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Orioles earn rare win by topping Indians

Sep 12, 2008 - 8:21 AM BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- Lately, wins have been hard to come by for the Baltimore Orioles.

But thanks to Melvin Mora's return to the lineup and Nick Markakis' ability to bust out of a slump, the Orioles won for the fourth time in 21 games, 6-3, over the Cleveland Indians on Thursday.

Mora, who had been sidelined since August 29 with a strained left hamstring, had two RBI while Markakis smacked two hits to break a 3-for-26 skid as the Orioles earned a split of the four-game series. They had trudged through a dismal eight-game losing streak before hosting the Indians.

"It's probably as good a game as we've played in awhile," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "We had some big hits and turned the lineup over a couple of times. We ran the bases well."

Markakis led off the fifth inning with a single and, after Mora lined out, Aubrey Huff laced a double to set up Ramon Hernandez's go-ahead RBI groundout to second against Indians starter Zach Jackson, giving the Orioles a 4-3 lead.

"I think it's more the style we need to play in order for us to compete to win, be successful and to keep guys' interest in the game," Trembley said. "I think you need to play tempo, you need to play momentum and I think you need to play a high caliber game.

"I think you do that with pitching, especially starting pitching. Get your guys off the field. Get them in to hit."

Kevin Millar extended Baltimore's advantage by reaching on a throwing error by Cleveland shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera that allowed Huff to score. Huff also crossed the plate on Millar's sacrifice fly in the seventh, giving him a new career high in runs scored with 94.

"I didn't think we played that well overall," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "Offensively, defensively, and we didn't pitch at the top of our game either. You can't play like that and expect to win."

Mora smacked a two-run double to cap a three-run third, but the Indians pulled even in the fifth when Andy Marte and Josh Barfield scored on a throwing error by Baltimore reliever Lance Cormier.

"I think it's a play I can make over and over again," Cormier said. "Instead of setting my feet I just continued to run and throw, and momentum just kept it going. It was a big situation and I'm mad at myself because I know it's a play I can make."

Cormier (3-3) tossed three scoreless frames to notch the victory after starter Brian Bass was lifted with one out in the fifth. Rookie Jim Miller worked the ninth for his first major league save.

Bass allowed three runs - one earned - and four hits in his first major league start after being obtained from the Minnesota Twins in a waiver trade on September 5.

"To me, it's a tryout," Bass said. "To be able to go out and get some starts, it's a huge opportunity for me."

Jackson (0-3), one of the players the Indians received in exchange for CC Sabathia in July, surrendered five runs - four earned - and eight hits over six innings.

"It was tough to get in a rhythm out there," Jackson said. "I just battled. I had a little bit of trouble getting my slower stuff over, my slower breaking ball. I tried to be aggressive. A couple of ground balls found some holes. You have to limit the damage."

Cleveland's Travis Hafner, who batted cleanup in his second game since spending more than three months on disabled list, went 1-for-4. Grady Sizemore finished 0-for-4 with a walk and is hitless in his last 23 at-bats.