Tyler Wells got the start for the Baltimore Orioles tonight in the series finale against Washington. Wells didn’t have his “good stuff,” but he was good enough. They say a pitcher will have ten good starts, ten poor, and ten in between. And it’s those in between starts where the success or failure of your season lies. Wells’ line: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 4 K.
The O’s took an early 1-0 lead in the last of the first on Ryan Mountcastle’s RBI-double. Two innings later Austin Hays would smack a solo homer, extending the lead to 2-0. And the O’s went back-to-back with homers, with Anthony Santander following after Hays.
So the O’s led 3-0. Just prior to the last of the fifth, the skies opened up. And it appeared that the rain wasn’t going to stop anytime soon. But the game had just gone over the threshold of being official, with the home team (the Orioles) leading after 4.5 innings.
But they did resume the game for awhile, at approximately 9:45 PM. Austin Hays came up in the last of the sixth with two runners on. And his two-RBI double gave the Orioles a 5-0 lead.
Hays probably could have legged out a triple on that play. But it’s excusable; precious to that at-bat, Hays had hit a single, a triple, and a home run. So by virtue of hitting a double, Hays hit for the cycle.
Hays became the first Oriole since Jonathan Villar to hit for the cycle. And make no mistake, it means something to both Hays and the franchise that this happened. Obviously it’s an amazing individual achievement. But it also shows that the rebuild is working. The home-grown talent that the Orioles have fostered is starting to shine, and at the big league level.
Trey Mancini would add a two-run homer in that sixth inning, and the O’s led 7-0. The skies would open up again, which effectively ended the game. It was a rain-shortened win for the O’s, but a notable win at that given Hays’ feat. And again, it’s note-worthy and it means something.
The O’s now head to Guaranteed Rate Field to open a four-game set with the ChiSox. Dean Kremer gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Chicago’s Johnny Cueto. Game time is set for just after 8 PM.
Birdland Crush 