All-star potential collided with all-star production Tuesday night at Camden Yards.
Rookie roommates Nick Markakis and Adam Loewen each had coming-out parties in a 6-3 Orioles win before 19,756 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Markakis, 22, hit three home runs in his first three at-bats. He now has 11 home runs on the season, and six since moving to second in the batting order on Aug. 16.
“You just wonder why I didn?t put him in the two-hole sooner,” Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo said.
Loewen, 22, struggled to start, but something clicked in the middle of the second inning, and the 6-foot-6 left-hander was perfect the rest of the way, striking out seven and retiring 21 Twins batters in a row for his fourth career win.
“It?s nice to pitch out of the windup as much as I can,” said Loewen, who benefited from having no runners on base for his final six innings. “I was just feeling confident in all my pitches today.”
He tossed a career-best eight innings, allowing four hits and one run, all while issuing no walks.
“Just staying aggressive in the strike zone with my fastball,” said Loewen, who said he didn?t have his best command to start the game. “I made a couple of adjustments with my body to put the fastball where I wanted to.”
Prior to Tuesday?s game with Minnesota, Perlozzo noted that he thinks the work of pitching coach Leo Mazzone is starting to show.
“It?s starting to show,” Perlozzo said. “That?s something that, if we continue strong here with our pitchers and young kids, we?ve got something to shoot for next year.”
Judging by Loewen?s performance Tuesday night, Perlozzo has a valid point.
Usually on the erratic side, Loewen threw 72 strikes amongst his 108 pitches.
“The real story of the night was Nick?s three home runs, and for him to do that in his rookie year was phenomenal,” Loewen said.
Markakis drew a curtain call with his third home run, which cleared the center field wall on a 2-0 count.
“That was actually my first one,” said Markakis, who was pushed out of the dugout by hitting coach Terry Crowley. “It was a good feeling.”
It marked the 18th time in club history an Oriole has hit three home runs in a game, and the first since Albert Belle hit three against Anaheim on July 25, 1999.
Markakis hit over .400 in July after becoming more comfortable.
“He certainly has come on strong,” Perlozzo said. “And we said it all along: let him get his feet on the ground, learn some pitchers, and get some confidence.”
Markakis got all three of the home run balls. As he entered the clubhouse, he was still negotiating for the second of the three, offering up a bat in return for the baseball.
“He?s just fun to watch,” Perlozzo said.
Markakis finished 3-for-4, having flown out to left field in the sixth inning. He was left on deck as the Orioles finished their plate appearances in the top of the eighth.
The Orioles six runs came on the strength of five home runs. Aside from Markakis? three, fellow under-30 O?s Brian Roberts and Corey Patterson hit solo shots.
