles: Kevin Gausman (5-7, 6.39 ERA) looks to rebound from a horrid start out of the All-Star break, when he gave up eight runs in three innings against the Cubs.
Follow @CBSBaltimore on Twitter and like WJZ-TV | CBS Baltimore on Facebook
(© Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
