Baltimore, MD – Manny Machado and Brian Roberts each hit two- run doubles during a seven-run third inning as the Baltimore Orioles beat the Colorado Rockies, 8-4, in the middle portion of a three-game series.
Chris Davis, Adam Jones and Nick Markakis added an RBI apiece for the Orioles, who snapped a four-game skid.
Baltimore starter Bud Norris (9-10) allowed four runs on nine hits while striking out five over 5 2/3 innings.
"Just to get back in the win column was huge," Norris said. "To have a seven- run third inning it definitely helps any starting pitcher go out there so I just wanted to keep putting up zeros."
Dexter Fowler had two RBI and a run scored for the Rockies, who had a brief two-game winning streak snapped. Charlie Blackmon drove in a run and scored once.
Chad Bettis (0-2) got the start for Colorado and gave up eight runs -- two earned -- on seven hits over 2 2/3 innings.
"It was really embarrassing," Bettis said of his start. "I have a lot to learn from this start and that's all I have to take from it."
Each team scored once in the first inning. Fowler led off the game with a walk, advanced to third on Corey Dickerson's single and scored when Troy Tulowitzki grounded into a double play.
In the bottom half of the frame, Nate McLouth walked, moved to third on Machado's single and crossed the plate on Davis' sacrifice fly.
Baltimore, which left the bases loaded in the second, exploded for seven runs in the third. Davis doubled to left-center field and moved to third on a passed ball. After Jones reached base on an infield single, Markakis hit a run-scoring bloop single down the left-field line that Dickerson almost caught. The runners moved up to second and third on Matt Wieters' groundout.
The second run of the inning crossed the plate when Steve Pearce reached first on Tulowitzki's fielding error. Two batters later, Roberts hit a two-run double off the wall in right. After McLouth walked, Machado hit a two-run double to right. Adam Ottavino came in from the bullpen and gave up an RBI single to Jones.
The Rockies got one run back in the fourth. With two outs, Blackmon was hit by a pitch and Jonathan Herrera walked. Fowler followed with an RBI single to right-center field.
Colorado tacked on two more runs in the sixth. Nolan Arenado hit a one-out triple to center and scored on Blackmon's groundout. Herrera singled and raced home on Fowler's single to right-center field, cutting the gap to 8-4.
Game Notes
Baltimore and Colorado are meeting for the first time since the Rockies took two of three matchups back in 2007 ... The Rockies went 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11, while the Orioles went 5-for-14 with RISP and left 12 men on ... Colorado activated pitcher Rafael Betancourt from the 15-day disabled list and optioned pitcher Manuel Corpas to Triple-A Colorado Springs ... Baltimore optioned outfielder Henry Urrutia to Triple-A Norfolk and recalled pitcher Josh Stinson, who tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.
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