Tomoyuki Sugano got the start for the Baltimore Orioles this evening in game one against the Athletics. This in the kickoff game for Orioles’ Hall of Fame weekend. Tomorrow Joe Orsulak, broadcaster Tom Davis, and of course the great Adam Jones will be inducted into the team Hall of Fame. But for starters Sugano pitched a gem. Sugano’s line: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 4 K.
After Sugano retired the A’s quickly in the first, the Oriole offense got to it. Following a Gunnar Henderson walk, Adley Rutschman smacked a two-run home run. In his return to the majors after being injured, Ryan Mountcastle went back-to-back with Rutschman and smacked a solo home run in the immediate aftermath.
That gave the Birds a 3-0 lead, The Mountcastle homer is noteworthy because of his absence. We last saw Ryan Mountcastle in late May when he went on the IL. Then again, who hasn’t been on the IL this year? Mountcastle’s absence has certainly been felt. But his presence was also felt tonight.
And Oriole bats weren’t able to muster much more. So it’s a good thing that Mountcastle smacked that home run, as the Athletics chipped away. Urias’ sac fly-RBI in the fifth cut the lead to 3-1. The Athletics threatened again in the eighth, scoring a second run on Soderstrom’s RBI-single.
But the O’s would pitch out of that jam, and close the Athletics down 1-2-3 in the ninth. Overall, a nice win to kick off hall of fame weekend. And yes, that Ryan Mountcastle solo homer at the tail end of the first inning was the big play.
The series continues tomorrow night at Camden Yards. Brandon Young gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by the Athletics’ Jack Perkins. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.
Birdland Crush 