The Baltimore Orioles were unable to complete the sweep of Cleveland this afternoon, falling 2-0. This despite a very good outing by starter Gabriel Ynoa, who ended up being a hard-luck loser. Ynoa’s line: 5.1 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K.
Ynoa ended up the loser in effect by default. He more than pitched well enough to win the game today. And that’s what you want out of your starter. As I’ve said many times, you want him to put you in a spot to win the game. Ynoa did that today.
Ynoa surrendered an RBI-single to Santana in the third, giving Cleveland a 1-0 lead. Santana would extend the Cleveland lead to 2-0 with an RBI-single in the seventh. And as they say, that folks was the ballgame.
The Birds did mount a rally in the last of the ninth. They loaded the bases, putting the tying run on base. However Cleveland was able to record the final out, taking the game 2-0.
Cleveland starter Bieber dominated the Orioles, just as he did last month when the teams met. Brandon Hyde said after the game that the O’s just ran into a hot pitcher. However for the first time since April, the O’s won a series. And they did so by scoring 26 runs over the three games, surrendering only two.
It was announced after the game that John Means will be representing the Orioles on the American League all-star roster. It’s an honor well-deserved for Means, who’s shown a lot of promise as a young stud pitcher for the Orioles. What’s unclear is how it’s possible that Trey Mancini was left off the roster. Not only that, but he wasn’t even named as an alternate.
Make no mistake, Mancini’s exclusion is an atrocity. There’s no justifiable reason that Mancini shouldn’t be on the roster. And to be honest, it would be nice to hear why he wasn’t put on the roster. Needless to say, the Orioles will still have a representative, however Mancini was well-deserving of a slot.
The Orioles now head to Tropicana Field where they’ll open a three-game series with Tampa. The Orioles have not announced a starter, but whomever he is will be opposed by Tampa’s Ryne Stanek. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.
Birdland Crush 