NORRIS BLANKS REDS ON 2 HITS

Markakis, Jones Homer to Lead O’s

BALTIMORE, Sept. 2 (AP) – Bud Norris continued his recent turnaround with a two-hit complete game shutout as the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Cincinnati Reds 5-0 at Camden Yards. The game was played in a lightning fast two hours and 14 minutes before a crowd of just under 40,000. Nick Markakis and Adam Jones both homered for the Orioles, who saw their magic number to clinch the American League East dwindle to 13.

The game was scoreless until two outs in the bottom of the third when Nick Markakis belted his 12^th home run of the season to give Baltimore a 1-0 advantage.

Reds starter Mat Latos surrendered another run in the fourth. With two outs and the bases empty, Latos walked Chris Davis and then yielded a double to Jimmy Paredes. Davis scored all the way from first to give the Orioles a 2-0 lead.

Latos kept the Orioles from denting the scoreboard again, allowing only two hits through six innings of work, but after the Cincinnati right-hander was lifted for a pinch hitter in the top of the seventh, Baltimore added some insurance, courtesy of Jones. Reds reliever Fred Holmberg surrendered a lead-off single to Ryan Flaherty. Jonathan Schoop grounded into a fielder’s choice for the first out, but Markakis walked, putting runners on first and second. Newly acquired Alejandro de Aza popped to short for the second out, and with Jones and Nelson Cruz due next, Reds manager Bryan Price called on righty J.J. Hoover. It didn’t work out. Jones deposited an 0-1 fastball from Hoover into the left-center field grandstand for a three-run homer and a commanding Orioles lead.

That was more than enough for Norris, who was on cruise control throughout. The Orioles right-hander held the Reds hitless until Chris Heisey singled with two outs in the fifth. He then set down 13 consecutive Cincinnati batters until Billy Hamilton’s too little, too late base hit with two outs in the top of the ninth. Unphased, Norris fanned Todd Frazier to end the game.

Norris has now won his last three starts and in his last five has posted a 1.08 ERA, allowing just 18 hits over 33 1/3 innings pitched while holding opposing hitters to a .158 batting average.

The Reds are now a game behind first place St. Louis in the National League Central Division following the Cardinals’ 4-3 win over Pittsburgh. Cincinnati and the Pirtaes are tied for the lead wild card spot, ½ game ahead of the San Francisco Giants and two in front of the Milwaukee Brewers.

9/2/2014, Cin14-Bal14, Oriole Park at Camden Yards

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E LOB DP

2014 Reds 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0

2014 Orioles 0 0 1 1 0 0 3 0 x 5 5 0 5 1

Reds AB R H BI AVG Orioles AB R H BI AVG

Hamilton,B cf 4 0 1 0 .248 Markakis dh 2 2 1 1 .259

Frazier 1b 4 0 0 0 .288 De Aza lf 4 0 0 0 .221

Phillips 2b 3 0 0 0 .235 Jones,A cf 4 1 1 3 .284

Mesoraco c 2 0 0 0 .311 Cruz,N rf 3 0 0 0 .285

Bruce rf 2 0 0 0 .204 Lough rf 0 0 0 0 .236

Heisey lf 3 0 1 0 .234 Davis,C 1b 3 1 1 0 .201

Pena,B dh 3 0 0 0 .252 Paredes 3b 4 0 1 1 .250

Negron 3b 3 0 0 0 .322 Joseph,C c 4 0 0 0 .225

Santiago,R ss 3 0 0 0 .267 Flaherty ss 2 0 1 0 .155

27 0 2 0 Schoop 2b 3 1 0 0 .186

29 5 5 5

Reds INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA

Latos L 6-6 6.0 3 2 2 4 6 102 64 4.17

Holmberg 0.2 1 2 2 1 0 13 5 8.74

Hoover 0.1 1 1 1 0 1 8 5 3.29

Parra,M 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 14 9 3.00

8.0 5 5 5 5 9 137 83

Orioles INN H R ER BB K PCH STR ERA

Norris,B W 13-7 9.0 2 0 0 2 5 92 57 3.64

9.0 2 0 0 2 5 92 57

Bal: Lough inserted at rf in the 8th

2B-Paredes(2). HR-Markakis(12), Jones,A(24). RBI-Markakis(48), Jones,A 3(79),

Paredes(4). CS-Bruce. K-Frazier, Phillips, Mesoraco, Negron, Santiago,R,

Jones,A, Cruz,N 3, Davis,C 2, Paredes, Joseph,C, Schoop. BB-Mesoraco, Bruce,

Markakis 2, Cruz,N, Davis,C, Flaherty.

GWRBI: Markakis

Temperature: 80, Sky: clear, Wind: in from left at 5 MPH.

Attendance: 39,884

Game Time: 2:14