It took awhile for Cole Irvin to get things going for the Baltimore Orioles last night. Not that he struggled out of the gate – he absolutely did not. But the teams say through a two hour and forty-one minute rain delay to start the game. But once it started, Oriole pitching didn’t give Cincinnati many opportunities. Irvin’s line: 6.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K.
Rain delays are tough. But as we know from the NFL, weather is the great equalizer. Both teams have to play in the same conditions, in this case, both teams had to sit through the same rain delay. As did the fans who had tickets at the Great American Ballpark.
While these were two young teams that are high-powered, it didn’t include much scoring. In fact, Irvin only qualified for the win because he came out to start the last of the seventh. Because they got the lead in the top half of that inning.
Jorge Mateo singled in the top of the seventh, and promptly stole second base. Don’t shoo that fact away. It seems like a random moment in a game, however Adley Rutschman’s RBI-single scored Mateo, giving the Orioles and Cole Irvin a 1-0 lead.
Mateo’s narrative has always been that he’s fast as lightning. And given the rain delay, that might be an apt reference in more ways than one! But speed can win you games. Swiping that bag was a big moment in the ballgame given that the next guy up doubled him home. With Mateo’s speed there’s a chance he could have scored from first on a double – there’s no doubt. But needless to say, being in scoring position can make a huge difference.
And Rutschman wasn’t on second base for long. Ryan O’Hearn’s subsequent two-run homer extended the lead to 3-0. And that’s all the Orioles would need.
The Birds did bring closer Craig Kimbrel in for the save in the ninth. It was his first appearance since blowing two saves last weekend against Oakland, and coming out of that second game with an apparent back injury. Kimbrel didn’t appear in the New York series, but bounced back last night. He struck out the side to end the game, and the Orioles defeated Cincinnati 3-0.
The series continues this evening at the Great American Ballpark. John Means gets the start for the O’s (his first start of the season after starting out on the IL), and he’ll be opposed by Cincinnati’s Andrew Abbott. Game time is set for just after 6:30 PM.
Birdland Crush 