Trumbo's grand slam lifts Orioles past Athletics
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Mark Trumbo hit his third career grand slam, right-hander Chris Tillman recorded his 15th win and the Baltimore Orioles avoided a four-game series sweep with a 9-6 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Thursday.
The Orioles had lost three-straight one-run games to the A's, scoring a combined three runs, but they broke out of their slump with a vengeance in the series finale.
Trumbo belted his major-league leading 32nd home run of the season and first grand slam as an Oriole in the fifth inning, extending Baltimore's lead to 7-0. He hit reliever Daniel Coulombe's 3-1 pitch high and deep over the left-center field fence. Trumbo went 2-for-4, scored twice and drove in a season-high tying five runs.
Adam Jones hit his 23rd home run of the season, a solo shot in the seventh inning off right-hander Chris Smith. Pedro Alvarez went 2-for-4 with a two-run double and three RBIs, Chris Davis went 2-for-4 with a walk and scored twice and Manny Machado had two hits, including a double, and scored twice.
Tillman (15-4) allowed two runs on five hits in seven innings and struck out five without walking a batter. He's tied for second in the major-leagues for victories with Boston's Rick Porcello and Washington's Stephen Strasburg, one behind Toronto's J.A. Happ. Tillman snapped a two-game losing streak.
Zach Britton pitched a scoreless ninth, despite allowing a walk and two singles, for his 35th consecutive save to start the season. He leads the American League in saves.
Rookie Ryon Healy launched his fourth home run of the season for the A's, a two-run blast in the fifth inning. Max Muncy hit a solo shot in the eighth, his second home run of the season. Yonder Alonso had a two-run double in the eighth.
A's right-hander Andrew Triggs (0-1) made his second start of the season and gave up three runs on five hits over four innings. He struck out four and walked none. Triggs, who made 19 of his first 20 outings in relief, filled a void in an A's rotation that has been hit by numerous injuries.
Triggs was in Baltimore's minor-league system at Double-A Bowie last season, but the Orioles released him during spring training. Oakland claimed him off waivers. He's in his eighth stint with the A's this season.
The Orioles matched their run total of the previous three games in the fourth inning to take a 3-0 lead.
Machado, Davis and Trumbo hit consecutive one-out singles off Triggs, making it 1-0. Then Alvarez hit a two-run double to the right-center field alley, scoring Davis and Trumbo.
In the fifth, Jones hit a one-out single and took second on left fielder Coco Crisp's fielding error. Machado was walked intentionally with two outs, and Davis worked a walk off Coulombe, loading the bases. That set the stage for Trumbo's first blast since Aug. 4.
The A's cut Baltimore's lead to 7-2 in bottom of the fifth. Billy Butler lined a leadoff single, and Healy launched Tillman's 3-1 pitch for a home run to left field with one out.
Jones answered with a solo home run leading off the seventh, and Alvarez added an RBI single to make it 9-2.
The A's scored four times in the eighth, cutting Baltimore's lead to 9-6. Muncy lined a leadoff homer into the right field seats off Logan Ondrusek. Alonso hit a two run double to right-center off Darren O'Day, and Butler followed with an RBI single.
NOTES: Orioles SS J.J. Hardy was out of the starting lineup and utility man Ryan Flaherty started at shortstop for the third time this season. "He's got some nagging things off and on, but nothing that most people at this stage in their career don't have," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said of Hardy. "He's good. We're going to try and keep him that way." ... Orioles OF Steve Pearce (strained right elbow) missed his fourth straight game. The Orioles have yet to decide whether to put him on the 15-day disabled list. ... Athletics RHP Jesse Hahn (strained right shoulder) will throw his first bullpen session on Saturday since going on the 15-day disabled list Aug. 5. According to manager Bob Melvin, Hahn will likely make a rehab start next week and be activated on Aug. 20, the first day's he's eligible to come off the DL, or soon after. ... Orioles 2B Jonathan Schoop made his 114th consecutive start this season. He's the only Oriole to start every game.