David Hess pitched a good game for the Baltimore Orioles – through four innings. Hess started to lose it a bit in the fifth, mainly due to a high pitch count. And that short spell is ultimately what did the Birds in last night. Hess’ line: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 BB, 3 K.
The Orioles took a 1-0 lead in the last of the fourth when Trey Mancini smacked a solo homer. However Toronto’s big push came in the fifth, as I said above. Hess loaded the bases with nobody out. To Hess’ credit, he induced a ground ball with Gurriel at the plate. While with nobody out that would have yielded a run, it also should have given the Orioles two outs – something they would have taken in theory…
…but that’s not what happened. Gurriel hit the ball just perfectly so that while they only got one run because the Orioles kept it in the infield, it went as an infield hit. So Toronto pushed a run across and kept the bases loaded with nobody out.
After Hess exited the game Miguel Castro uncorked a wild pitch, allowing a run to score and giving Toronto a 2-1 lead. Toronto would re-load the bases, and Tellez’s grand slam would break the game wide open. The Orioles trailed 6-1.
Toronto would also put two additional runs on the board, this while the Orioles were trying to come back. The Birds also netted a run on a wild pitch, however they pulled themselves closer in the last of the eighth on Chance Sisco‘s two-RBI double.
The Birds would later push across two additional runs, but the comeback attempt stalled. To their credit, the Orioles didn’t quit. It would have been easy to go into auto-pilot being down big after the grand slam. But they kept fighting, which shows their character as a team.z
Character isn’t winning the Orioles any games – for now. However it shows that this team has some spunk. And once they get stronger, down the road, that quality will help them to win games. Play until the last out…it’s something we’ve heard before.
The series concludes this evening at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Gabriel Ynoa gets the call for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Toronto’s Marcus Stroman. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.
Birdland Crush 