Jordan Westburg returned from a lingering hand injury to hit a home run, leading the visiting Baltimore Orioles to a 3-2 win over the Atlanta Braves on Friday in the opener of a three-game series.
Baltimore ended a two-game losing streak and improved to 11-9 record in one-run games. Atlanta, which has lost seven of its past nine, fell to 11-21 in one-run contests.
Westburg had not played since June 27 because of an injury to his left index finger. He went 3-for-4 with his eighth home run of the year, a solo shot in the third inning that produced the game’s first run.
The Orioles also got a boost from the return of Tyler O’Neill, who had been out since mid-May due to a left shoulder impingement. He came off the injured list and reached base on a hit and a walk and scored a run.
Baltimore starter Charlie Morton (5-7), who missed his previous turn in the rotation because of elbow tendinitis, returned to face his former team. The veteran pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on six hits and one walk with seven strikeouts. Morton has won five consecutive decisions.
The Orioles’ bullpen pitched the final 3 2/3 innings and did not allow a hit nor a run. Andrew Kittredge followed Morton with 1 2/3 innings, Bryan Baker worked the eighth and Felix Bautista threw a perfect ninth to earn his 17th save.
Atlanta starter Spencer Strider (3-7) went six-plus innings and allowed three runs on seven hits with one walk and six strikeouts. He has lost his past two outings despite making quality starts each time.
The Orioles upped the lead to 3-0 in the fifth inning. O’Neill singled with one out, and Cedric Mullins followed with his 13th homer, a shot into the seats in right field.
Braves rookie Drake Baldwin ended Morton’s shutout bid when he drilled a two-run homer, his 10th, in the sixth inning.
Atlanta’s Matt Olson went 0-for-4, ending his streak of reaching base at 33 straight games. It had been the longest active streak in the majors.
–Field Level Media
