The motif last night for the Baltimore Orioles was better late than never. That’s said in the context of the hour and forty minute rain delay to kick things off before Trevor Rogers could start the game. And he spun a gem for the O’s last night – the O’s who to date hadn’t had a walk off win all year. Rogers’ line: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 6 K.
Dean Kremer went eight on Tuesday and gave up one run, and then Rogers’ outing last night. This against one of the hottest lineups in baseball. Unfortunately for Rogers, Oriole bats were once again quiet – early, that is.
The lone run that Rogers surrendered came in the seventh when Naylor slapped an RBI-single following a leadoff triple. But that was okay given that Ryan Mountcastle sent the first pitch he saw in the home half of the inning over the wall for a home run that tied the game at one.
Later in the inning after a single by Ryan Noda, Jeremiah Jackson’s RBI-triple gave them the lead. Jackson would also score on a throwing error, pushing it to 3-1. Also known as a “little league homer.” For what it’s worth, Jackson was also a pinch hitter.
Yennier Cano came on in the closer’s role in the ninth. He gave up a single and a walk, putting two runners on, and then Seattle executed a double steal. An RBI-groundout and a sac fly-RBI would tie the game at three, with Keegan Akin replacing Cano in the middle of the inning.
Yet, the home team bats last. The O’s recorded two quick outs in the inning, before Dylan Carlson got aboard with a single. Keep in mind, the O’s hadn’t won a game in walk off fashion yet this year, this with Jackson Holliday striding to the plate.
That Carlson single may have been the key. That turned the order over to get to Jackson Holliday. In a 2-1 count he sent a liner into the right field corner for an RBI-double that won it for the Birds. In a game that was wayward from the get go due to the weather, the O’s were able to record their first walk off win of the year.
The Jackson’s of course pushed in the big runs. Jeremiah Jackson and Jackson Holliday. But again the biggest play may have been Dylan Carlson getting on base. In that situation if you’re Seattle, you have to look at the scoreboard and recognize that if that guy gets aboard, you turn over the order. Some days you win, some days you lose, and some days it rains. Yesterday two of those things were true for the Birds.
The series concludes this afternoon with Seattle at Camden Yards. Tomoyuki Sugano gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Seattle’s Logan Evans. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.
Birdland Crush 