Reimold, Clevenger 8th set of slams in one frame
BALTIMORE -- The Orioles watched last October as the Royals came to Camden Yards and won both American League Championship Series games on their home turf, en route to a four-game sweep that ended the O's season.
On Friday, the Orioles -- who had lost thee of four at Kansas City last month -- finally got some release, exploding for a 10-run eighth inning that saw both Nolan Reimold and Steve Clevenger deliver their first career grand slams in the 14-8 win.
"Nolan definitely hitting the grand slam to put us up, I think it put us up two at the time, that was huge," said Clevenger, who combined with Reimold to mark just the eighth time in baseball history two grand slams have been hit by the same team in one inning. "And then [Chris] Davis getting hit, that got us motivated and gave us more confidence going into the end. I think we took a little frustration out on their bullpen. It's good going into the next two games of the series swinging the bats well like we did."
Video: KC@BAL: Reimold, Clevenger discuss their grand slams
Reimold kicked things off, taking Kelvin Herrera deep on a ball that hit the left-field foul pole and gave him his first four-RBI night since 2011. Reimold entered the game with just nine RBIs in 43 games, his first slam giving Baltimore its first lead of the night.
"I've worked hard to get back up here," said Reimold, who had two season-ending neck surgeries and has played in more than 40 games for the first time in a season since '11. "Just trying to get into a groove and feeling a little bit better. But it's good to have a good game and it felt good to go around the bases with the sellout crowd of 45,420 cheering in Baltimore."
Video: KC@BAL: Showalter gets tossed after Davis' HBP
Clevenger's blast came after the Orioles had scored two more runs -- including Manny Machado's solo homer -- and manager Buck Showalter had been ejected, making the eighth inning even more unbelievable in delivering a second grand slam. Clevenger went yard off Joba Chamberlain, sending a full-count slider into the right-center-field seats making Baltimore the only franchise to have accomplished the multi-grand slam feat twice (also 1986).
"Yeah, I mean I think that's really the story of this game," Davis said of a feat last accomplished by the Mets in 2006. "It's unfortunate that we're going to look back on this game and see all negative things, and remember it for that, but two grand slams in one inning against that bullpen. To come out and swing the bats like that, it's huge. It's huge for this team. It's a boost that we need and hopefully we can continue that tomorrow."