ARLINGTON, Tex., Aug. 29 -- Melvin Mora has become a dangerous hitter with the bases loaded.
Mora drove in four runs in a pair of bases-loaded singles, helping the Baltimore Orioles snap their season-high 12-game losing streak with a 7-6 victory over the Texas Rangers on Sunday at Ameriquest Field.
Miguel Tejada, left, David Newhan and Melvin Mora, right, feel the effects of ending a long skid. "I knew the club needed me," said Mora, who's 8 for 15 with the bases loaded this year.
(Linda Kaye -- AP)
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Mora improved to 8 for 15 with 18 RBI with the bases loaded this season.
"I knew the club needed me," said Mora, second in the AL with a .349 average. "I gave it a little extra."
Mora's two-run hits in the third and fifth helped stop the Orioles' longest slide since dropping the final 12 games of the 2002 season.
"If we'd lost this one today, we might as well have called it a season," Orioles starter Sidney Ponson said.
Before the losing streak, the Orioles had won 11 of their previous 13. Manager Lee Mazzilli said getting a positive result was important heading into Monday's day off.
"It's good to break the ice," Mazzilli said. "Today we handled it well, being mad, fighting back and not giving up."
Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts reached base four times and scored three runs.
"We were ready for something positive to happen," Roberts said. "We thought we'd break the streak every day for the last 10 days. Now we can move on."
Ponson (9-13) allowed five runs and 12 hits -- 11 singles -- in seven innings, but won for the sixth time in his last seven decisions. He struck out six and walked none.
"I thought Ponson threw well," Mazzilli said. "He did what an ace is supposed to do. He got us deep in the game so we could let the other guys take over."
B.J. Ryan allowed one run and two hits in one-third of an inning. Jorge Julio got five outs for his 19th save in 21 chances.
Texas starter Chris Young (0-1) allowed four runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings in his second big league start and left in the fifth trailing 4-2.
