Kyle Gibson got the start in what might end up being one of the biggest wins of the season for the Baltimore Orioles. Gibson was outstanding, but he was non-decisioned. But he played a role, as the O’s won a game in Tampa. Gibson’s line: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 8 K.
The O’s spotted Tampa a 1-0 lead on an RBI-single by Mejia. However Gunnar Henderson foreshadowed the magic we’d see in this game in the fourth inning by in essence extending a single into…a triple? Yes, you read that right. He first extended it into a double, and while the Tampa infield lallygagged around with the ball, Henderson kept on going. And he ended up at third base.
That’s the sort of thing Tampa’s done over the years to the Orioles and other teams. They’ve taken extra bases when they were given the opportunity. But tonight it was done to them – by the Orioles. Henderson would score on Adley Rutschman’s RBI-single, tying the game at one.
Ryan O’Hearn would add a sac fly-RBI later in the inning giving the Orioles the lead. Aaron Hicks’ RBI-single would extend the lead to 3-1. However Gibson’s final two surrendered runs came in the seventh after he had departed the game, and they came off of Diaz’s two-RBI double. And we went on in a 3-3 tie.
Tampa would threaten a few other times. Ramon Urias would get the O’s out of a jam in the eighth with he dove to his left to snag a ground ball with two outs, and threw the runner out at first to end the threat and the inning. That might have been the defensive play of the season. It certainly was such for the game. And those are the plays good teams find a way to make when they win big games.
The game went to extra’s tied at three, and the Orioles bunted ghost runner Aaron Hicks to third with one out. He would later score on a sacrifice fly by Colton Cowser, giving the Birds a 4-3 lead in the tenth. Manager Brandon Hyde sent closer Felix Bautista back out after he had pitched the ninth, and after a HBP and a strikeout, he induced a game ending ground ball double-play. And the O’s took the opener of this huge series, 4-3.
This leaves the Orioles in sole possession of first place in the AL East. Which is a huge thing in and of itself. But it also marks the 71st consecutive series in which the Orioles haven’t been swept. You can’t make this stuff up, folks. These guys are for real.
The series continues tomorrow night at Tropicana Field. Kyle Bradish gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Tampa’s Zach Eflin. Game time is set for 6:40 PM.
Birdland Crush 