Things Are Grand for Alomar, Orioles

BALTIMORE — Roberto Alomar is beginning to get a real good feeling about the Baltimore Orioles, who are playing well enough to draw comparisons to a Toronto team that won consecutive World Series earlier this decade.

Alomar hit a grand slam and drove in five runs and Rocky Coppinger pitched six shutout innings as the Orioles pounded Oakland, 11-0, Sunday.

Cal Ripken had three hits with two RBIs to help the Orioles to their seventh win in nine games. Baltimore took two of three from Oakland and has not lost any of its 11 series this season.

Alomar, who earned World Series rings in 1992 and 1993 with Toronto, said this Oriole team could be the best he’s ever played for.

“Everything’s working right now,” Alomar said. “We have better hitters here, we have almost the same defense. We had some real good pitchers in Toronto, but here we have a real good pitching staff, too.”

The Orioles (19-8) have not lost more than two consecutive games this season.

Coppinger came in with a 7.36 earned-run average and earned himself a meeting with Manager Davey Johnson after complaining to the media about what he perceived to be an early hook in his last start Tuesday in Minnesota.

This time, he was exceptional. Coppinger (1-0) limited the Athletics to three singles, striking out nine and walking four, before leaving after facing two batters in the seventh.

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NEXT SERIES FOR ANGELS

WHO: Baltimore Orioles

WHERE: At Baltimore

WHEN: Today 4:30 p.m., Tuesday 4:30 p.m., Wednesday 4:30 p.m.