Cole Irvin had some struggles in his first start for the Baltimore Orioles this afternoon at Fenway. It’s important to note that neither wins nor losses are the fault of one guy. It’s a team effort. However Boston jumped on Irvin early and often this afternoon. Irvin’s line: 4.0 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 4 K.
If anything, one could argue that Irvin pitched to contact too much in the game. And Boston hitters happily obliged by swinging away. They loaded the bases in the last of the first, however Irvin limited the damage by allowing only an RBI-groundout to Yoshida. However Hernandez smacked a solohomer an inning later, and Verdugo an RBI-double in the third. And the Birds trailed 3-0.
However the Orioles also fought back. Adam Frazier smacked a two-run homer in the fifth inning, cutting the lead to 3-2. In the immediate aftermath, Cedrick Mullins sent a solo shot into the stands, tying the game at three. However Boston wasn’t to be outdone in that fifth inning – they put three more runs across in the bottom.
Cedric Mullins’ two-RBI single in the seventh brought the Orioles back to within one. However in the seventh and eighth Boston would put three more across, nearly all of them the result of softly hit bloopers. And the Birds fell on this after Sunday afternoon at Fenway, 9-5.
Outfield defense has been an issue in this first series. The Oriole outfield botched another sure out this afternoon, resulting in runners on base. I’m of the opinion that those sorts of things will iron themselves out. But they’ve marred the first series.
Those last few Boston runs came off of bloop singles. And that can happen at times. It’s just frustrating in a sense, because it comes across like the opponent’s barely trying. But that’s part of baseball. You win some and you lose some.
The O’s now head to Texas to open a series tomorrow evening at Globe Life Field. Kyle Bradish gets the start for the Birds, and he’ll be opposed by Texas’ Jon Gray. Game time is set for just after 8 PM.
Birdland Crush 