A rain delay in the third inning simply delayed the inevitable for the Baltimore Orioles last night at Fenway Park. Jordan Lyles got the start, but only lasted two innings. Understandable given the rain delay. Lyles’ line: 2.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 0 K.
This game and this series of course was expected to be meaningful. However most people saw it as being meaningful from Boston’s perspective. Boston was eliminated from postseason contention on Sunday. However the game was meaningful. It was just the Orioles who had a shot at the playoffs.
And the Birds didn’t disappoint. Cedric Mullins’ solo homer in the first gave them a 1-0 lead. Jorge Mateo’s RBI-double extended that to 2-0 in the second. Mullins came back to the plate later in the inning, and smacked a two-RBI triple. Mullins would later score on a throwing error, and the Birds led 5-0.
Prior to the rain delay Boston would narrow that lead to 5-2. But once play resumed the O’s kept the pressure on. Kyle Stowers’ RBI-triple in the third ran the lead to 6-2, although Boston would put two on the board and narrow it to 6-5. A Roughned Odor RBI-single would extend the lead to 7-5 in the fifth.
When the smoked cleared in this game, the Orioles has outlasted the BoSox, 14-8. They kept putting the pressure on, and kept putting runs home. They now sit 3.5 games behind Seattle for the final playoff spot.
The series continues tonight at Fenway Park. Kyle Bradish gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Boston’s Michael Wacha. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.
Birdland Crush 