Fastball

Orioles' Home Run-Hitter Has Joined Incredible Baseball History w/ Recent Stretch

Anthony Santander did not hit a home run for the Baltimore Orioles on Friday night, but he has made some incredible home run history this week...

Brady Farkas

Baltimore Orioles right fielder Anthony Santander (25) hits a home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the eighth inning at Rogers Centre on Aug 7.
Baltimore Orioles right fielder Anthony Santander (25) hits a home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the eighth inning at Rogers Centre on Aug 7. / Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
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The Baltimore Orioles beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 on Friday night to re-take first place in the American League East. Because the Yankees didn't play, Baltimore now leads the division by 0.5 games.

Starting pitcher Zach Eflin beat his former team by tossing 7.0 innings and allowing no earned runs while striking out seven. Baltimore acquired him from the Rays just prior to the trade deadline.

Colton Cowser and Cedric Mullins each hit home runs to pace the offense. Anthony Santander didn't hit a home run, going 0-for-4, but he's made some incredible home run history recently.

Per @OptaSTATS on social media:

@Orioles.’ Anthony Santander has hit 25 home runs in his 60 games played since the beginning of June.

He joins Mickey Mantle (1956 and 1961) and Chipper Jones (1999) as the only switch hitters in MLB history to hit 25+ home runs in a 60-game span within a single season.

That stat was posted before the game on Friday, so he's now played one more game. All in all this season, Santander has 34 homers, 78 RBI and an .841 OPS. The 29-year-old will be a free agent at the end of the year and is staring down a probable lucrative contract, but first, he wants to help the O's win their first World Series since 1983.

The Orioles and Rays will play again on Saturday night with first pitch coming at 7:15 p.m. ET. Corbin Burnes will pitch for Baltimore while Drew Rasmussen will get the ball for Tampa Bay. He's making his first start since early last season after undergoing internal brace surgery.

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Brady Farkas

BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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