Orioles hitters set major league record for series strikeouts

HOUSTON -- Given the ignominy of the record they set during their three-game series at Minute Maid Park, the Baltimore Orioles couldn't be blamed for wanting to leave hastily.

Blitzed by Houston pitching from the start of the series Tuesday night through its conclusion Thursday, the Orioles set a major league record for strikeouts in a three-game series with 52. Houston won all three games, though only by a total of four runs.

Late last month, Washington pitchers recorded 47 strikeouts against the Minnesota Twins, a figure bloated by Nationals right-hander Tanner Roark and his career-high 15-strikeout performance and a 16-inning game that followed in which the Nationals recorded 20 strikeouts.

The Orioles struck out 19 times in a 13-inning loss Tuesday before adding 18 strikeouts in just nine innings Wednesday. And even with Astros right-hander Lance McCullers struggling with his fastball command Thursday, the Orioles managed just one hit against him while striking out 10 times in his five innings. Three Astros relievers bumped the overall total to 15 for the game.

"W's or L's is why we take the field every night, and how you get to them one way or the other may not look aesthetically pleasing; it's about do you score more runs than the other team after nine innings," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "When you do something that's a break from the norm, then it gets a lot of attention."

There was plenty of whiffing to go around. Chris Davis struck out eight times during the series, while Adam Jones and Mark Trumbo punched out seven times apiece. Pedro Alvarez fanned six times without starting the finale.

The Orioles aren't a particularly egregious strikeout team, as four American League clubs (including the Astros) owned a higher strikeout rate entering play Thursday. But when things went south with their swings and misses this series, it facilitated their collective desire to try their luck in Cleveland this weekend.

"This hasn't been fun," Jones said. "I look up there and see that we set the record for strikeouts in a three-game series. Let's get the hell out of Houston."