The Cincinnati Reds found a whole bunch of runs in their Easter basket on Sunday, scoring the second-most by the team since 1900 in a 24-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.
Cincinnati’s run parade began in the third inning with seven runs to break open a 1-1 tie. Elly De La Cruz began the eruption with a solo home run to put the Reds on top. The next four batters reached base against Orioles starter Charlie Morton on three singles and a walk, bringing in two more runs. Three additional runs scored on an error by Morton, a single by Austin Wynns and a triple from TJ Friedl.
Morton finished his day allowing seven runs on seven hits and four walks in 2 1/3 innings. But he wasn’t the only Baltimore pitcher throwing batting practice on Sunday. Cody Poteet relieved Morton and gave up five runs and six hits in 2 2/3 innings. Cionel Pérez came on for two innings and allowed another three runs.
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Shortstop Jorge Mateo and catcher Gary Sánchez came in to provide some mercy to the Orioles’ pitching staff and finish the game. But Mateo was battered for five runs, five hits and two walks, while Sánchez allowed four runs. Both position players pitched one inning each.
Wynns was the star among 10 Reds players who got hits, going 6-of-7 with six RBI out of the No. 9 spot. Third baseman Noelvi Marte actually drove in seven runs batting eighth, going 5-of-7 with a grand slam. DH Austin Hays was the other Cincinnati starter to notch four hits on Sunday, going 4-of-6 and scoring four runs.
The 24 runs trail only the 26 runs the Reds scored on June 4, 1911, versus the Boston Red Sox. Prior to 1900, the team record for runs in a single game is 30 in a June 18, 1893, game against the Louisville Colonels.
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Longtime Orioles fans may have felt like they’d seen this before. If so, they’re right. Baltimore allowed the most runs in a single game since 1900, giving up 30 to the Texas Rangers on Aug. 22, 2007.
At least the Orioles can say they do not hold the record for most runs allowed in a game before 1900. That piece of history belongs to the aforementioned Louisville Colonels, who gave up 36 runs to the Chicago Colts on June 29, 1897.
Sunday’s cratering left the Orioles’ starting rotation with a 6.11 ERA, last in MLB. (As a staff, their 5.43 ERA is also the worst in baseball.) Morton’s ERA is now 10.89 in five starts. One Baltimore pitcher is worse, however. Pérez has an 11.32 ERA in eight appearances with 10 walks and 17 hits allowed in 10 1/3 innings.
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