BALTIMORE (AP) — Jorge Soler homered, Touki Toussaint pitched effectively into the sixth inning, and the surging Atlanta Braves beat Baltimore 3-1 on Sunday, extending the Orioles’ losing streak to 18 games.
Baltimore’s skid is the longest in the major leagues since Kansas City dropped 19 in a row in 2005. This was only the third time during this streak that the Orioles lost by two runs or fewer.
Adam Duvall added a two-run double for the Braves, who have won nine in a row and 16 of their last 18. Atlanta came into the day with a five-game lead over Philadelphia atop the NL East.
The Braves have also won a franchise-record 13 consecutive road games.
Toussaint (3-2) allowed a run and five hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked three and struck out five. Atlanta used five relievers. Luke Jackson struck out the side in the eighth and Will Smith finished for his 28th save in 32 chances.
John Means (5-6) yielded three runs and four hits in six-plus innings.
Soler opened the scoring with one out in the fourth when his drive cleared the wall in left field for a solo homer. Duvall’s two-out double made it 3-0.
Ramón Urías hit an RBI double with two outs in the bottom of the inning for the only Baltimore run.
A light rain fell through much of the game, but there were no delays.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: 2B Jorge Mateo was shaken up after beating out an infield single in the seventh, but remained in the game. … OF DJ Stewart (knee) returned after missing four games. He went 0 for 2 and was removed for a pinch-hitter in the sixth.
UP NEXT
The Braves return home for two games against the New York Yankees. Atlanta RHP Huascar Ynoa (4-2) starts Monday night against LHP Jordan Montgomery (4-5).
Baltimore has Monday off before hosting a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels. The Orioles send RHP Spenser Watkins (2-5) to the mound Tuesday night against RHP Dylan Bundy (2-9), a first-round draft pick by Baltimore in 2011. He last pitched for the Orioles in 2019.
