PHOENIX (AP) — Zach Eflin pitched six innings of one-run ball and Ryan O’Hearn homered, helping the Baltimore Orioles beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-1 on Monday night.
Ryan Mountcastle had a crucial two-run single with two outs in the fifth, hitting a low slider from Zac Gallen into center for a 5-1 lead. It ended a tough night for Gallen, who allowed five runs in 4 2/3 innings.
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Gallen (1-2) — coming off a 13-strikeout performance against the New York Yankees last week — gave up seven hits, walked four and struck out two.
O’Hearn hit a solo shot in the first, driving Gallen’s knuckle curve over the right-field fence. Baltimore pushed its advantage to 2-0 in the third when Gunnar Henderson hit a leadoff double and scored on Adley Rutschman’s single.
Henderson reached base three times and scored two runs. The Orioles have won two of three.
Eflin (2-1) threw 73 pitches, 47 for strikes. He allowed four hits and struck out one.
Arizona scored in the fourth on Lourdes Gurriel Jr.’s sacrifice fly. Josh Naylor had two hits, including a double. The Diamondbacks have lost three straight.
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Key moment
Arizona rookie second baseman Tim Tawa mishandled a hard-hit grounder from Cedric Mullins in the fifth, settling for one out at first instead of a potential double play that would have ended the inning.
Mountcastle followed with his two-run single that made it 5-1.
Key stat
D-backs outfielder Jake McCarthy was hitless in three at-bats. He is 0 for 22 at the plate this season.
Up next
The series continues on Tuesday night when the Diamondbacks send RHP Merrill Kelly (1-1, 10.00 ERA) to the mound. The Orioles counter with veteran RHP Charlie Morton (0-2, 9.72 ERA).
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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