You can’t knock the effort of Dean Kremer today for the Baltimore Orioles. Kremer was strong, and only didn’t get credited with a quality start because manager Tony Mansolino opted to match up early. But Kremer put the team in a spot to win the game. Kremer’s line: 5.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 7 K.
The O’s got on it early today. Ryan O’Hearn’s RBI-single in the first inning gave them a 1-0 lead. Colton Cowser followed with an RBI-double. That left the Birds with a 2-0 lead. It could have been more, but Cedric Mullins grounded out.
New York got on the board in the second. Chisholm was singled home by LeMahieu from second base after a double. Colton Cowser’s throw to the plate was up the third base line, forcing catcher Maverick Handley to come up the line. He fielded the ball, but Chisholm lept into Handley and knocked him over – dislodging the ball and cutting the Oriole lead to 2-1.
I don’t think it was a dirty play by Chisholm, although it was certainly aggressive. Handley went flying after the collision, and Chisholm touched home plate. Again needless to say, it showed a certain reckless abandonment on the part of Chisholm. It also showed Handley the showers, as he left the game with an injury.
The O’s couldn’t get much going offensively for the rest of the way. New York threatened in the seventh with two on and two outs – and Judge coming to the plate. New York had an open base, but the Orioles opted to pitch to Judge. Sort of…
…the pitched him away – at first. And if anything, at various points reliever Seranthony Dominguez got slightly too much of the plate. That may well have been the case on Dominguez’s 3-2 splitter. But yesterday I wrote about how Oriole pitchers were trying too hard to steal strikes on the fringes of the plate. But when they attacked hitters (such as Judge), they saw some success.
So in the entire at-bat, Dominguez attacked Judge. Yes many pitches were off the plate. But it was almost setting Judge up for that final pitch. And with a full count, Judge swung through Dominguez’s final splitter, ending the inning.
But it wasn’t meant to be today. Chisholm struck again – perhaps in more than one way. His two-RBI double in the eighth gave New York a 3-2 lead. Chisholm would end up at third on the throw, and he scored on LeMahieu’s fielder’s choice – combined with a Gary Sanchez error. It was a bouncing ball in the infield that was fielded by Gunnar Henderson, who threw home. Catcher Gary Sanchez dropped the ball…
…the runner (Chisholm) was originally called out, but the umpire overruled himself at home plate. It’s debatable whether or not the Chisholm would have been safe without the ball having been dropped. But you have to wonder if Sanchez wasn’t seeing Chisholm bearing down on him and remembering what happened to his “counterpart” (Maverick Handley) earlier in the game. Perhaps the baseball equivalent of hearing footsteps – a term we hear often in the NFL. End of the day it was only an insurance run, as the Orioles couldn’t score in the ninth.
That Handley play sticks out. You do see runners colliding with catchers (like Pete Rose and Ray Fosse). You don’t often see a base runner lunge into a catcher like that up the line. That play resulted in Handley helicoptering the other way, and New York getting on the board. Again it wasn’t a dirty play. Just against the grain of what you normally see.
Handley’s status going forward is unknown. It’s assumed that he’s in concussion protocol. Meaning the Orioles could need a catcher – this after putting Adley Rutschman on the IL yesterday. Stay tuned.
Before the game the O’s also optioned Yennier Cano to Norfolk. They also have Jordan Westburg who injured his finger yesterday, and could potentially be hitting the IL. Potentially. That would allow them to recall Cano right away due to an injury. What happens with that or with Handley is unknown.
The Orioles now head home to open a three-game set with Texas at Camden Yards. Trevor Rogers gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Texas’ Patrick Corbin. Game time is set for just after 6:30 PM.
Birdland Crush 