The Baltimore Orioles have seen Charlie Morton look better than what we saw tonight. But he’s certainly looked worse as well. On a night when he wasn’t helped much by his team’s offensive output, he labored through five. Morton’s line: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 3 K.
Morton gave up an RBI-single to Carter in the fourth, followed by a fielder’s choice-RBI. Texas would also add a sac fly-RBI before the inning ended. Garcia’s RBI-single in the seventh also extended their lead to 4-0.
The Orioles didn’t get a hit until the seventh inning. It appeared like it was one of those days, but the Birds finally reached base on a hit with Ramon Laureano’s seventh inning single. After a Gunner Henderson walk, Gary Sanchez put the O’s back into the game with a three-run home run.
That was huge. It appeared like the Birds were already down and out. But they came back. On top of that, Ramon Urias immediately tied the game at four with a solo homer to right field (confirmed by replay). The coup de grace for the Orioles in that inning was a third homer – right after Urias’. Ryan O’Hearn made it back-to-back-to-back with a third home run to give the O’s a 5-4 lead.
That was certainly a momentum swing. However the O’s could stand to learn a lesson from Texas in terms of surrendering the lead and taking momentum back. And Texas did that immediately. Heim’s sac fly-RBI tied the game back up at five,
The game went to extra’s of course with a ghost runner starting the inning at second base. Seranthony Dominguez allowed the runner to get to third on wild pitch, and with one out Haggerty sent a bounding ball to Jackson Holliday at second. Holliday threw home, and nailed the runner at third. Or did he?
Texas challenged the call. And the umpires ruled that the runner’s hand made it in just before the tag. The runner was safe, and the Birds trailed 6-5.
Oriole bats stranded the ghost runner at third in their frame of the inning, and Texas won it 6-5. Good game to watch, even though a loss. Not one they wanted to drop, but it was also one they almost took.
The series with Texas concludes tomorrow at Camden Yards. Neither team has announced a starter of yet. Game time is set for just after 6:30 PM.
Birdland Crush 