Orioles 18, Athletics 2
BALTIMORE -- Baltimore's Gerardo Parra tied a career-high with five hits, including a home run and three RBIs, as the Orioles pounded the Oakland Athletics 18-2 on Sunday.
Center fielder Adam Jones also had a pair of homers for Baltimore, which tied a franchise record with 26 hits against six A's pitchers that included first baseman Ike Davis.
After being no-hit in Seattle on Wednesday, Baltimore erupted for 10 home runs in this series and will go for a four-game sweep Monday. Oakland, which is mired in last place in the American League West, has lost six straight.
Baltimore left-hander Wei-Yin Chen (7-6) improved to 5-0 in seven career starts against the A's. He allowed two runs on eight hits with no walks and seven strikeouts over six innings.
Parra, the right fielder, now has three home runs (12 overall) since being traded to the Orioles from Milwaukee on July 31. Catcher Caleb Joseph connected for his 11th homer and had a career-high four RBIs. Baltimore backup catcher Steve Clevenger, who was called up Friday from Triple-A Norfolk, had a career-high four hits as the DH.
Oakland second baseman Brett Lawrie had two hits, including his 11th homer with a solo shot in the fourth.
The Orioles took a 1-0 lead in the first when Parra drove a fastball by Kendall Graveman over the right-center field fence. The A's responded in the second when Baltimore first baseman Chris Davis failed to catch a pop up in shallow right by shortstop Marcus Semien, who got credited with a double. Sam Fuld followed with another double to right that tied the game at one.
The Orioles' bats, however, stayed hot and they retook the lead that inning. Joseph hit a two-out, two-RBI to left and third baseman Manny Machado followed another double to almost the same spot for a three-run lead. A single by Parra increased the margin to 5-1.
The damage continued as Jones led off the third with a home run to straight-away center. After allowing a walk to Joseph with one out later that inning, Graveman was pulled for right-hander Dan Otero. Graveman (6-9) was charged with six runs on eight hits with one walk and four strikeouts on 70 pitches.
Baltimore continued to pound the A's pitching and scored another nine runs in the fifth to take a 15-2 lead. The barrage started with an RBI single by Davis, a fielder's choice by Clevenger and another two-RBI single by left fielder Henry Urrutia. Third baseman Manny Machado hit a two-run double, followed by another double by Parra that ended Otero's day.
Edward Mujica entered and allowed a two-run homer to Jones in the fifth and another solo shot to Joseph an inning later. Urrutia had an RBI single in the seventh that provided an 18-2 lead.
NOTES: Orioles C Matt Wieters still has "a little knot" in his right hamstring and was held out of the lineup for the fourth straight game. Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said Wieters could return as early as Monday for the series finale against Oakland. ... A's RHP Sonny Gray will start Monday after being scratched from his previous outing because of back spasms. Gray is 12-4 with a 2.06 ERA. ... With two homers Saturday night, 1B Chris Davis passed Cal Ripken Jr. for fifth place on the Orioles' all-time home run list at Camden Yards with 87.