Orioles 7, Indians 3
CLEVELAND -- Adam Jones homered for the third time in four days, Matt Wieters homered and tripled, and Bud Norris came off the disabled list to strike out seven in five innings as the Baltimore Orioles beat the Cleveland Indians 7-3 Sunday at Progressive Field.
Center fielder Jones, the third batter of the game, belted a solo home run off right-hander Carlos Carrasco (7-5) in the first inning to give the Orioles a lead they never relinquished.
Jones has homered in three of his last four games. In his last five games he is 10-for-21 with two triples, three home runs and four RBI.
Prior to the game right-hander Norris (2-4) was activated off the disabled list, where he'd been since May 18 with a case of bronchitis. Sunday was his first start since May 10. Norris pitched five innings, holding the Indians to one run on four hits with seven strikeouts and two walks.
Baltimore scored three more runs in the fourth inning to take a 4-0 lead. Carrasco retired the first two batters of the inning, but the next five all reached base. Designated hitter Jimmy Paredes singled and went to second on a single by shortstop J.J. Hardy. Second baseman Ryan Flaherty drew a walk to load the bases.
Third baseman Manny Machado reached on an infield single, scoring Paredes to make it 2-0. Left fielder Travis Snider then singled to center, scoring Hardy and Flaherty and extending the Baltimore lead to 4-0.
Cleveland scored a run in the bottom of the fourth when left fielder David Murphy and right fielder Brandon Moss led off the inning with consecutive doubles. Designated hitter Nick Swisher was hit by a pitch. But with runners at first and second and no outs, the Indians were unable to score again.
Norris struck out third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall and catcher Yan Gomes, and center fielder Michael Bourn grounded into an inning-ending force-out.
Carrasco was removed from the game after giving up a triple to catcher Wieters leading off the fifth inning. In four innings Carrasco was charged with five runs on seven hits, with three strikeouts and two walks.
Left-hander Nick Hagadone relieved Carrasco and gave up a sacrifice fly to first baseman Chris Davis to extend the Baltimore lead to 5-1.
The Orioles added another run in the seventh inning, which began with a single by Jones, who went to third on an error by Chisenhall. Jones later scored on a two-out single by Paredes that gave the Orioles a 6-1 lead.
The Indians scored a run in the seventh inning against the Baltimore bullpen. With one out shortstop Mike Aviles singled off right-hander Chaz Roe. Left-hander T.J. McFarland relieved Roe and gave up a single to second baseman Jason Kipnis and a walk to first baseman Carlos Santana, loading the bases with one out.
Right-hander Tommy Hunter relieved McFarland and pinch hitter Ryan Raburn drove in Aviles with an RBI groundout, but Hunter struck out Swisher to end the inning.
Wieters' home run was a solo shot off right-hander Zach McAllister in the ninth inning. An RBI single by Raburn in the bottom of the ninth made the final 7-3.
NOTES: Indians owner Paul Dolan had his head shaved by INF Mike Aviles, joining several Indians players and coaches who have shaved their heads in support of Aviles' daughter Adriana, who is battling leukemia. ... Indians OF Michael Brantley was given a day off Sunday as manager Terry Francona continues to try to manage Brantley's balky lower back. ... Orioles INF Rey Navarro was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk to make room on the roster for RHP Bud Norris, who was activated off the disabled list and started Sunday's game.