The Baltimore Orioles were their 1989 throwback jerseys this evening in honor of the 30th anniversary of the 1989 why not Orioles. Houston, the evening’s opponent, followed suit and wore their uniforms from 1989 as well. Dylan Bundy got the start for the Birds, and put the team in a spot to win. Bundy’s line: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 6 K.
For a split second, you could pinch yourself and say you were in 1989 with the uniforms being what they were. However if that were true, this game would have been played at the long since razed Memorial Stadium. You would also be reading this game recap in tomorrow morning’s Baltimore Sun as opposed to this evening online. (“Online” didn’t exist back then!) And for the record, I wouldn’t be the one writing it; I was eight years old in 1989!
But with the 1989 team looking on, the Birds went toe-to-toe with Houston, one of the best teams in baseball. Houston put two runs on the board in the first, on Bregman’s RB-double and Albarez’s RBI-single. However Bundy settled in nicely after that, turning in a quality start and putting the O’s in a spot to win the ballgame. That’s all you can ask of a starter.
Jace Peterson would keep the Orioles in it with a two-run homer in the fifth. However Altuve would extend Houston’s lead with an RBI-triple in the seventh. This game ultimately ended up just another case of the Birds battling, but not being to quite making it over the hump.
Houston hitters are notorious for working your pitching to the ninth degree. Which makes it all the more impressive that Bundy turned in a quality start. It was the Orioles’ first quality start in eleven games. The last one occurred in Anaheim.
Stevie Wilkerson would smack a solo homer in the last of the seventh, but that wasn’t enough. Ultimately it was too little too late. But again, Houston is one of the best teams in the league. They’re running away with their division. The fact that the Orioles were competitive in this game after the most recent NY series is a good sign.
The series continues tomorrow night from Camden Yards. Aaron Brooks gets the start for the Birds, and he”‘m be opposed by Houston’s Aaron Sanchez. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.
Birdland Crush 