Despite the game starting in an hour and twenty minute rain delay, Cade Povich turned in his best outing as a pro last night for the Baltimore Orioles. The record shows he took the loss, and to some people that’s all they know. But make no mistake that he was a superstar last night. Povich’s line: 6.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 6 K.
Povich of course came up not too long ago – in the middle of the season. However as I’ve said many times, a starter will have ten great outings, ten poor, and ten in between. You need to be able to put W’s in ink next to those games when a pitcher throws a game like that. Last night, the Orioles couldn’t do that.
Povich gave up an RBI-single to O’Neil in the sixth, giving Boston a 1-0 lead. The frustrating thing is it was a softly hit liner. The Orioles are looking to hit the cover off the ball when they come up to bat, yet that soft liner was all it took for Boston.
The Birds didn’t get their first hit until the bottom of that sixth inning. But it was a big one. It came in the form of a solo homer by Gunnar Henderson, tying the game at one.
Povich was lifted after recording an out and surrendering a base but in the seventh. And the crowd gave him an apt reaction, which Povich acknowledged after the game (quote courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports):
Obviously been up and down, had some struggles up here overall with the last few starts, so having another opportunity to come up here and coming into the seventh and then leaving. That crowd, I had the chills coming off a little bit. Still kind of in game mode, but I guess a little bit trying to fight off a smile. It was special.
However that runner that Povich put on came around to score on Duran’s two-RBI single later in the inning. That means that Povich, after the best start of his career, was in line to be the loser. Devers’ two-run homer in the eighth extended the lead, and the O’s fell, 5-1.
For what it’s worth, it should have been 5-2. Eloy Jiménez would have hit a solo homer in the last of the ninth, but Boston’s Duran climbed the wall and saved the ball. He robbed Jimenez of a homer. He also made sure that the crowd and everyone watching at home saw him puffing out his chest and seeing his exuberance at having made a great play. This while Jimenez raised his cap in the air towards Duran as a sign of respect and appreciation for the moment. You can judge for yourself whether the arrogance or humility is more becoming.
The series concludes this afternoon at Camden Yards. Albert Suarez gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Boston’s Kutter Crawford. Game time is set for just after 1:30 PM.
Birdland Crush 