NEW YORK (AP) — James McCann homered and drove in three runs against his former team to help power the Baltimore Orioles past the New York Mets 9-5 on Tuesday night.
Anthony Santander opened the scoring in the first inning with his 37th homer, a two-run shot off struggling Jose Quintana (6-9). Ramón Urías and Eloy Jiménez also had RBIs for the Orioles, who moved into first place in the AL East by a half-game over the New York Yankees when they lost to Cleveland in 12 innings across town in the Bronx.
Dean Kremer (6-9), pitching hours after Zach Eflin became the sixth Baltimore starter to go on the injured list, permitted just two hits and struck out seven in six innings.
“Stressful day and a little bit of a stressful evening,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “It’s going to take a team effort every single night. I was happy with how our guys were really locked in tonight.”
McCann, traded by the Mets to Baltimore following the 2022 season, had a sacrifice fly in the second and a two-run homer into the second deck in left field in the fourth. He is 5 for 9 with eight RBIs in 11 plate appearances over three games against New York since last year.
“Anytime you’re facing a team that you previously played for, I think that there’s always a little extra,” Hyde said. “I know that homer felt good. Beautiful swing. It ended up being a huge hit for us.”
McCann signed a $40.6 million, four-year contract with the Mets in December 2020 but hit just .220 with 13 homers in 182 games for them. As part of the trade to Baltimore, New York is paying $19 million of the $24.3 million he was due in 2023 and 2024.
“Do I wish that things had gone differently? Absolutely,” McCann said. “I wish that it would have been the opposite, but it wasn’t and there’s nothing I can do about it now.”
An error by shortstop Gunnar Henderson extended the Mets’ rally in the eighth, when they shaved a six-run deficit to 7-5. Brandon Nimmo hit an RBI double immediately before J.D. Martinez’s three-run homer to center field off Burch Smith.
Cedric Mullins and Ryan Mountcastle scored when the Mets made two throwing errors after Nimmo misplayed Henderson’s bloop single to left in the ninth.
Kremer, who was 1-5 with a 5.24 ERA in his first seven starts after coming off the injured list July 3, has given up one run over six innings in each of his last two outings,
“I’m just trying to put in good start after good start,” Kremer said.
Mark Vientos had a run-scoring double in the third for the Mets, who fell 2 1/2 games behind Atlanta for the final National League wild card. Vientos has a hit in all six games since moving to the No. 2 spot in the batting order last Thursday.
Quintana allowed seven runs and eight hits in five innings. The veteran left-hander is 0-3 with an 8.27 ERA in four starts this month, raising his season ERA from 3.89 to 4.57.
“I know I can do it the next time and pitch well and put my team in a better position to win games,” Quintana said. “Giving up so many runs, that’s no good.”
TRIPLE THE FUN
Colton Cowser had an unusual triple in the second. Cowser sent a drive to the warning track in left field, where Nimmo appeared to briefly make the catch as he banged into the wall before bobbling the ball twice and snagging it out of the air.
Cowser stopped at third as Nimmo threw the ball to the infield, but the Orioles challenged and replay showed the ball hit the wall after it bounced out of Nimmo’s glove.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: Eflin (right shoulder inflammation), who had been scheduled to start Wednesday, was placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to Saturday. Hyde said he hopes Eflin, who is 4-0 with a 2.13 ERA in four starts since being acquired from Tampa Bay, will only require a minimum stint on the IL. LHP Cade Povich was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk. … LHP Keegan Akin was placed on the paternity list and RHP Dillon Tate was recalled from Norfolk.
Mets: Nimmo went 1 for 4 after missing Monday’s game with right shoulder discomfort. … RHP Dedniel Núñez (right pronator strain) began a rehab assignment and allowed one hit in a scoreless inning for Triple-A Syracuse.
UP NEXT
Mets LHP Sean Manaea (9-5, 3.46 ERA) will start Wednesday’s series finale against LHP Cole Irvin (6-5, 4.85).
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