I admittedly didn’t think that the Baltimore Orioles had it in them to come back last night. Trailing 10-3, I figured that the game was over. Now while the O’s weren’t able to win, they did strike the fear of God into Seattle. This after calling up Sean Gilmartin to make his first start as an Oriole. Gilmartin’s line: 2.1 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 1 K.
Part of the Orioles’ problem of late has been that they’re taking early leads and then surrendering them. Pedro Severino‘s two-RBI double in the first inning gave the O’s the lead. They extended that lead to 3-0 on Chance Sisco‘s RBI-single.
However Gilmartin immediately struggled when he entered. He surrendered an RBI-single in the last of the first. One inning later in the second Moore’s solo homer brought Seattle to within one at 3-2. However an RBI-single later in the inning by Crawford would tie the game at three.
It was the third inning however which did the Orioles in. A combination of Gilmartin and the bullpen surrendered five runs. That plus another two in the fifth gave Seattle a 10-3 lead. One would have been justified in thinking that the competitive portion of the game was finished. But that ultimately wasn’t true.
Dwight Smith Jr’s RBI-single in the top of the sixth for the Orioles back on the board. Hanser Alberto would add an RBI-double. When the smoke cleared, the Birds were within 10-8. One inning later Severino added an RBI-is for, biting the Birds to within one. However they ran out of innings, and fell 10-9 to Seattle.
Obviously this was a case of getting too far behind. But you have to tip your cap to the O’s in the sense that they didn’t give up. This team has character in that sense. They could have mailed in the second part of the game, but they kept fighting. And at some point that characteristic will do them well.
The series continues this afternoon at T-Mobile Park. Andrew Cashner gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Seattle’s Tommy Milone. Game time is set for just after 4 PM.
Birdland Crush 