Braves lose again as Orioles heat up at plate

The Baltimore Orioles' Mark Trumbo celebrates after hitting a grand slam in the first inning of Saturday's game in Atlanta. Baltimore won 7-5 for its second straight victory against the Braves.
The Baltimore Orioles' Mark Trumbo celebrates after hitting a grand slam in the first inning of Saturday's game in Atlanta. Baltimore won 7-5 for its second straight victory against the Braves.

ATLANTA - Veteran slugger Chris Davis is feeling "calm and easy" at the plate.

His big swings are making the Baltimore Orioles feel like winners again.

One day after hitting a drought-breaking homer, Davis belted a three-run double and Mark Trumbo hit a first-inning grand slam to power the Orioles to a 7-5 win over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday. The win came less than 24 hours after Baltimore beat Atlanta 10-7 in 15 innings, a game that lasted five hours, 21 minutes and didn't finish until after 1 a.m.

Davis worked on his swing for almost two weeks before returning to the lineup Friday with his first homer since May 9, and he added more momentum to his renewed confidence Saturday with his big fifth-inning double high off the right-center wall.

"I feel a lot better," Davis said. "I feel like I'm getting there. I'm starting to get that calm and easy feel, seeing the ball a little bit better and putting some good swings on the ball."

Dylan Bundy (6-7) allowed two runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings while improving to 3-0 in June. One day after allowing four runs and recording only one out, Orioles reliever Zach Britton pitched around a one-out walk to Johan Camargo in the ninth to earn his first save.

Baltimore, last in the AL East, has won four of six. The Orioles have won seven straight over Atlanta, including a three-game sweep at Camden Yards in the teams' previous series in 2015.

NL East-leading Atlanta dropped its third consecutive game. Julio Teheran (5-5) allowed a season-high seven runs in 4 2/3 innings.

Trumbo's homer was his fourth in his past six games. He has seven home runs this season after missing April with a right quad strain.

Nick Markakis, who spent his first nine seasons with Baltimore, drove in three runs for Atlanta, including a two-run double off Donnie Hart in the seventh. There was a 20-minute rain delay before Hart entered the game that inning, and he exited without recording an out.

Ozzie Albies had four hits for the Braves, including an infield single off Mychal Givens in the eighth that sent Charlie Culberson to third base. Givens' errant pickoff throw to first base allowed Culberson to score, cutting Baltimore's lead to 7-5. Givens walked Freddie Freeman before striking out Markakis to end the inning.

The Orioles led 4-0 before Teheran recorded an out. Colby Rasmus walked, Adam Jones doubled and Manny Machado walked before Trumbo hit a drive to center field.

"I think the two walks in the first inning got me in trouble, and I couldn't get out," Teheran said.

Trumbo took a called third strike from Teheran with the bases loaded in the fifth. Davis followed with his double for a 7-1 lead.

"The bases-loaded double was the big one that really hurt," Braves manager Brian Snitker said.

Each team needed a fresh arm in its bullpen after enduring the marathon that started Friday night and ended after Machado hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the top of the 15th. The Orioles recalled Hart, a left-hander, from Triple-A Norfolk, and infielder Steve Wilkerson was optioned to Norfolk.

The Braves recalled right-hander Lucas Sims from Triple-A Gwinnett and optioned outfielder Preston Tucker to Gwinnett.

Atlanta closer Arodys Vizcaino was again unavailable due to a sore right shoulder. He felt more discomfort while throwing in the outfield before the game. Snitker said he hopes Vizcaino feels better today, but the team could soon face a decision on placing the right-hander on the disabled list.

Both teams staged dramatic ninth-inning rallies in Friday's game, with the Braves surrendering six runs in the top half before scoring four in the bottom.

Peter Moylan, Atlanta's eighth pitcher, hit Craig Gentry to open the 15th. Gentry moved to second on Austin Wynns' sacrifice.

With first base open, the Braves pitched to Machado, and he responded with his 19th homer, a drive into the Orioles' bullpen in left. Snitker said the right-handed Moylan is tough on right-handed hitters but acknowledged "you hate like hell (Machado) is one of them."

Machado said an intentional walk "crossed my mind at first. I thought they were. In that situation they probably had faith in Moylan out there that he could get some ground balls to the left side of the infield."

Machado hit an 0-2 slider Moylan said was "supposed to be middle in." Moylan said the pitch "slipped out of my hand and ended up middle middle."

Moylan (0-1) gave up another run on singles by Rasmus and Jonathan Schoop.

Mike Wright Jr. (1-0), Baltimore's seventh pitcher, threw two scoreless innings.

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