The Baltimore Orioles had ace Corbin Burnes on the mound this afternoon in the series finale in Seattle. This of course on the Fourth of July. Burnes pitched a great game this afternoon, however circumstances beyond his control worked against him. Burnes’ line: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 6 K.
Gunnar Henderson slapped a two-run home run in the third inning, and it appeared the Birds were off to the races. Burnes would surrender a solo homer in the fifth, cutting the lead to 2-1. Burnes would later load the bases with nobody out, and Bliss would ground into a double-play, tying the game at two.
However the seventh inning, after Burnes had departed, is what did the Birds in. Jorge Mateo fumbled what would have been a potential double-play ball, resulting in an infield hit. Seattle would load the bases, and Crawford would clear them with a double. Suddenly Seattle led 5-2.
Garver would follow with a two-run homer, extending the lead to 7-2. Jordan Westburg would tack on a solo homer in the eighth, however the O’s would fall 7-3 on this Fourth of July in Seattle. However they did take two-of-three.
It’s easy to blame that Jorge Mateo play. And that did make a difference. But the Orioles were also 0-for-7 with RISP. That all ripples together. The good news for the Birds is that New York lost today, and in fact were swept by Cincinnati at home. The O’s are two games ahead in first, and three up in the loss column,
The Orioles now head to Oakland for the first of three at the Oakland Coliseum. Al Suarez gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Oakland’s Hogan Harris. Game time is set for 9:40 PM.
Birdland Crush 