The Baltimore Orioles dropped a wild game this afternoon at Guaranteed Rate Park in Chicago. Kyle Gibson got the start, and while he didn’t pitch to a quality start, he did put the O’s in a spot to win the ballgame. Gibson’s line: 5.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 1 K.
The Birds took an early 1-0 lead on a solo homer in the second inning by Jorge Mateo. However Burger’s sac fly-RBI tied the game in the last of the fourth. And that set the tone for the rest of the game.
One inning later in the fifth Chicago took the lead at 2-1 with Benintendi’s RBI-double. However the Orioles tied it up and then took the lead in the sixth. Anthony Santander smacked a solo homer to tie the game, and Jorge Mateo’s RBI-single gave them a 3-2 lead. Cedric Mullins would later walk with the bases loaded, giving the Birds a 4-2 lead.
But Chicago came back – again. And not for the last time. Burger smacked a two-run homer in the sixth to tie it at four. One inning later however, Ramon Urias was hit in the head with two runners on – loading the bases. Urias would leave the game and later enter concussion protocol. His status going forward is unclear. However that brought Ryan O’Hearn to the plate, who drew a walk. Giving the Orioles the lead back at 5-4.
But Vaughn’s RBI-double in the last of the seventh tied the game back up at five. And tied it remained, and we went to extra innings for the first time in 2023. Remember, the rules now dictate that teams begin every inning after nine with a runner on second. The Birds immediately moved that runner to third, and Adley Rutschman later proceeded to ground into what could have been a double-play. But he hustled down the line, and beat the throw to first base, scoring a run. However a run/m-scoring double and an RBI-single won it for Chicago in the bottom of the inning.
Tough loss for the O’s. However Adley Rutschman’s worth mentioning once again. Understand folks, he’s a CATCHER. That inherently means he runs like the Queen Mary. He hustled down that line in the tenth inning and basically willed that run home. It shows his character, as well as his will to win. That’s the guy that you want on your team.
The series concludes tomorrow at Guaranteed Rate Field. Grayson Rodriguez gets the start for the Birds, and he’ll be opposed by Chicago’s Dylan Cease. Game time is set for just after 2 PM.
Birdland Crush 