The Baltimore Orioles got Gunnar Henderson back last night in Kansas City with Dean Kremer on the mound. Unfortunately for everyone involved, it was a cold rainy night in Kansas City – pretty miserable for everyone involved. Kremer’s line: 4.1 IP, 8 H, 3 R (2 earned), 0 BB, 1 K.
I say miserable for everyone involved, but Kansas City appeared right at home – and they literally were. But you’ll remember in last year’s AL Wild Card series (and the 2014 ALCS), they pretty much beat the Orioles on cracked bats and bloop singles. While the Orioles are a pretty by the book team, Kansas City thrives on the strange and fluky.
Following an infield single in the first, Perez sent what appeared to be a routine fly ball to center. Heston Kjerstad had it in sight for what would have been the final out of the inning. That is until he lost the ball, it fell to the ground, and a run scored (giving Kansas City a 1-0 lead).
It looked as if Kjerstad lost the ball in the lights. I would go with he lost it in the misty haze that hovered over the stadium all game long. But either way it worked to Kansas City’s advantage. Also, a run doesn’t score there unless there are two outs – because the runner ran on contact.
The O’s weren’t down for long, however. With two on in the second Heston Kjerstad redeemed himself with an RBI-single. The O’s had two on in scoring position, and conventional wisdom says that they should have scored two on that. In fact, the throw from left field was up the line. However Kansas City’s catcher Perez still managed to reach back and tag Tyler O’Neill out.
Brandon Hyde challenged the play at the plate, but it was upheld. However the O’s soon had the lead. Ryan Mountcastle reached on a throwing error, allowing Kjerstad to score and putting the Birds in the driver’s seat at 2-1.
Following an error by Gunnar Henderson and a wild pitch, Garcia’s two-run single in the fourth put Kansas City back in the lead at 3-2. Needless to say, Kansas City seemed to have no issue with the weather. The Orioles on the other hand…let’s just say they would have just as soon as had the game go into a delay.
However Kansas City would put five more across in the eighth as insurance. This included a bloop three-run single that fell just fair in shallow right field. Again, this with two outs. Meaning that the runners were in motion. The crazy and fluky plays again do in the O’s.
The series continues this afternoon at Kauffman Stadium. Tomoyuki Sugano gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Kansas City’s Michael Wacha. Game time is set for just after 4 PM.
Birdland Crush 