News flash, the Baltimore Orioles won’t win every game. But we knew that. And sometimes losses are going to churn your stomach. It’s just the nature of the beast. Kyle Bradish wasn’t spot on, but he ate innings and was semi-effective. Bradish’s line: 5.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 BB, 3 K.
The Orioles were in the driver’s seat in the game for awhile. Adam Frazier’s two-RBI double in the first inning got the Birds off to a good start with a 2-0 lead. Cedric Mullins extended the lead to 3-0 with a solo homer in the third, and Gunnar Henderson added a solo shot of his own in the fourth.
But regardless of the standings, your lead is never safe when you’re playing the pinstripes. Especially at their place. Bader got New York on the board in the fourth with a solo homer. They would plate three runs in the fifth to the game at four. They also chased Bradish following that inning.
But the O’s did get the lead back an inning later. They loaded the bases, and Terrin Vavra grounded into a fielder’s choice, which goes as an RBI. The Orioles led, 5-4.
And they took that lead to the last of the ninth. Judge came up against closer Felix Bautista with one out, and ran the count to 0-2. Bautista elevated a fastball, and Judge smacked a no-doubter out of the ballpark to tie the score at five. New York would later win it on Volpe’s sac fly in the tenth, sending the Birds down to defeat on this night in the Bronx.
Felix Bautista’s been lights out for the Orioles. So it’s tough to criticize, however it would have stood to reason to me that you’d bury a pitch in the dirt on an 0-2 count. Interesting choice of pitch location, but again he’s proven he’s trustworthy. One blown save shouldn’t taint everything he’s done to this point.
The series continues tomorrow at Yankee Stadium. Tyler Wells gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by New York’s Nestor Cortes. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.
Birdland Crush 