BALTIMORE (AP) — Dylan Carlson hit a three-run homer against his former team, Charlie Morton earned his first victory with Baltimore, and the Orioles achieved their first three-game winning streak of the season, beating the St. Louis Cardinals 5-2 on Monday.
Carlson’s drive in the fourth off Erick Fedde (3-4) put the Orioles up 5-0. Morton (1-7) took a shutout into the fifth before allowing a two-run shot by Pedro Pagés. The 41-year-old right-hander, who signed with Baltimore in the offseason, allowed four hits in six innings after losing his first six starts of the season. He’d pitched mostly in relief lately.
After Morton exited, three Baltimore relievers — Seranthony Domínguez, Yennier Cano and Félix Bautista — retired all nine of their hitters. Bautista pitched the ninth for his eighth save in nine chances.
Fedde allowed three earned runs in five innings and did not get much help from his infielders. After a leadoff single by Jackson Holliday in the first, Ramón Urías hit a grounder to third, but Nolan Gorman threw wildly to second for an error. Holliday went to third and then scored one batter later.
With one out and a man on first in the fourth, St. Louis second baseman Brendan Donovan fielded a grounder, but his throw to second hit the runner for another error. Carlson followed with his home run.
Key moment
Carlson played four-plus seasons for the Cardinals before being traded to Tampa Bay last July. He’s 6 for 34 on the season, but his homer Monday was his second in two days.
Key stat
Morton lowered his ERA from 7.68 to 7.09. Poor starting pitching is a big reason the Orioles are at the bottom of the AL East, but during this short winning streak, Baltimore starters have allowed just two runs in 17 2/3 innings.
Up next
Baltimore sends Tomoyuki Sugano (4-3) to the mound Tuesday night against Andre Pallante (4-3) of the Cardinals.