DENVER (AP) — Zach Eflin struck out nine in seven sparkling innings and James McCann homered, helping the Baltimore Orioles beat the Colorado Rockies 6-1 on Sunday.
Gunnar Henderson had two hits and two RBIs for Baltimore, which had dropped three of four. Anthony Santander also had two hits.
The Orioles (79-59) closed out a 3-3 trip and moved within a half-game of the AL East-leading New York Yankees, who lost 14-7 to St. Louis.
“We’ve been grinding for a couple of months and it’s not been easy,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “We’d like to find some consistency. It’s hard right now but just looking for some spark to get us going, get on a little bit of a run.”
Eflin (10-7) allowed one run and four hits. He has won all five of his starts for Baltimore since he was acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay on July 26. The right-hander was activated from the 15-day injured list before the game after being sidelined by shoulder inflammation.
The 30-year-old Eflin retired his first 15 batters and needed just 49 pitches to get through five innings. He struck out the side in the third and need just six pitches to get through the fifth.
“Any inning I have less than 10 pitches I’m extremely happy with,” Eflin said. “I was excited to keep the pitch count down and stay in the game as long as possible.”
Colorado got its first baserunner when Jake Cave opened the sixth with a dribbler down the third base line for an infield single. Cave moved up on a wild pitch and Jordan Beck walked before Drew Romo bounced into a double play and Ezequiel Tovar was retired on a comebacker to the mound.
“That was an accident,” Cave said of his single. “I hit it off my thumbs down the third base line.
“He was really good. Curveball was good, it was tough to see, tough to lay off of.”
Nolan Jones hit a two-out RBI single in the seventh to account for the Rockies’ only run.
The Orioles grabbed control with four runs in the fourth against Ty Blach (3-7). McCann hit a two-run shot for his fifth homer of the season.
“That’s huge, especially for our pitching staff,” McCann said. “It’s a lot easier to go out there and pitch with a four-, five-run lead versus a tight ballgame.”
Henderson hit an RBI double in the first and a run-scoring single in the seventh.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: Placed INF Ramón Urías on the 10-day IL with a right ankle sprain. … RHP Jacob Webb (elbow inflammation) was scheduled to make a rehab start with Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday.
Rockies: Placed RHP Cal Quantrill on the 15-day IL with a triceps injury. Manager Bud Black said he expects Quantrill to return before the end of the season.
UP NEXT
Orioles: RHP Corbin Burnes (12-7, 3.23 ERA) will start the opener of a three-game home series against the Chicago White Sox on Monday night.
Rockies: LHP Kyle Freeland (4-6, 5.51 ERA) will open a nine-game road trip at Atlanta on Tuesday night.
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