For the first time in history, the Baltimore Orioles swept a four-game series in Tampa. This behind starter Corbin Burnes this evening at Tropicana Field. To be clear, you rarely have four-game sets within your division, the O’s did this past weekend (and into tonight), and they swept Tampa in four for the first time in history. Burnes’ line: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R (0 earned), 1 BB, 6 K.
For starters, Gunnar Henderson hit the first pitch of the ballgame out of the park. To straightaway center. Granted you want your leadoff guy to simply get on base – basically to be a table-setter. But that works also.
The only little blip in the radar was a fielding error committed by Jordan Westburg in the second. He dropped an infield pop fly with two outs, allowing a runner to reach. Jackson proceeded to smack a two-run homer, and the Orioles suddenly trailed 2-1.
I wrote yesterday about how the Orioles held Tampa accountable for their mistakes. In fairness, Tampa did the same tonight. The difference is that the Orioles weren’t about to allow the final lesson in the series to be one that Tampa taught to them.
James McCann’s solo homer in the third would tie the game back up at two and n the third. Two innings later Ryan O’Hearn’s two-RBI double put the Orioles back in the lead at 4-2. And given that Tampa struggles at times to score, that was sort of the nail in the coffin coffin.
Ryan O’Hearn would hit an RBI-single in the seventh to give the Orioles an insurance run. And they left Tampa with a 5-2 win, and their first ever four-game sweep at Tropicana Field. The other question about this series was…did it bury Tampa for the season?
Odds are it didn’t flat out bury them. But it made the road pretty tough. And already tough road, that is. Dropping four at home to a team in your division isn’t a good omen, the Orioles just completed a road trip in which they played two four-game series’ and won six of the eight.
The O’s now head home to open up a three-game set at Camden Yards with Atlanta. Al Suarez gets the call for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Atlanta’s Max Fried. Game time is set for just after 6:30 PM.
Birdland Crush 