The Baltimore Orioles after 75 games of the regular season are sitting in first place in the American League East by four games over the Boston Red Sox.
One of the big reasons why is their powerful offense up and down their lineup that now has in its sights a home run record for June.
The Orioles hit three home runs Sunday, which gave them 51 for June, just four, shy of the record in June for Major League Baseball. The team has three games still to play in June in its attempt to break the record.
Chris Davis hit a grand slam during the first inning, while Jonathan Schoop hit a solo shot during the third and Mark Trumbo hits his 22nd, which leads the majors, in the fifth.
Trumbo is 27,000 votes behind Mookie Betts, of the Red Sox for the third and final starting spot in the outfield for the American League for the July 12 playing of the All-Star Game.
Baltimore has hit a home run in 68 of its 75 games thus far this season and is within range of passing the Oakland A’s from 1996 who hit a record setting 55 home runs in June.
That year the A’s hit 55 home runs in 29 games. The Orioles this season have hit 51 home runs thus far in June in just 25 games and will have played 28 games when June ends on Thursday.
On Monday, the Orioles have an off day but will play three games before June ends, with two played against the San Diego Padres at Petco Field in San Diego followed by their series opener on Thursday in Seattle.
The 1961 New York Yankees and Milwaukee Braves are second and third on the home run lists for June with 53 and 52 respectively.
The all-time record for home runs for any one month during the season is 58, which is shared by Baltimore and Seattle. The Orioles hit that number in May of 1987, while the Mariners hit 58 in May of 1999.
Earl Weaver was manager for the Orioles during the late 1960s through the 1980s. The late skipper always said his managing style consisted of pitching, defense and the three-run home run. Baltimore was a World Series Champion in 1970 under Weaver.
