A month ago, it was fair to wonder whether John Means would even have a start he felt good about this season, let alone pitch like the All-Star he was last year.
Means turned in the Orioles' best start of a season that increasingly has plenty of candidates for that distinction, striking out a career-high 12 batters and tying a franchise record with seven straight strikeouts at one point in a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays that prevented a five-game series sweep in Sunday’s home finale at Camden Yards.
The dozen strikeouts Means contributed, plus two apiece from Dillon Tate and Hunter Harvey, meant the Orioles (23-31) struck out 16 batters, one shy of the franchise record for a nine-inning game.