By the end, nobody remembered that Corbin Burnes turned in his worst outing as a member of the Baltimore Orioles. For the first time this year, Burnes failed to complete five games innings. And he got tagged pretty good. But again, by the time the game finally ended, it was probably forgotten by most who saw it. Burnes’ line: 4.0 IP, 10 H, 8 R, 3 BB, 7 K.
Boston jumped out to an early 2-0 in the first, which was a harbinger. Ramon Urias’ RBI-single in the second got the O’s on the board, but then Devers’ two-run homer in the third extended the lead back to 4-1. However the game was still young.
The Birds tied the game briefly in the last of the third. Eloy Jimenez’s RBI-double cut the lead to 4-2, and Jackson Holliday’s RBI-triple trimmed it down to 4-3. He would later score on a wild pitch.
However an RBI-single and a three-run homer by Yoshida in the fourth chased Burnes and put Boston back in the lead at 8-4. The devastating part of that is the homer came on a two/out curve ball. Again with two outs. It’s almost as if the Orioles start pitching to contact with two down, and opposing teams are catching on.
The Orioles weren’t done, however. Ramon Urias’ RBI-single and James McCann’s sac fly-RBI in the fifth brought them to within 8-6. However Boston countered in the seventh with two home runs, running the count to 11-6. Yet again it started with Ramon Urias – the Orioles’ comeback attempt, that is. His two-run homer cut the Boston lead to 11-8 in the seventh. Gunnar Henderson grounded into a force out, netting an additional run, and the Birds were within three at 11-9.
Boston would add an insurance run on an RBI-single by Yoshida. Ramon Urias added a sac fly-RBI in the last of the eighth, but couldn’t muster much in the ninth. And they fell 12-10 in a wild one.
Ten minutes before game time Adley Rutschman was scratched with lower back discomfort. You hope that it’s a one-game thing, but time will tell. Needless to say( Ramon Urias picked up the slack tonight. Three hits and five RBI speak for themselves.
It’s easy to look at one pitcher or another and place blame. Craig Kimbrel, for instance. However this was just one of those games. Bats were flying and making contact on both sides. Some of Boston’s early contacts came on softly hit balls. But that ceased to be the case shortly thereafter. Sometimes you’re the windshield, and sometimes you’re the bug.
The series continues tomorrow night at Camden Yards. Albert Suarez is listed as the starter for the Orioles (despite rumors that it might be Cade Povich), and he’ll be opposed by Boston’s Brayan Bello. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.
Birdland Crush 