Tampa got on the Baltimore Orioles from the beginning this afternoon. And it’s no wonder, because starter Zach Eflin was hurt. Eflin’s line: 1.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 0 BB, 0 K,
A double and a single – one by Lowe and the other by Lowe (different pronunciation) – the O’s trailed 1-0 after two hitters. Lowe made it to second on an errant throw. He would later score on Aranda’s two-run home run. Before the inning ended, Simpson would ground into a fielder’s choice-RBI, and the O’s trailed 4-0.
During that inning, Scott Blewett was was warming up in the Oriole bullpen. When the second inning began, he entered the game in place of Eflin. The Orioles later said Eflin was lifted with lower back tightness.
It’s amazing how things change so quickly. On top of the fact that Eflin allowed several bleeders and bloops in that one inning of work (runners who came around to score), the bullpen was going to be taxed – win or lose. Remember that coming out of last night’s game it was Tampa whose bullpen was in bad shape. But without even trying to do so, they flipped the tables on the O’s today. Due to an injury.
Tampa would tack on a sac fly-RBI by Walls in the fifth. This after Simpson reached third following a ball four which looked similar to a strike three, and stole second. On an errant throw he went to third. Later in the inning Diaz’s three-run homer cleared the bases, and the Orioles trailed 8-0.
Walls would add a sac fly in the fifth. But the O’s did get on the board in the home half of the frame with a solo homer by Chadwick Tromp. Not to be outdone, Tampa’s Thaiss continued a tradition this year of backup catcher torching the O’s with a two-RBI triple in the seventh. The Orioles would also tack two on in the ninth on a two-run home run by Ramon Laureano.
The bigger concern of course than the loss is Zach Eflin. The Oriole rotation is in trouble if he has to miss time. The silver lining is he could only miss two starts (maybe one given an off day) due to the break. Depending on the severity of the injury.
That assumes he’s destined for the IL. We don’t know at this point. But as I said above, Tampa totally flipped the script. Not just with the score, but regarding the bullpen. They always find a way to make it work out it seems. Coming in their bullpen was on the ropes, Going into tomorrow’s game, it’s the O’s with a tired bullpen. Not because of the play on the field, but because of an injury.
The series concludes tomorrow at Camden Yards. Dean Kremer gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Tampa’s Taj Bradley. Game time is set for just after 1:30 PM.
Birdland Crush 