The Baltimore Orioles had to go with a dreaded “bullpen game” this afternoon in the series finale in St. Louis. Bryan Baker made his first start since 2017 today, and in effect acted as an “opener” for the O’s. (Incidentally, the aforementioned start by Bryan Baker was in single-A.) Baker’s line: 2.1 IP, 1 H 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K.
Baker was announced as the starter this morning. We knew that today’s game was going to be a bullpen game, but we didn’t know who was actually going to be starting. And for the record, he did an admirable job. The Orioles also called Rylan Bannon up from triple-A Norfolk for the game, and he made his big league debut.
The O’s took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second on a Jorge Mateo solo homer. Immediately following Mateo in the lineup was Bannon, who immediately got on base with a single – his first big league hit on his first big league at-bat. A moment that Bannon will never forget. If his career ended tomorrow, he still would have gotten a hit in a major league ballgame.
That 1-0 lead stood up for quite awhile. The O’s scored again in the top of the seventh when Anthony Bemboom hit a solo homer of his own. It was the first home run by an Orioles’ catcher this season. And it came on a day when the Orioles needed every run they could get.
Later in that seventh inning Cedric Mullins would tack on an RBI-single, and the Orioles led 3-0. St. Louis would also get a homer by Carlson, and a sac fly-RBI by Arenado in the seventh and eighth innings respectively. They would also threaten to score more, but the Orioles’ pen held firm and the Birds will go to Detroit on the heels of a 3-2 victory.
With today’s win, the Orioles took two-of-three from a very good St. Louis Cardinals team. And in doing so they seemed to come together as a team. Keep in mind that the O’s lost big last night, this while knowing that today was going to be a challenge being a bullpen game. Not to mention that it was a day game. But they came together as a team and made a victory happen to win the series.
The O’s now head to Detroit to open a three-game set at Comerica Park. Jordan Lyles gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Detroit’s Eduardo Rodriguez. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.
Birdland Crush 