Tomoyuki Sugano struggled for the Baltimore Orioles in the series finale against the Athletics in Sacramento. Overall Orioles pitching didn’t faire well in Suter Health Park. Sugano’s line: 4.1 IP, 8 H, 4 R (3 earned), 1 BB, 2 K.
After the Athletics got the lead runner on base in the first, he advanced to second on a softly hit ball in the infield. Jackson Holliday did record the out at first base, but the lead runner moved up to second. This on a sequence where the location of the ball in play should have resulted in a double-play. But because the ball was so softly-hit, that wasn’t possible.
And go figure, Soderstrom blooped another softly-hit ball into center for an RBI-single. The Orioles have been eaten alive all season with soft contact. This to the point that you wonder if opponents know something the Orioles don’t.
However the Orioles tied the score in the second. With runners at the corners and two outs, Emmanuel Rivera stole second base while the Athletics tried to pick off Ramon Urias at third. However the catcher Pereda made an errant throw, and Urias scored. Rivera tried to also advance to third, and was tagged out on the base paths.
And was almost a huge mistake. It’s easy enough to say Rivera was pushing as far as he could and so forth. But had he been tagged out before Urias had scored, that run wouldn’t have counted. And it was close. The run counted, but it was close. You can’t allow your will to win overtake your instincts, forcing you to take unnecessary risks.
However the Athletics would put up three runs in their part of the second. This included another play that should have been a ground ball double-play, but worked out flawlessly for the Athletics. Butler grounded a ball off of Sugano and everyone was safe. If the ball isn’t in effect a comebacker, it’s a double-play and the inning is over. Instead, the Athletics led 4-1 after the end of the inning.
The Athletics would get a solo home run by Muncy in the last of the eighth, and took the game 5-1. Going into this road trip my private opinion was that the Orioles could go .500. Instead they went 4-2. Yes the series in Sacramento could have been better. But end of the day you take a 4-2 road trip to the west coast. All day.
Reports were saying that the infield at Suter Health Park was playing hard. The Orioles saw that first hand this weekend. It’s a minor league park. Now granted, both teams are playing on the same field. But whether the Orioles were at a disadvantage or not is up to the beholder.
Birdland Crush 