As the Orioles utterly dismantle the White Sox, Machado hit three home runs and drove in seven through just three innings, upping his season line at the time to.309/.368/.561 with 32 doubles, 25 homers and 67 RBI. Shields then hit a batter and walked another before Machado deposited a cut-fastball into the left-field bullpen for a three-run homer. He became only the second player in major league history to homer in the first, second and third innings, matching Carl Reynolds, who previously accomplished the feat on July 2, 1930.
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If Machado is able to do so, he would become the 17th player to hit four home runs in one game and the first to do so since the Rangers’ Josh Hamilton on May 8, 2012 against… the Orioles.
Shields allowed four home runs Sunday before being pulled in the second inning, and the White Sox lost to the Baltimore Orioles 10-2. Machado followed with his three-run shot and Davis added a solo shot. He hit into a well-executed 6-4-3 double play in the fifth inning, but will have at least one more at-bat to try to hit a fourth home run. “You can’t do that against this team”. The Toronto Blue Jays put together a seven-game win streak a month ago, which drastically improved their place in the standings, but they haven’t won more than three straight games since. So, I’m hoping they felt like they had a replay that was definitive enough that he touched it in fair territory because we don’t have one. Manager Buck Showalter said he also wants to rest 1B Chris Davis, SS J.J. Hardy, CF Adam Jones and others during the road trip.
“It’s been a insane season for me”, Shields said. Fifty-something games is still a long time.
“He was really tough”, Hardy said. He also hit two batters, walked two and struck out one. The Orioles had 12 hits and tied a season high with nine walks.
Jose Abreu hit his third homer in four days for the White Sox, who have dropped eight of 11.
Bundy, a rookie reliever-turned-starter, allowed two runs and four hits.
“It’s hard when you’re in the dugout for 20 minutes or so and these guys are hitting homers”, Bundy said, smiling.
“I’m trying to get everybody a day (off) on this trip”, Showalter said.
Davis, who homered for the first time since July 10, was back at cleanup after being dropped to sixth Saturday.
Orioles: RF Steve Pearce left in the fifth after aggravating a flexor injury on Todd Frazier’s sacrifice fly. C Alex Avila (strained right hamstring) is doing better, but is not near a rehab assignment, Ventura said.
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On deck: After what will be a welcome off day Monday, the Sox have a decent chance to rebound Tuesday night in Kansas City with Chris Sale (14-5, 3.12 ERA) on the mound against Edinson Volquez (8-10, 4.99 ERA).
