The Baltimore Orioles needed a longer or longish outing out of Cole Irvin this afternoon at Camden Yards. While the Birds were going for the sweep, they also have one off day in the month of June. So having a starter go deep after yesterday would make a difference. Irvin’s line: 6.1 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K.
Of course the most important aspect of what I wrote above is that the O’s were going for a sweep. Keep in mind, being in the division this game and this series takes on a bigger presence. The Birds already had the series. Now they wanted to sweep it.
And they got off the a good start. Gunnar Henderson took the first pitch he saw onto Eutaw Street. It was measured at 420 feet. That’s quite a distance. And the O’s led 1-0.
Anthony Santander added an RBI-single in the third, and Adley Rutschman did the same in the fourth. However after that, the O’s couldn’t get much going at the plate. One thing of concern; Jorge Mateo was lifted for a pinch hitter after he bopped himself in the head following through on his swing while in the on-deck circle. Something to watch going forward.
However Tampa picked away. Diaz’s sac fly-RBI in the fifth cut the lead to 3-1. Two innings later in the seventh a solo homer by Caballeros cut it to one at 3-2. However it was Siri’s two-RBI double in the eighth which gave Tampa a 4-3 lead.
The O’s took the series, but this feels like a game that got away. The Orioles aren’t necessarily worried about Tampa catching them in the standings, but New York doesn’t seem to want to lose either. However again, it’s a series win. That matters.
And keep in mind that over the course of 162, you’ll have games you give away. You’ll also have games you’ll steal. The Adley Rutschman walkoff homer to beat Toronto a few weeks ago is an example. This is all part of baseball, which as I’ve said many times, you can’t follow like you would the NFL. You’ll go nuts.
The O’s now head to take on Toronto tomorrow night at Rogers Centre. Grayson Rodriguez gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Toronto’s Kevin Gausman, game time is set for just after 7 PM,
Birdland Crush 