BALTIMORE — The Orioles are back in Baltimore with the bats busting out.
"We have a lot of guys starting to mature as major league hitters," said manager Brandon Hyde.
"We’re feeling pretty good. We’re putting together some good at-bats and getting some key hits in some key spots," said Orioles first baseman/designated hitter Ryan Mountcastle.
The O’s are starting to mash the ball. They are averaging 7.3 runs per game over their last three. Mountcastle has four homers in his last five games. He hit two on Wednesday in Toronto to give him 50 for his major league career. He is the fastest player in Orioles history to hit 50 dingers, doing it in only 232 games.
"It’s pretty crazy," he said. "Got a long way to go but definitely a pretty cool accomplishment."
"He is swinging the bat extremely well right now, driving the ball, both sides of the park," added Hyde. "We saw the homer he hit in right center [in Toronto]. That was extremely loud and long and he’s just got that much power."
Rookie phenom Adley Rutschman smacked his long-awaited first MLB home run on Wednesday.
"It was definitely a good feeling to be able to get that first one," he said. "Any time you get a hit it’s always a great feeling, especially when you see a home run go over the fence. It’s been a while. So, definitely a good feeling."
The Orioles return home Friday night to host the Tampa Bay Rays and are back for the first time since team ownership family drama has come to light. Louis Angelos is suing brother John and mother Georgia over control of the team. Trey Mancini says chatter about the lawsuit hasn’t entered the clubhouse.
"Not in the slightest bit. I don’t know if anybody has really even talked about it," said the Orioles first baseman/designated hitter. "We are players and that’s something that is way above our jurisdiction So, we don’t really think about that whatsoever."
Mancini is back in the lineup on Friday after missing the past three games with a hand injury. He will bat second and play first base.
Follow Shawn Stepner on Twitter @StepnerWMAR and Facebook
