The Baltimore Orioles got dove plus innings of quality ball this afternoon from Grayson Rodriguez. He wasn’t perfect, but he did the job of a starter, which as I’ve classically said for years is to put the team in a position to win the ballgame. Rodriguez’s line: 5.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 6 K.
The Birds supported Rodriguez with a big inning in the fourth, prompting a big roar from the numerous Orioles fans in attendance at the Trop this afternoon. With the bases loaded and two outs, James McCann delivered a two-RBI double to give the Birds a 2-0 lead. This on the first pitch he saw, also; he ambushed Tampa starter McCanahan.
Jorge Mateo immediately followed with a two-RBI double of his own, and the O’s doubled their lead to 4-0. Austin Hays followed with a mere RBI-double (driving in one run), and the O’s led 5-0 after four. With the Trop sounding like Camden Yards, the O’s looked right at home.
But Tampa slyly chips away. No lead is safe against this team. The same is true of the Orioles, but it’s frustrating to play against a team like that. Franco’s two-RBI single in the sixth got them to within 5-2. Paredes’ RBI-single in the seventh cut the lead to 5-3.
The O’s went to newly-acquired reliever Shintaro Fujinami in the eighth, and Tampa was ready for him. He put two runners on base with nobody out, and then allowed both runners into scoring position. Franco’s groundout would bring Tampa to within 5-4. Arozarena would plate the runner at third with what was scored an RBI-single, but just as easily could have been an error. The ball took a hop in front of Jorge Mateo, grazed off his glove, and went into left field.
And that typifies the idea that sometimes things happen when guys get on base. The ball might take a funny hop, you might get a wild pitch, or maybe a passed ball. And Tampa’s been the beneficiary of weird and quirky moments like that over time. And it almost cost the Orioles today.
But it didn’t. Ryan O’Hearn came up with a runner in scoring position in the top of the ninth, and came through big in the clutch. His line drive to right dropped in, and it gave the O’s the lead back at 6-5. Felix Bautista sent Tampa down 1-2-3 in the last of the ninth, earning a win for the Birds.
Obviously it would have been better had they not surrendered the lead at all. But as I said, that’s how Tampa does business; they chip away. They let you feel secure in the idea that “it’s only one or two runs – no worries.” Then you turn around and suddenly it’s tied, and while it’s still anyone’s game, they have the momentum. But Ryan O’Hearn came up clutch and gave the Orioles the lead back, getting them through to “Mountain Time.” And that speaks for itself.
The Orioles are now again in sole possession of first place in the AL East. They’re guaranteed of at worst a series split with Tampa this weekend. Meaning that again at worst, they’ll leave Florida in a statistical tie for first.
The series concludes tomorrow at Tropicana Field. Tyler Wells gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Tampa’s Taj Bradley. Game time is set for just after 1:30 PM.
Birdland Crush 