Al Suarez took to the mound in game one of three against Tampa for the Baltimore Orioles. One thing that struck me about this game was that Tampa’s ab organization that’s stayed a step ahead of their competition for what seems like generations. No matter what, it seemed that whichever buttons they pushed was the correct one. Tonight we saw that in reverse, which is fairly consistent with what Tampa’s season has been. Suarez’s line: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 K.
Tampa got a run in the second inning on an RBI-single by Rortvedt. And for some time that run stood up for Tampa. Which is consistent with what we’ve seen from them over the years. Their attitude has always been we have one run, and that means you need to score two to beat us.
However the Orioles eventually got into the Tampa bullpen. They brought in reliever Lovelady, which appears to have been a mistake. Again, in the past that’s a move that would have worked well for Tampa. Especially given that the O’s countered by pinch-hitting Austin Hays. But…
…that wasn’t to be for Tampa this evening. Hays sent an RBI-single to left field, tying the game at one. Following another pitching change, Jorge Mateo’s two-RBI double cleared the bases, and put the Orioles in the lead at 3-1
For the sake of his season, Hays needed that. It was a huge play in the grand scope of the game, and a big play in terms of his career. Austin Hays has been in a terrible slump. So the ability to tie the game at one makes a huge difference.
Again, what strikes me about this game and about Tampa’s season thus far is that their “magic” seems to be gone. They made a living out of watching teams do common sense things, and have that common sense turned on it’s head. In this case it’s the Orioles who rolled the dice in pinch-hitting a guy in Austin Hays, who’s struggling. And it’s the Orioles who reaped the rewards.
The series continues tomorrow at Camden Yards. Kyle Bradish gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Tampa’s Taj Bradley. Game time is set for just after 4 PM,
Birdland Crush 