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Huff's homer lifts Orioles to fifth straight win

Apr 7, 2008 - 10:50 PM BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- The surprising Baltimore Orioles continue to find ways to win.

Aubrey Huff blasted a solo home run in the eighth inning Monday to break a tie and lift the Baltimore Orioles to their fifth straight win, a 5-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners.

It was the second home run of the season for Huff, who hit the first pitch he saw off Seattle reliever Eric O'Flaherty (0-1) with one out in the eighth inning.

"I was looking fastball and I guessed right," Huff said. "It was a good pitch to hit."

Brian Roberts had three hits and two RBI and Melvin Mora hit a two-run homer for the Orioles, who completed a four-game series sweep of the Mariners.

On Sunday, Baltimore had rallied from two runs down in the bottom of the ninth inning to pull out a 3-2 victory over Seattle.

"Everybody expects us to be bad," Huff said. "We don't believe it. We are playing with a lot of confidence now. You never know what happens in baseball."

George Sherrill pitched a perfect ninth to seal the win, earning his fourth save of the young season. The lefthander, who was acquired as part of the deal that sent Erik Bedard to Seattle, recorded saves in three of the four games against his former team.

"The guys we brought over in trades are really helping this team right now," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "Especially the bullpen."

Seattle had a 2-0 lead just three batters into the game when Ichiro Suzuki and Raul Ibanez each blasted solo home runs off Baltimore starter Daniel Cabrera in the top of the first.

Baltimore responded in the bottom of the third when Roberts doubled home Luis Hernandez and scored on Mora's two-run blast to left-center field, giving the Orioles a 3-2 lead.

But the advantage did not last long. Adrian Beltre led off the fourth with a single and came around to score the tying run on a fielder's choice, and Seattle went in front, 4-3, in the top of the fifth on an RBI double from Ibanez.

However, the Orioles tied the game at 4-4 in the bottom half of the fifth when Roberts singled home Adam Jones, who led off the inning with a double.

"The Orioles kept battling," Ibanez said. "We couldn't hold the lead. Just one of those days."

Cabrera allowed four runs over six innings with five hits, four walks and five strikeouts before the Orioles bullpen worked three scoreless innings.

"I just tried to stay focused after they hit those home runs," Cabrera said. "I kept it close and the bullpen did their job."

Dennis Sarfate (2-0) worked 1 1/3 perfect innings with one strike out, picking up the win for the second straight game.

"We are going about our business with confidence," Sarfate said. "Doing it with our tune, 'Orioles magic,' or whatever you want to call it. It's fun right now."