I’m going to assume that Baltimore Orioles’ manager Brandon Hyde had starter Kyle Bradish on a pitch count this evening. He was lifted with one put to go in order to qualify for a win – which seems odd to me. Bradish was my struggling, and it seemed like a foregone conclusion that he’d at least leave the game with a chance to be the winner. Bradish’s line: 4.2 4 H, 2 R, 5 BB, 5 K.
I do think that Bradish should have at least been allowed to try to get the final out. Because winning games is a big deal to pitchers. But I maintain that big league managers (such as Brandon Hyde) have forgotten more baseball than I’ll ever know. It’s tough for me to second guess their moves, especially in a winning effort by the team overall.
Bradish gave up a solo homer to Morel on the first pitch of the game. But that was the lone offensive highlight for Chicago. Cedric Mullins almost immediately tied the game at one with a solo homer in the last of the first. And unbeknownst to anyone, that’s as close as Chicago was going to get.
One inning later Jorge Mateo smacked a three-run homer, giving the Birds a 5-1 lead. Incidentally, we talk a lot about nothing good happening after a walk. Two Orioles were on base for Mateo’s at-bat due to being hit by a pitch, which is the same as a walk (more painful for the hitter, obviously). So that goes both ways; get guys on base, and good things can happen.
In the last of the third the O’s added two more on Austin Hays’ RBI-double, and Ryan Mountcastle’s sac fly-RBI. Chicago did attempt to rally, however. Contreras smacked a solo homer in the fifth, and Morel an RBI-triple in the sixth. But as I said above, 1-1 was the closest that they got tonight.
Ramon Urias would smack a solo homer in the last of the sixth for good measure. But this was an Oriole team that was determined to hang Chicago with a L this evening. This referencing of course the W and L flags that fly at Wrigley Field. The O’s got it done with timely hitting and good pitching – always a good combination. In what’s only a two-game set, this was a great start.
Going back to Hyde pulling Bradish, again I’m sure he has his reasons. It just seems odd to me that you wouldn’t let the guy get one more out to attempt to qualify for the win. But again, I find it tough to second guess a big league manager.
The series concludes tomorrow night at Camden Yards. Jordan Lyles gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Chicago’s Marcus Stroman. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.
Birdland Crush 