Means Continues Dominance in 3-2 Victory Over A’s

The Baltimore Orioles took the first game of a three-game series against the Oakland A’s in California, with John Means getting another quality start and win.

Means began the Orioles six-game road trip going seven innings and allowing three hits, two runs, one walk and nine strikeouts. Both runs allowed were solo home runs to Sean Murphy in the second inning and Mitch Moreland in the seventh.

In six starts for the Orioles Means has pitched 37 innings, allowing only seven runs, five of which are home runs, 10 walks and 38 strikeouts good for a 1.70 ERA. His last three starts have all been considered quality starts.

The bullpen, consisting of Paul Fry, Travis Lakins Sr. and Cesar Valdez, combined for two scoreless innings of work to close out the game. Valdez also picked up his sixth save of the season after allowing two straight singles to begin the ninth inning.

Baltimore’s offense was led by Cedric Mullins, who had a solo home run in the top of the third but gave the Orioles an extra insurance run in the top of the fifth with an RBI groundout to make the score 3-1. Austin Hays went back-to-back with Mullins with his solo home run in the third.

The offense only managed to put up eight hits but seven different players got a hit, with Ryan Mountcastle being the lone player to have two.

The Orioles will try to win the series today against Oakland and will send Matt Harvey to the mound, who is looking for a second straight solid start after his start against the Yankees on Monday.

Jesus Luzardo will take the mound for the Orioles, who pitched 6.2 innings and allowed three runs in his last start on April 25 against the Orioles.

The game is scheduled for a 4:07 p.m. EST start from RingCentral Coliseum in Oakland, CA.