Cade Povich pitched to a quality start for the Baltimore Orioles in this afternoon’s series finale with the Athletics at Camden Yards. Needless to say, he put the O’s in a spot to win the game – which is a starter’s job. And make no mistake that he deserved to win the game, as he was outstanding. Povich’s line: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 5 K.
The Athletics’ starter Morales was shaky. He didn’t last long, and walked four of the first seven Orioles hitters. But the Orioles couldn’t scratch out a hit against him. He only lasted two and two thirds of an inning.
Neither side could scratch out a run. Jeremiah Jackson led off the fourth with a triple, but was tagged out trying to score on a squeeze bunt by Greg Allen. To top it off, Allen was thrown out trying to steal second base a moment later, ending the inning.
But the Orioles eventually broke through. Jordan Westburg smacked a solo home run in the fifth. However the Athletics were able to push one through in the sixth as well. Thomas smacked an RBI-single, tying the game at one.
That was the lone run that Cade Povich surrendered. He was lifted after six, in favor of Yennier Cano. He retired the side in the seventh, and then the Orioles got a break in the bottom of the inning.
Catcher Alex Jackson popped a ball foul on the first base side, which was dropped by the Athletics’ first baseman Kurtz. They challenged the call, claiming the ball was foul – but it was upheld. And rightfully so. It was debatable whether it was fair or foul. But the call on the field was fair, and there wasn’t sufficient evidence to overturn the call. So it stood…meanwhile, Allen ended up at second with a double.
Following an Allen strikeout, Tony Mansolino pinch hit Coby Mayo. Following a passed ball, Mayo smacked an RBI-double to center field, giving the O’s a 2-1 lead. Mayo was immediately removed for a pinch runner. But he served his purpose.
The O’s had an opportunity to add on in the eighth when Gunnar Henderson got to second with nobody out. But they allowed the Athletics to get out of the inning. And the Athletics seemed to take that personally.
Keegan Akin allowed a leadoff walk in the closer’s role, and then a base hit. That brought catcher Willie MacIver to the plate, and he responded. His two-RBI double gave the Athletics a 3-2 lead.
Remember that sequence where the Orioles tried to squeeze their way into a run and then ran out of the inning? It was MacIver who tagged the runner out, and threw out the other one ending the inning. He beat the Orioles both in the field and at the plate.
As I said yesterday, you have to put people away. In the biggest moment of the game perhaps, they couldn’t do that. Granted the O’s are playing for next year, but you can’t let that happen.
Birdland Crush 