Phillies 2, Orioles 1
PHILADELPHIA -- First baseman Ryan Howard hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning Thursday as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Baltimore Orioles 2-1 to end a nine-game losing streak.
Howard's homer, his 12th of the season, came off Orioles starter Bud Norris (2-5) and made a winner of reliever Jake Diekman (1-1), who had been recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley earlier in the day.
The Phillies' losing streak had been their longest since they dropped 11 in a row in 1999. The victory was just their fourth in the last 23 games, and they remain the worst team in baseball at 23-45.
Third baseman Manny Machado led off the game with his 14th homer of the season, accounting for Baltimore's only run. The Orioles (34-32) saw a five-game winning streak against Phillies come to an end. That had included victories the three previous days, the first two in Baltimore.
Norris went six innings and allowed two runs and five hits, while striking out two and walking two.
Center fielder Ben Revere, who went 2-for-4, led off the sixth with an infield single. He stole second and advanced to third when third baseman Maikel Franco grounded out for the inning's second out.
Howard then lined a 1-2 fastball from Norris into the seats in right field.
Howard, 2-for-18 in his previous six games, went 2-for-3 in the game.
Phillies reliever Luis Garcia pitched out of a first-and-third, one-out jam in the seventh by striking out Machado and left fielder Travis Snider.
Ken Giles worked a scoreless eighth, and Jonathan Papelbon set the Orioles down in order in the ninth to earn his 13th save.
Phillies starter Sean O'Sullivan went five innings and allowed one run and four hits, striking out a career-high seven and walking two. He is winless over his last six starts, and Phillies starting pitchers have not earned a victory over the last 23 games, going 0-14 with nine no-decisions.
NOTES: The Phillies scratched LHP Cole Hamels from his start Friday against St. Louis with a mildly strained right hamstring. RHP Phillippe Aumont will be recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to start. ... Philadelphia designated RHP Dustin McGowan for assignment and recalled LHP Jake Diekman from Lehigh Valley. ... Baltimore OF Adam Jones missed his third straight game with a shoulder injury. He is day-to-day.