The Baltimore Orioles had already won the season series with Toronto. But the winner of last night’s game would have won the series – which is meaningful. Not to mention that Tampa had won earlier in the day, meaning that the Orioles needed to win to maintain their two-game lead in the AL East. Luckily they got an outstanding outing from starter Kyle Gibson, not to mention their own offense. Gibson’s line: 8.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 8 K.
Gibson gave up two runs, both of which came in the fourth. And they were manufactured runs by Toronto, one on a force out and the other on a sac fly. However Toronto did lead 2-0 at that point. Luckily the game lasts more than four innings. – or more than three-and-a-half…
…because the O’s immediately remedied the problem. Anthony Santander blasted a two-run homer onto Eutaw Street in the last of the fourth. That tied the game at two, erasing Toronto’s lead. One inning later the Orioles had the lead themselves when Cedric Mullins sent a solo shot over the wall.
Later in the fifth Gunnar Henderson’s RBI-single extended the lead to 5-2. Toronto would narrow the lead to 5-3 with a solo homer by Belt in the sixth, but that was all the Orioles would surrender. Gibson pitched to a quality start with eight innings, and Felix Bautista closed the game out in the ninth. The O’s are 75-48, and they lead the American League East by two games.
The Orioles open up a three-game set with Colorado this evening at Camden Yards. Cole Irvin gets the start for the Birds, and he’ll be opposed by Colorado‘s Kyle Freeland. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.
Birdland Crush 