The Baltimore Orioles sent Jordan Lyles to the mound tonight, hoping to snap a five-game losing streak. Lyle pitched to a quality start, both on paper and in reality. In doing so he not only put the team in a position to win, but he also saved bullpen arms. Lyles’ line: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 8 K.
Lyles ran into issues after retiring the first two hitters of the ballgame. Following a couple of base hits, Torres’ RBI-double gave New York a 1-0 lead. Donaldson would later score on a Wild Pitch, and a throwing error by Anthony Bemboom allowed Torres to score. And the Orioles trailed 3-0.
But after that hiccup, Lyles settled in and New York hitters were mowed down left and right. Neither team could really get anything together offensively. At least through much of the middle innings portion of the game.
The Birds finally snapped out of their funk in the last of the sixth when Austin Hays smacked an RBI-double. Hays would later score on a Fielder’s Choice by Trey Mancini, with a Mancini also being safe at first. However that’s all the Orioles could muster, and they fell 3-2 to New York.
The silver lining to this game is that Oriole pitching (mostly Lyles) held New York off the board after the first inning. However that unearned run came back and bit the Orioles. Granted it happened early in the game and so forth. But those plays count as much as they plays which occur in the ninth inning.
When you surrender two early runs on a Wild Pitch and an E2 respectively, and proceed to lose by one…let’s just say that stings. That was a game the O’s easily could have won, all things being the same, but they really paid a price for those mistakes. You always have to overcome mistakes, in all areas of life. But the Birds are really being held accountable for ALL of them as games go on.
The series concludes tomorrow at Camden Yards as the Orioles try to salvage a game. Bruce Zimmermann gets the start for the Birds, and he’ll be opposed by New York’s Jordan Montgomery. Game time is set for just after 12:30 PM.
Birdland Crush 