Dylan Bundy closed a disappointing 2018 with the Baltimore Orioles in the same manner that he seemed to spend much of 2018. Bundy turned in a quality start, but yet the Birds managed to fall. Bundy didn’t get tagged with the loss mercifully, however he certainly pitched well enough for the team to have won. Bundy’s line: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 7 K.
Bundy and Houston starter Verlander pitched to a scoreless tie through five innings. And that’s a testament to Dylan Bundy, to go toe-to-toe with one of the best pitchers in baseball over that period. However Bundy allowed a two-run homer to Springer in the sixth, giving Houston a 2-0 lead. Correa would tack on a solo homer, and the O’s trailed 3-0.
Bundy in essence threw two bad pitches. That’s the sad thing, and as I said it’s largely indicative of Bundy’s season (and that of other Orioles’ starters). There were numerous games this year in which the starting pitcher did exactly what he was supposed to do: put the team in a spot to win the game. In many cases pitching to a quality start. Only to lose or not get a decision. This season the margin for error was literally none. One bad pitch, and it seemed the Birds were doomed to failure.
The Orioles did battle back, however. DJ Stewart smacked a three-run homer in the last of the seventh which tied the game at three. Orioles fans should be excited at the prospect of Stewart in the lineup going into next year. He’s shown a lot of immediate promise both in the field and at the plate. He’s definitely someone to watch in Sarasota next year.
However Houston also showed why they’re the defending champions. Correa haunted them again in the eighth after a two-out walk, smacking an RBI-double. The Orioles threatened in the ninth, however Houston came up with a big double-play and then a strikeout to end the game. However it shouldn’t go unnoticed that these Orioles played Houston tough once again, taking them all the way to the end of the game.
Does that mean anything in the here and now? Not in the least. This season’s realistically been over since mid-May. However it does say something going into next season. Obviously it remains to be seen how the roster is made up and who’s leading the team in the dugout, but the spirits remain strong.
The series will continue in the blink of an eye with Game Two of this traditional doubleheader at Camden Yards. Yefry Ramirez gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Houston’s Dallas Keuchel. The game starts…let’s just say in short order!
Birdland Crush 