The Baltimore Orioles had lost 19 straight games to New York coming into last night’s doubleheader night cap – including the first game of the doubleheader. However an offensive breakout and a nice starting outing by Jorge Lopez made quick history of that steak. While Lopez only pitched five innings, he did qualify for the win. Also when the game only has seven innings a five inning outing is akin to a quality start. Lopez’s line: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 3 K.
Ryan Mountcastle got the party started in the last of the second when he blasted a two-run homer off into the night. Lopez allowed a base runner one inning later, who would take second on a wild pitch and third on a pass ball. Estrada’s ground out would score the runner, cutting the lead to 2-1.
And while that cut the lead, it exhibited that the Orioles could contain damage is a sense. As opposed to letting a mistake compound things further. They minimized the damage, and didn’t let a mistake turn into a barrage of runs for the opponent.
Although..:New York would take the lead in the fourth. Kratz’s two-RBI single gave them a 3-2 lead. For a brief moment it appeared that New York would continue their steak to 20 consecutive wins over the Orioles. But it wasn’t to be.
Mountcastle’s RBI-single in the last of the fifth would tie the game back up at three. Rio Ruiz‘s subsequent RBI-single would give the Birds the lead back at 4-3. And just for good measure, the O’s would get two all-important insurance runs to seal the win thanks to Pat Valaika‘s two-RBI double.
This is a big win for the O’s in the sense that it snaps the losing streak to New York. 19 straight games is a lot of losses. Not all of them were blowouts, mind you. The Birds battled in some of them – such as game one of the doubleheader. But it’s still losing 19 straight games to the same team, and a division rival at that. But that streak is now over.
The series continues tonight at Camden Yards. Keegan Akin gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by New York’s Gerrit Cole. Game time is set for just after 7:30 PM.
Birdland Crush 