Orioles Avoid Sweep By Phillies

Jose Mercedes gave the Baltimore Orioles` beleaguered bullpen a much-needed rest. Mercedes lasted seven innings, and Brady Anderson drove in three runs with one of Baltimore`s four homers as the Orioles avoided a sweep by beating the Philadelphia Phillies 10-7 Sunday.

Baltimore`s bullpen pitched 9 2-3 innings in the first two games of the series and allowed 15 runs on 20 hits. "Jose gave us the effort we needed," Orioles manager Mike Hargrove said. "You don`t have to tell guys things like that. It was a big boost."

Mercedes (2-8) pitched past the sixth inning for the fifth time in eight starts and is 2-3 in that span. He gave up three runs and eight hits in seven innings, walking three and striking out seven.

"I saw they scored a lot of runs in the first two games and we used our whole bullpen," Mercedes said. "Today, I knew I had to step up and help the bullpen."

Chris Richard added three RBIs for the Orioles, who were outscored 36-23 in a three-game series that featured 18 homers.

"The offense was very important for us because they were scoring," Anderson said. "The way they swing the bats, we had to do something on offense."

Jeff Conine, David Segui and Jay Gibbons also homered for Baltimore.

Marlon Anderson, 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored, was responsible for all three runs surrendered by Mercedes with a two-run homer – his seventh – and an RBI single.

Phillies starter Amaury Telemaco (5-3) went just three innings, allowing six runs – three earned – on five hits and a walk.

Baltimore took a first-inning lead for the third straight game, as Conine hit a two-run homer, his eighth of the season and second of the series. The Orioles got three more runs in the second inning on Brady Anderson`s fifth homer.

Segui led off the third with his fifth homer of the season and second in two games. A two-run double by Richard in the fifth gave the Orioles an 8-2 lead.

"I guess we dug ourselves too big of a hole today," Phillies manager Larry Bowa said. "We battled back but came up short."

The Orioles added a run in the eighth on Gibbons` solo homer, his third.

Baltimore`s relievers allowed four runs in the eighth. Pat Burrell and Travis Lee led off with singles against Mike Trombley. Johnny Estrada`s single scored Burrell and knocked Trombley from the game.

Buddy Groom relieved Trombley, and a double error by Segui scored Lee. Turner Ward, in his Phillies debut, knocked in two runs with a single to center that made it 9-7.

Baltimore added a run in the ninth on Richard`s sacrifice fly.

Notes:
Bowa spent the night in his office after the previous game ended at 12:51 Sunday morning. ... Lee Hunter, the father of Phillies outfielder Brian Hunter and a prostate cancer survivor, was honored as part of baseball`s prostate cancer awareness project. Many players and all four umpires wore blue armbands to raise awareness. ... Conine is 2-for-5 off Telemaco in his career, both homers. ... The attendance was 36,911, the largest of the season, as fitted caps were given out in honor of Father`s Day.

(Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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Author: 6 ABC - Action News