BALTIMORE - An ejection, baserunning miscues, adventures in the outfield, a pair of errors, and a lot of crooked numbers.
All of that took place in the bottom of the fifth inning Thursday night, and most of it went the Baltimore Orioles' way.
The Orioles salvaged a series split with Cleveland behind the most peculiar inning of the season, which lifted them to a 7-3 win over the Indians before 33,036 at Camden Yards.
A 78-minute rain delay in the middle of the seventh seemed pedestrian after what took place two frames earlier.
The Orioles (44-36) collected six hits and scored five runs in the fifth, an inning full of strange happenings. For starters, third baseman Manny Machado was ejected for the first time in his short career for arguing with home plate umpire Will Little.
Machado struck out swinging but thought he had foul-tipped the third strike, and during his walk to the dugout Little tossed him.
"I think Manny was just a little frustrated and thought he might have fouled it, from what I understand," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "I asked [Little] why and he gave me a pretty good explanation."
Little was behind the plate for the first time after making his big-league umpiring debut Monday.
The ejection halted Machado's consecutive innings streak at 1,206, according to Elias, the longest active run in the majors. Machado had played in every inning since making his big-league debut Aug. 9, 2012.
Machado left runners on first and third, but Nick Markakis singled to right-center and scored Ryan Flaherty to tie the score at 3-3. Adam Jones followed with a single to load the bases for Chris Davis, who hit a chopper to second. Jason Kipnis flipped to shortstop Mike Aviles to force Jones for what looked to be the second out, but Jones was initially called safe.
Jones left the basepaths, however, and was later called out. Aviles was slapped with an error for leaving second too early, and Nate McLouth came home for the go-ahead run.
Matt Wieters then roped a double into the corner in right field, where Michael Brantley misplayed the ball and allowed Markakis and Davis to race home and Wieters to take third.
J.J. Hardy followed with a RBI infield single, and the Orioles led 7-3 while Cleveland starter Corey Kluber (6-5) had a three-game winning streak snapped.
Kluber allowed seven runs and 11 hits in 4 2-3 innings.
"It seemed like a long time ago, doesn't it?" Showalter said after the game about the crazy fifth inning. "You can see how it happens [with Jones]. He calls safe and nobody can hear because the crowd is reacting to the close play at first. I've seen guys not know the guy was considered off the base. I've seen umpires miss calls. I've seen players and managers make mistakes. Orioles won and get some sleep and do it again tomorrow."
Miguel Gonzalez (6-3) tied a career high with nine strikeouts, the most by an Orioles pitcher this season. Gonzalez tossed 6 2-3 innings and gave up nine hits and three runs, and he soaked in a standing ovation when Showalter pulled him.
Aviles led off the fifth with a line-drive home run to left field and the Indians (40-38) grabbed a 3-2 lead. Aviles was 1 for 10 in the series before the homer, his fifth of the season.
Brantley and Lonnie Chisenhall each hit doubles off Gonzalez in the fourth, with Chisenhall's scoring Brantley and tying the score at 2-2.
Flaherty delivered with a two-out, two-run single in the second, and Baltimore went ahead 2-1. Flaherty extended his hitting streak to seven games, and he's batting .480 with six RBIs in that stretch.
Chisenhall put Cleveland up 1-0 in the second with a mammoth two-out home run onto Eutaw Street.
NOTES: The Orioles and Freddy Garcia agreed Thursday to a minor-league deal that keeps Garcia with the organization. Garcia was optioned Monday and given a chance to become a free agent, but decided to remain with Baltimore and will take a spot with Class AAA Norfolk. ... Showalter said Brian Roberts (hamstring) could rejoin the team for this weekend's series against New York. ... The Yankees' scheduled starters are David Phelps, CC Sabathia, and Hiroki Kuroda, while the Orioles are going with T.J. McFarland, Zach Britton, and Chris Tillman.
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