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Quiroz helps Orioles snap Sunday skid

Jul 27, 2008 - 9:47 PM BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- Carlos Quiroz helped the Baltimore Orioles snap two losing streaks.

Quiroz had three hits and drove in three runs as the Orioles ended a 15-game Sunday losing streak with a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. It was Baltimore's first win on a Sunday since April 6, and it also ended a current six-game skid.

Since beating the Seattle Mariners, 3-2, on the first Sunday of the season, the Orioles were outscored by a combined 83-43 in compiling the longest skid on one day of the week since Arizona dropped 15 successive Saturday games in 2004.

Quiroz delivered a two-run single in the third inning to put Baltimore ahead, 4-0.

"I've been working hard all year on my swing," Quiroz said. "It seems my last couple of starts I hit it right at somebody. I'm glad I got those three knocks and three RBI today. After I struck out in my first at-bat with the bases loaded, I felt like I needed to do something."

The catcher then added a two-out RBI hit in the sixth to plate the Orioles' final run.

"Anytime you get a two-out hit it has a way of putting momentum on your side and keeping it there," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "It's good for him (Quiroz). He works real hard and takes advantage of his opportunities."

Nick Markakis opened the scoring for the Orioles with an RBI double in the first inning. He scored the game's second run when Luke Scott was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Orioles starter Garrett Olson (7-5) pitched six solid innings, surrendering two runs and seven hits with two walks and one strikeout. The rookie's first win since June 28 came against a Los Angeles team that had scored 31 runs over its previous three games.

"The tone was set by Garret Olson and that's where you win ball games," Orioles first baseman Kevin Millar said.

Olson's outing broke a run of eight games in which an Orioles starter failed to get through the sixth inning. Olson had given up 23 runs in his previous four starts, a stretch that raised his ERA from 4.76 to 6.11.

"He wasn't perfect, but he had better command of his fastball and the guys made the plays behind him," said Trembley of Olson.

Chad Bradford and Jim Johnson each pitched a scoreless inning to set up All-Star George Sherrill, who worked a perfect ninth to record his 30th save.

"It's good to get this win to get us going," Sherrill said. "Positives breed positives and hopefully we can build on this and keep going."

The Angels, who entered the game with nine wins in 10 games, pulled within 4-1 in the fourth inning on an RBI groundout by Vladimir Guerrero. They added another run in the seventh inning when pinch hitter Garret Anderson singled home Juan Rivera.

Angels starter Ervin Santana (11-5) allowed five runs and seven hits in five innings, striking out five and walking three.

"He (Santana) created some situations early that he had to work hard to get through, but still, he had some opportunities to get out of a couple of jams, he just couldn't make the pitch," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.