Guardians 5 - 6 Orioles
Final
  for this game

Orioles beat Indians to snap losing streak at 9

Jul 17, 2011 - 3:44 AM

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Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Nick Markakis went 3-for-4 with a solo home run and three runs scored and the Baltimore Orioles hung on to snap a nine- game losing streak with a 6-5 win over the Cleveland Indians in the third contest of a four-game set.

Adam Jones and Felix Pie both drove in two runs while Derrek Lee added an RBI for the Orioles, who are just 2-14 in their last 16 games.

"This was a big win and a big monkey off our back," said Pie. "As long as we keep playing the game right and doing all the things we need to do we will be successful. We have good starting pitching on this team and we need to take advantage of that."

Alfredo Simon (2-2) grabbed the win as he gave up just two runs on three hits with a walk and five strikeouts over seven innings.

"Simon was very tough, we couldn't do much against him," Indians manager Manny Acta said. "He pitched ahead, threw all his pitches for strikes. We didn't even work his pitch count because he was so effective in the strike zone."

Orlando Cabrera hit a three-run double in the ninth while Michael Brantley hit a two-run double in the sixth inning for the Indians, who had taken the first two games of the series after dropping the final three games of a four-game set against Toronto.

Carlos Carrasco (8-7) dropped his third straight start after giving up three runs on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts over seven innings.

The Orioles held a comfortable four-run lead going to the ninth and Kevin Gregg came on to close. He struck out Brantley to start the inning, but then walked the next three batters to load the bases. After Lonnie Chisenhall struck out, Cabrera roped a bases-clearing double to the gap in right-center to make it a one-run game.

Mike Gonzalez then came on and got Grady Sizemore to ground out for his first save of the season.

Baltimore got on the board in the first inning after J.J. Hardy led off with a double and later scored on an Adam Jones sacrifice fly.

Markakis, who got his 1,000th career hit on Friday, led off the fourth with a double and scored when Lee later singled him home for a 2-0 advantage.

The Indians tied the game in the sixth. Austin Kearns led off with an infield single and Lou Marson walked. Both runners moved up a base on Ezequiel Carrera's ground out and Brantley brought them home with a two-base hit.

Markakis, though, gave his team the lead back in the bottom of the frame with a one-out solo homer to right.

Baltimore gave itself some needed runs in the eighth. With one out, Markakis doubled and came home when Jones followed with a double. Later in the frame with the bases loaded, Pie doubled home two for a 6-2 advantage.

Game Notes

The Indians had won the previous five games against Baltimore this season...Cleveland's bullpen entered the game having not surrendered a run or hit in 10 innings, but gave up three runs on three hits in the eighth inning on Saturday...Baltimore batted 3-for-8 with runners in scoring position...After the game, the Orioles announced that they have optioned pitcher Pedro Viola to Double-A Bowie and will make a corresponding roster move on Sunday...A Baltimore newspaper reported on Saturday that the Orioles and Hardy agreed to a three-year contract extension worth between $22 and $22.5 million. The deal is pending a physical.






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