Schoop's RBI single lifts Orioles past Angels
BALTIMORE -- Jonathan Schoop lined a tiebreaking RBI single to center in the eighth inning as the Baltimore Orioles rallied for the game's final two runs en route to a 3-2 victory over Los Angeles Angels on Saturday.
The victory gave the Orioles (50-36) a two-game lead over Toronto (50-40) and Boston (48-38) from the American League East. Toronto had won seven straight games before Detroit scored a 3-2 victory over the Blue Jays on Saturday.
Manny Machado and Chris Davis both singled with singles to put runners on first and third with one out. Schoop then lined a single to center off Joe Smith (1-4) to snap a 2-2 tie.
Brad Brach (6-1) posted the victory thanks to a scoreless eighth. Zach Britton then got his 26th save in 26 chances.
Baltimore starter Yovani Gallardo did not allow a hit until the fourth, but six of the final 11 Angels got hits, and they scored the two runs the right-hander allowed.
Nick Tropeano allowed one run and five hits in six innings. The Los Angeles starter allowed eight strikeouts without a walk.
The loss ended the Angels' four-game winning streak.
Mark Trumbo gave the Orioles a 1-0 lead in the second with his leadoff homer to center, his 27th home run already this season.
That homer set a team record for most homers before the All-Star break. Baltimore now has banged out 135 of them, erasing the previous mark set by the Orioles 20 years ago.
The Angels could not do much early against Gallardo. Two walks gave Los Angeles runners on first and second with one out in the second before the right-hander retired the next two batters.
But the Angels rallied in the sixth, taking the lead on Daniel Nava's two-run single off the wall in right. The Angels could have added to the 2-1 lead, but Mychal Givens got Johnny Giavotella on a fly ball to short right, and Jett Bandy then grounded into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded.
The Orioles tied the score in the seventh with a bit of help from the Angels. A balk was called when Smith pitched to Adam Jones. Smith dropped the ball on his first pitch, and that brought in Schoop, who scored the tying run.
NOTES: The Orioles recalled RHP Jason Garcia from Double-A Bowie on Saturday. They sent down RHP Mike Wright to Triple-A Norfolk after Friday;s loss and needed a right-handed arm. Garcia spent last year with Baltimore as a Rule 5 pick and went 1-0 in 21 games. He's 4-7 with a 4.79 ERA in 15 starts at Bowie in 2016. ... Baltimore has a major league-best 32 wins at home. ... The Angels activated C Geovany Soto after optioning C Carlos Perez to Triple-A Salt Lake City. Soto was not in the starting lineup. But 1B Ji-Man Choi was in the starting lineup, making his major-league debut after the Angels purchased his contract from Salt Lake City. He'll replace C.J. Chon (broken hand), injured in Friday's game when Wright hit him.