Chalk another one up for superstition.
The Orioles hit four home runs, including two from catcher Javy Lopez, to beat the New York Yankees 11-4 before 47,535 fans at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Sunday.
Javy Lopez served as catcher for starting pitcher Rodrigo Lopez for the third consecutive game, each resulting in a win. Javy Lopez, the team?s primary designated hitter this season, switched roles with Ramon Hernandez. Lopez?s four RBIs in the win were a far cry from the 1-for-5 performance he had in the series? second game.
“After a tough game last night it?s good to come back today and have a game like this. It?s going to make me a feel a lot better,” Javy Lopez said.
The catcher hit a solo home run in the second inning and then crushed a three-run home run in the fifth inning off former Oriole Scott Erickson.
After starting the season 1-7, Orioles pitcher Rodrigo Lopez has now won three straight. Rodrigo Lopez pitched well through six innings, but struggled in the seventh, giving up three runs. He gave up seven hits, and is starting to look like the pitcher who won 15 games a year ago.
“I?m starting to feel much, much better, than a month ago,” Rodrigo Lopez said. “I?m getting closer. I?m not there yet. I?m getting back on track and I just feel that it?s coming.”
Yankees starter Aaron Small lasted just 2.2 innings, as the Orioles lineup pounded him for nine hits, including three home runs.
“We?re only as a good as our pitching,” Yankees manager Joe Torre said.
After losing 13 of their last 16 to the Yankees, including two one-run games earlier in the weekend, the Orioles exacted a vicious bit of revenge Sunday.
“After getting beat by one run, and the way it was the last two days ? I think it was a step forward for us. I don?t know the exact time schedule, but I really believe this club, sooner or later, is going to put it together,” Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo said.
In the third inning, first baseman Kevin Millar cleared the bases with a three-run home run.
Brandon Fahey started in left field and hit a solo home run to cap off the five-run third.
The Orioles feel they might have turned a corner since returning from the west coast a week ago, going 3-3 against AL East opponents.
“We have been playing better baseball. Our records? been a little rough, but as a group the full team?s been playing good baseball this last week,” Millar said. “We have to continue that with Toronto coming in here [Monday]. They?re a great team. They?re balanced left and right. But, we?ve got to go out there and match them.”
Orioles center fielder Corey Patterson stole two bases Sunday. He has now stolen a base in eight straight games, the longest streak in the majors since Kenny Lofton did it with Cleveland in 1996. He has 25 on the season.
