After dropping game one of this gargantuan series with Tampa, the Baltimore Orioles found themselves having lost three straight. This for the first time in 2023; not to mention the fact that they weren’t scoring runs. So they sent starter Grayson Rodriguez to the mound tonight in hopes of stemming the tide. Rodriguez’s line: 5.2 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 4 K.
Tampa of course had to be heard first in the game. Franco’s solo homer in the first gave them an early 1-0 lead. However Tampa’s offensive output stagnated. And that of the Orioles seemed to try to break out. If you’re a Tampa fan, that’s a dangerous combination.
Gunnar Henderson had a deep liner take a few good bounces in the last of the third, and he hustled into third with a triple. Part of that was the ball bouncing around. However another part of it was Henderson’s speed. Get on base, and good things would happen. Jorge Mateo would ground out, scoring Henderson and tying the ballgame.
However the key moment of the game came later in that third inning. With Cedric Mullins on base, Adley Rutschman sent a deep fly ball out to Eutaw Street for a two-run homer. This game the O’s their first lead in awhile at 3-1
One inning later Austin Hays’ RBI-single drove home a fourth run. Walls’ solo homer in the fifth would bring Tampa to within 4-2. However the Oriole bullpen would close things out in the end, and the Birds glided to a 4-2 victory.
The O’s had fallen into a mini-slump for lack of a better term. Granted they were very competitive during that three-game losing streak, but they dropped three games. So look no further than that Gunnar Henderson triple in the third inning tonight as the moment they snapped out of it. That got the Birds’ rally started. How do you keep your season from getting derailed? Don’t let it get off the hinges in the first place. Avoid long losing streaks. The O’s did that tonight.
The series with Tampa concludes tomorrow evening at Camden Yards. Dean Kremer gets the start for the Orioles, and Tampa is yet to announce a starter. Game time is set for just after 6:30 PM.
Birdland Crush 