BALTIMORE -- Jonathan Schoop received the torch from Manny Machado when the latter was traded last week. So far, the second baseman is taking on the new role in stride.
Schoop sent a 1-1 cutter from Ryan Yarbrough a projected 350 feet, per Statcast™, just inside the left-field pole to tie Thursday's game against the Rays at 2 in the fifth inning. He paused for a moment to make sure it would stay fair, then trotted around the bases for the fourth game in a row.
With five homers in his last six games, it's the first time Schoop has homered in four straight games in his career, and he's the first Oriole to do so since Chris Davis from Aug.