Núñez Hits 2 HRs To Carry Orioles Past Skidding Mets
BALTIMORE (AP) — Renato Núñez hit two home runs, Anthony Santander also went deep and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Mets 9-5 Tuesday night to stretch New York's losing streak to five games.
Núñez hit a three-run drive off Mets newcomer Ariel Jurado to give Baltimore an early lead. After New York made it 5-all, Santander's 11th homer of the season capped a three-run sixth against Franklyn Kilome (0-1).
Núñez tacked on a solo shot in the seventh, his fourth career two-homer game and second this season.
"I feel like I was putting in some good swings the last couple days and nothing," said Núñez, who entered the game in a 3-for-19 funk. "You've got to make adjustments, so that's what I'm trying to do, and I got two homers to have that change today."
Robinson Cano and rookie Andrés Giménez homered for the sinking Mets, whose skid matches their longest of the season. New York fell a season-high six games under .500, ahead of only Washington in the NL East.
"The two guys we had today, we trusted them to give us length. They didn't fully give us what we were expecting," Mets manager Luis Rojas said of Jurado and Kilome. "They just didn't do a good job. They left some pitches up in the zone and they were driven."
Asked if he was worried about the mood in the clubhouse, Rojas responded, "No. We didn't give up, came back and tied the game at 5. We have a lot of good guys in there."
Pat Valaika had his first career four-hit game for the Orioles, who have won two in a row following a five-game losing streak.
"We haven't had many games where we've had a four-run lead. I'm just happy with our offense today," manager Brandon Hyde said. "We had a bunch of guys swing the bat really, really well, and it was nice to see guys drive the ball in the gap."
Making his debut with New York after coming over from Texas in an Aug. 5 trade, Jurado gave up five runs and nine hits in four innings. He left with the Mets trailing 5-3, but Giménez got Jurado off the hook with his first big league homer, a tying drive in the sixth off Tom Eshelman (3-0).
"I felt like they were able to sit back on a lot of those pitches," Jurado said through a translator. "Today overall I wasn't able to get the results I wanted."
In the bottom half, Valaika hit an RBI double before Santander connected.
Orioles starter Asher Wojciechowski allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings.
ROSTER MOVES
Mets: Recalled Jurado, designated RHP Hunter Strickland for assignment and transferred INF Eduardo Núñez to the 45-day IL.
Orioles: Selected the contract of INF Dilson Herrera, recalled OF DJ Stewart and designated OF Mason Williams for assignment.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mets: 3B/OF J.D. Davis (hip) missed a second straight start but entered as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning. Davis was struck in the hip by a fastball from Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman on Saturday. ... The injuries to LHP Steven Matz (shoulder) and RHP Dellin Betances (lat), who both went on the injured list Sunday, "are nothing major," Rojas said, adding the pair "should be getting in a rehab program and hopefully we get them soon."
Orioles: 2B Hanser Alberto hurt his knee Monday against Toronto and might miss this series, Hyde said. ... OF Austin Hays (ribs) is expected to resume baseball activities in the next few days and could be back in mid-September, Hyde said. ... 1B Chris Davis (knee) remains inactive. He went on the IL on Aug. 21.
UP NEXT
Mets: RHP Michael Wacha (1-2, 7.41 ERA) makes his fifth start of the season in the series finale Wednesday afternoon. He's given up 13 runs in his last 12 innings.
Orioles: LHP John Means (0-2, 8.59) makes his first career appearance against the Mets.
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