Agencies/Baltimore
The Baltimore Orioles circled the bases more often than ever before under Buck Showalter, twice scoring six runs in an inning and pounding out 20 hits without even batting in the ninth.
Delmon Young drove in five runs, Chris Davis homered and the Orioles received a bounce-back pitching performance from Bud Norris in an 18-7 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday.
It was Baltimore’s most prolific offensive showing since an 18-9 win over Cleveland on April 19, 2006, and the most runs the Orioles ever scored against Boston.
Norris (1-2) didn’t need to be sharp. But he was, and that was important because he came into the game with a 17.42 ERA.
‘’That’s the Bud that pitched well for us last year,’’ Showalter said. ‘’This guy won 15 games last year and he was in attack mode today.’’
Norris didn’t allow a runner past second base until Pablo Sandoval hit a three-run drive in the seventh, his first home run with Boston since signing as a free agent in November.
Hanley Ramirez followed Sandoval’s long ball with a solo shot off Jason Garcia and added a three-run homer off Garcia in the ninth.
None of that mattered, because the Boston pitching staff had its worst outing since a 20-2 loss at Oakland in August 2012.
Elsewhere, Chris Archer made his fourth consecutive start without giving up an earned run and Brandon Guyer hit a home run to lift Tampa Bay to a 5-1 victory.
Archer struck out seven and gave up just two hits in seven innings to improve to 3-2. The Rays won their fifth straight game and are in first place in the American League East.
Miguel Montero homered and Jake Arrieta pitched six solid innings, lifting Chicago to their best start since 2008.
Montero went 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs for the Cubs (10-7), who swept the abbreviated two-game series. Saturday’s game was postponed due to rain.
Arrieta (3-1) survived a rough patch in the middle innings and allowed two earned runs on four hits in six innings. Todd Frazier hit his fifth homer for Cincinnati.