Kim stars as power returns to Baltimore
BALTIMORE (AP) — South Korea's Hyun Soo Kim had a career-high four hits and J.J. Hardy and Chris Davis each hit two of Baltimore's six home runs as the Orioles beat rookie Joe Musgrove and skidding Houston 13-5 on Thursday.
Mark Trumbo and Manny Machado also homered to help Baltimore improve to 40-19 at home and climb into a second-place tie with Boston in the AL East. The 13 runs matched a season high, set June 1 against Boston.
Kim had three singles and his first career triple. Playing in first year in the majors after a 10-year run in South Korea, the rookie can't help but marvel at his teammates' power.
Baltimore Orioles' Hyun Soo Kim connects for a single against the Houston Astros in the first inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
"I was never with a team that hits this many home runs," he said through an interpreter. "It is very exciting. I feel just great being part of it."
Trumbo set the tone in the first inning with his major league-leading 35th home run, a three-run shot to left against Musgrove (1-1). Kevin Gausman (4-10) struck out eight in 6 2/3 innings for Baltimore.
Baltimore had waited a long time to put on a power-display like this one, and relished every hit. The Orioles had scored three runs or fewer in 20 of 32 games since the All-Star break, so this amounted to a slugfest of major proportions.
Alex Bregman and A.J. Reed homered for the Astros, who have lost five straight.
Boston slipped up in a thriller in Detroit, losing 4-3 to have their win streak snapped at six.
Boston's final out came with runners on second and third, when Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler caught a line drive by Mookie Betts. Kinsler was well positioned and needed to move only slightly to his right to make the play on Betts' liner.
Boston's Japanese relief pitcher Junichi Tazawa (2-2) failed to retire a batter in the eighth, in which Detroit managed a three-run rally, capped when Andrew Romine drew a bases-loaded walk.
Justin Wilson (3-4) won in relief.
Japanese pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma's quest for four straight wins came unstuck as he and the Seattle Mariners lost 6-4 at the Los Angeles Angels.
Iwakuma (14-8) allowed three runs and six hits over seven innings.
Albert Pujols drove in two runs, while Yunel Escobar had three hits and scored twice as the Angels held off a late rally.
In Chicago, Kris Bryant homered twice, doubled and drove in five runs while going 5 for 5 as the majors-leading Cubs overcame Jake Arrieta's career-high seven walks to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 9-6 for a four-game sweep.
Bryant tied Colorado's Nolan Arenado for the NL lead with 30 home runs. The Cubs won for the 18th time in 21 games and improved the best record in the majors to 77-43.
San Francisco halted its recent slide with a 10-7 win over the visiting New York Mets thanks to All-Star pitcher Madison Bumgarner — with the bat, rather than the ball.
Bumgarner (12-7) gave up four runs over five innings, including a grand slam in the fourth to Justin Ruggiano which gave the Mets a 4-0 lead.
But after narrowly missing a home run in his first at-bat, Bumgarner hit a 2-2 pitch into the stands in left field off Jacob deGrom in the fourth inning for a go-ahead two-run homer.
The hit capped a five-run inning when the Giants batted around. It was Bumgarner's third home run this season and the 14th of his career.
In other games, Washington became the only away winner all day, with an 8-2 result at Atlanta. Philadelphia beat the LA Dodgers 5-4, Kansas City beat Minnesota 8-1, Cleveland won 5-4 against the Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati edged Miami 5-4, and San Diego defeated Colorado 9-8.
Baltimore Orioles' J.J. Hardy, right, celebrates his two-run home run with Jonathan Schoop, who also scored on the play against the Houston Astros in the fourth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)
Seattle Mariners pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma, of Japan, celebrates with teammates after coming out of the baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels after seven innings Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016. The Angels won, 6-4. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
Seattle Mariners starter Hisashi Iwakuma, of Japan, pitches to the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
Chicago Cubs' Kris Bryant hits an RBI single off Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Corey Knebel, scoring Javier Baez, during the eighth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Francisco Rodriguez reacts after the Boston Red Sox's Mookie Betts lines out over his head to second for the final out in the ninth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016, in Detroit. The Tigers won 4-3. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Detroit Tigers designated hitter Victor Martinez hits an RBI single to right field during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
San Francisco Giants' Madison Bumgarner hits a two-run home run off New York Mets starting pitcher Jacob deGrom during the fourth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016, in San Francisco. At left is Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
