The Baltimore Orioles got another quality start out of a starter last night against Minnesota at Target Field. Spencer Watkins have the Birds everything he had, and then some. Needless to say, he put the Orioles in a position to win the game. Watkins’ line: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 E, 1 BB, 5K.
Watkins’ only struggle in the game was right out of the gate – in the first inning. He loaded the bases, and Miranda’s RBI-single with two outs gave Minnesota a 1-0 lead. However Minnesota got greedy on what amounted to a soft ground ball into shallow left field. Correa tried to score a second run, and was viciously gunned out at home plate by Ryan McKenna.
In a close game, that’s a big play. And for a pitcher, only surrendering one run after loading the bases is a win. And Watkins would go onto retire 15 straight hitters as the game wore on. The O’s would tie the game at one in the top of the third on Cedric Mullins’ RBI-double. And we remained tied for some time.
Jorge Mateo reached on a fielder’s choice and an error in the eighth, scoring McKenna. That gave the Orioles the lead late in the game. But it was short-lived, as Jorge Lopez finally ended up blowing a save. Buxton’s two-run homer in the last of the ninth gave Minnesota a 3-2 victory.
At some point every closer blows a save. As solid as Lopez has been this year, you let it go and move onto the next game. In fact, if you’re Brandon Hyde you hope that you have the opportunity to hand Lopez the ball again today, and get hin back in the saddle.
Speaking of Brandon Hyde, he wasn’t around to see most of the game. After the top of the third inning he came out of the dugout and engaged in a spirited argument with home plate umpire Ramon De Jesus and crew chief Alfonso Marquez. De Jesus had turned and engaged with the Oriole dugout several times in the previous half inning, and Hyde’s frustration boiled over. Hyde on the situation:
Well, during the Mullins’ at-bat there was a disrespectful exchange between the home plate umpire and our dugout. I felt it warranted me to go out there and see what was going on, and it got heated from there. And we’ll go through the proper channels with it.
Quote courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MADNsports
Later in the game Rougned Odor also had an issue with De Jesus’ strike zone. The comment about “going through the proper channels” probably indicates that Hyde will write this up to the league. Maybe for inconsistency, or for how he approached the dugout. Interesting to say the least.
The series with Minnesota continues this afternoon at Target Field. Jordan Lyles gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Minnesota’s Sonny Gray. Game time is set for just after 2 PM.
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