Pitching a Loser in 10-9 Oriole Win

It was exactly the type of slugfest one might expect from two teams loaded with power hitters and weighted down by struggling bullpens.

Throw in the fact that the game was held at Camden Yards, and it’s easy to believe that Seattle and Baltimore combined for eight homers, 19 runs and 25 hits in the Orioles’ 10-9 comeback victory Monday.

“What you saw is a product of what’s in baseball right now. Everyone’s a little bit short of pitching and a little bit beat up and can’t use everybody,” Baltimore Manager Ray Miller said.

Rafael Palmeiro hit the last of three Baltimore home runs in the eighth inning as the Orioles avoided a third consecutive loss and a return trip to last place in the AL East.

Seattle got two homers from Edgar Martinez and one each from David Segui and Russ Davis. The Mariners, who hit six homers Sunday against Tampa Bay, increased their total for the season to a major league-high 94.

Martinez hit a solo homer and a two-run home run, Segui had a three-run homer and Davis hit a solo homer. But it wasn’t enough offense to overcome another collapse by the Seattle bullpen.

“When you score that many runs, you’d like to think you have a pretty good shot of winning,” Segui said.

Baltimore, which has played the last week without three injured starting pitchers, has given up 10 homers and 28 runs in its last three games.

“It was a big win for us. We have to take what we have and figure out a way to win with it, and tonight we did,” Miller said.

The Orioles trailed throughout the game before pulling ahead with a four-run eighth. Brady Anderson hit a two-run homer off Bob Wells and Eric Davis, after arguing a called strike, homered to left. One out later, Palmeiro hit a homer off Tony Fossas (0-3), his 13th homer of the season.

Alan Mills (1-2) pitched three innings. Armando Benitez got two outs for his eighth save.