Justin Steele baffles Orioles for 7 innings as Cubs complete sweep with 8-0 rout

BALTIMORE (AP) Justin Steele pitched seven innings of three-hit ball, Seiya Suzuki had three extra-base hits and three RBIs, and the Chicago Cubs blanked the Baltimore Orioles 8-0 Thursday night for a three-game sweep.

Dansby Swanson homered for the Cubs, who outscored the AL East leaders 21-2 in becoming the first team to sweep the Orioles in Baltimore since Tampa Bay in August 2021. Chicago came to town in last place in the NL Central, but they have won four in a row and six of seven to move within a half-game of third place.

“It's huge. It's the kind of thing you need to be doing, especially the spot we're in," Steele said. “The boys are rolling right now.”

Chicago completed the sweep with a pair of shutouts, marking the first time the Orioles were blanked in successive games since June 23-24, 2021, during a season in which Baltimore finished 52-110.

“You hold that lineup to two runs in three days, you're pitching really well,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said.

Steele (2-3) celebrated his 29th birthday with a dominant performance. He retired his first 11 batters, didn't allow a runner past second base and struck out four without issuing a walk.

“Had some good sinkers and changeups today, moving the fastball around," Steele said. “Just been feeling really good lately.”

The only hits against the lefty were doubles by Ryan Mountcastle, Jorge Mateo and Anthony Santander.

“I thought Justin was great,” Counsell said. “Efficient, just on the attack, tons of strikes. They couldn't get the barrel to it. (The ball) was kind of in on their hands most of the night.”

Steele's effort was a suitable encore to his previous outing, when he fired a two-hitter against the Angels for his first win of the season and first career complete game.

Suzuki hit RBI doubles in both the third and fifth innings before driving in a run with a triple in the seventh. His performance was part of a 13-hit attack in which Swanson contributed a solo homer, along with an RBI single in a three-run seventh.

“We did a lot of good things offensively,” Counsell said. “Some big hits, kind of moving the line kind of night. Up and down the lineup it was a nice job.”

Orioles starter Albert Suárez (5-3) gave up four runs and six hits in five innings. It was the 34-year-old's first start against the Cubs since 2016, when he was a rookie with the San Francisco Giants.

Baltimore has lost five of seven with the second-place New York Yankees coming to town for a three-game series prior to the All-Star break.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Cubs: OF Cody Bellinger was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left middle finger fracture. Bellinger was hit in the hand by a pitch thrown by Cionel Pérez in the seventh inning Wednesday night. “We’re losing the guy who hits third in the lineup, so that hurts,” Counsell said. ... OF Mike Tauchman (groin strain) ran the bases Thursday for the first time since going on the IL. “Right now we're on track to (having him back) very close after the All-Star break,” Counsell said.

UP NEXT

Cubs: It's on to St. Louis for Chicago, which opens a four-game series against the Cardinals on Friday night.

Orioles: Rookie Cade Povich (1-3, 6.51 ERA) faces Gerrit Cole (1-1, 6.75 ERA) and the Yankees on Friday night to launch a three-game set.

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