Davis powers O's past Angels
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Chris Davis' two-out, two-run home run in the seventh inning snapped a 4-4 tie and lifted the Baltimore Orioles to a 9-4 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night at Angel Stadium.
Davis' home run was the fourth of the night for Baltimore, which also got the long ball from Joey Rickard, Manny Machado and Mark Trumbo. But it was rare in that it was just the fifth home run hit by a left-hander off Angels left-handed reliever Jose Alvarez in his career in 223 plate appearances.
However, it was not a rare occurrence for the Orioles, who lead in the American League with 61 homers this season.
The Orioles had 14 hits in all, including three each from Matt Wieters and Jonathan Schoop.
The win allowed the Orioles to move one game ahead of Boston for first place in the American League East. For the Angels, the loss dropped them 5 1/2 games behind first-place Seattle in the AL West.
Angels starter Hector Santiago pitched a season-high eight innings in his previous start, but lasted only 2 2/3 innings Friday after begin ejected by home plate umpire John Tumpane.
Santiago had just given up a two-out, two-run home run to Trumbo in the third inning and fell behind in the count to Wieters 2-and-0. The next pitch was a borderline pitch that Tumpane called ball-three. Santiago thought the pitch caught the inside part of the plate and yelled at Tumpane, who then ejected Santiago.
In his short outing, Santiago gave up four runs and three hits, all three of the hits leaving the park.
Orioles starter Mike Wright took a 4-1 lead into the sixth inning but didn't make it out of the inning. The Angels got an RBI single from Johnny Giavotella and a sacrifice fly from Carlos Perez to cut the lead to 4-3, bringing up Gregorio Petit to face reliever Mychal Givens.
On a full count, Petit literally threw his bat at a breaking pitch that was low and away and punched it into right field for an RBI single, tying the game at 4-4.
Wright, coming off his best start of the season in a win over Detroit, got a no-decision Friday after allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits and three walks. He struck out three.
The game remained tied until the seventh inning when Davis hit his homer, the inning extended by third baseman Yunel Escobar's throwing error earlier in the inning.
The Orioles added two more runs in the eighth inning on a sacrifice fly by Noland Reimold and an RBI single by Rickard, and another run in the ninth on an RBI single by Reimold.
Givens (3-0) got the win for the Orioles with 1 1/3 scoreless innings over Alvarez (1-2).
The Orioles got off to a quick start, as Rickard and Machado began the game with back-to-back home runs against Santiago.
It appeared the Angels got one back in the bottom of the first when Kole Calhoun hit what looked like a home run, but a fan dropped the ball onto the field and Calhoun instead had a double.
The Angels asked for a replay review, which seemed to show the ball clear the yellow line atop the wall. However, it was ruled the fan reached over the wall, resulting in fan interference, and the initial call was upheld.
It ultimately cost the Angels a run because after Calhoun moved to third on a wild pitch, he was thrown out at home trying to score on Mike Trout's grounder to first.
Back-to-back doubles by Rafael Ortega and Carlos Perez gave the Angels a run and cut their deficit to 2-1 in the second inning, but the Orioles added to their lead in the third on Trumbo's two-run homer for a 4-1 lead.
Santiago then only lasted three more pitches, getting tossed for arguing on a pitch to Matt Wieters he thought should have been called a strike.
NOTES: The Angels officially announced the signing of RHP Tim Lincecum to a contract that will pay the two-time National League Cy Young Award winner about $2 million for the rest of the season. He will throw 75 to 100 pitches in a simulated game on Monday at the Angels' spring complex in Arizona and then begin a minor league rehab assignment. The Angels are targeting mid-June for him to join their rotation. ... The Angels optioned INF Jefry Marte to Triple-A Salt Lake to make room for Lincecum on the 25-man roster. Until Lincecum clears a quirk in the rules called "optional waivers" on Sunday, the Angels will play with 24 players. ... Orioles SS J.J. Hardy, recovering from a hairline fracture in his left foot, began working out at the club's spring complex in Florida. The Orioles are hoping that Hardy, out since May 2, can return by mid-June. ... Orioles 3B Manny Machado started his 202nd consecutive game, the longest streak among active players in the majors.