BALTIMORE — One pitch after he thought he’d taken ball four, Adam Frazier made the Miami Marlins wish he had.
Frazier’s second homer of the game, a two-run shot in the eighth inning, helped the Baltimore Orioles hold on for their sixth straight victory, 5-2 over Miami on Friday night. It was Frazier’s first career multihomer game, and Cedric Mullins hit a solo shot of his own for the Orioles.
With Baltimore up 3-2 in the eighth, Frazier took a 3-1 pitch that looked a bit outside but was called a strike.
“I didn’t quite agree with that call, but you’ve got to flush it,” Frazier said. “On to the next pitch.”
Frazier sent the next offering from Bryan Hoeing to deep right field for his 12th homer of the year - a career high. The Orioles had a man on second, but first base was open when Frazier came up.
“Probably looking not to throw a strike - or a quality strike at least, if you’re going to throw one - and go after the next guy potentially, once you got to 3-0,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said.
PHOTOS: Adam Frazier homers twice to lift Orioles to 6th straight win, 5-2 over Marlins
In a matchup between two of the first half’s biggest success stories, the Orioles returned from the All-Star break and pulled within 1 1/2 games of first-place Tampa Bay in the AL East. The Rays were rained out at Kansas City.
Miami fell to 9 1/2 back of Atlanta in the NL East but remains atop the wild card standings.
Mullins and Frazier had three hits and two runs apiece, and Dean Kremer pitched six solid innings. Kremer (10-4) allowed a run and two hits, striking out eight with two walks. He loaded the bases with two walks and a hit batsman in the third before striking out eight of his final 13 batters.
Jorge Soler hit his 24th homer of the season for Miami.
Mullins opened the scoring as much with his speed as with his bat. He singled to lead off the bottom of the second, then stole second and continued on to third when catcher Jacob Stallings’ throw sailed into center field for an error. Frazier drove Mullins home with a single.
Bryan De La Cruz tied it with an RBI single in the third.
Mullins homered in the fourth, and Frazier went deep one out later to make it 3-1.
Sandy Alcantara (3-8) allowed two earned runs and eight hits in six innings. He struck out five with a walk.
Bryan Baker pitched the seventh for Baltimore, and All-Stars Yennier Cano and Félix Bautista worked the eighth and ninth. Cano gave up Soler’s solo homer and a two-out double to Jesús Sánchez in the eighth, but Garrett Cooper went down swinging to end the threat with the Orioles still up 3-2.
Bautista, who took the loss in the All-Star Game when he allowed an eighth-inning homer to Elias Díaz, pitched a perfect ninth for his 24th save in 29 chances.
The game began after a rain delay of 1 hour, 6 minutes.
Miami All-Star Luis Arraez went 0 for 3, and his batting average dropped to .380.
MLB DEBUT
Robert Garcia pitched for Miami for the first time, retiring one batter in the seventh and allowing a walk and a single. Hoeing relieved him and got out of the jam with a double-play grounder.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Marlins: RHP Matt Barnes is set to have left hip surgery July 25. He’s expected to need three months before he can run and throw. … RHP Anthony Bender (Tommy John surgery) threw a 15-pitch bullpen this week. … RHP Edward Cabrera (right shoulder impingement), OF Avisaíl García (left back tightness) and LHP Andrew Nardi (left triceps inflammation) remain on the injured list but are with the team in Baltimore. García took batting practice Friday. … RHP Tommy Nance (right shoulder strain) threw a 15-pitch bullpen Tuesday.
Orioles: RHPs Mychal Givens (right shoulder inflammation) and Austin Voth (right elbow discomfort) have been able to throw side sessions.
UP NEXT
Braxton Garrett (5-2) starts for the Marlins on Saturday night against Baltimore’s Kyle Gibson (9-6). Garrett has 101 strikeouts and just 15 walks on the season.
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