Tomoyuki Sugano didn’t pitch well today for the Baltimore Orioles. But his numbers look worse than they actually were. He didn’t get any help from behind him, or at the plate. Sugano’s line: 3.1 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 1 BB, 4 K.
Officially all seven of his runs surrendered were earned. But were they? Needless to say, San Francisco came out swinging aggressively in the same manner as they did in the first two games of the series. Devers smacked a solo homer in the first inning, and an RBI-single in the third. Adames added a sac fly-RBI later in the inning, and the O’s trailed 3-0.
Many of those base runners came on infield hits and soft contact. The Orioles on the other hand scalded a few balls – most of which found fielders’ mitts. That’s been part of the story of this season for the O’s, and it’s really not something on which one can put his finger.
In fact, it dates back to well before this season. I’m not sure if there’s a way to induce soft contact. I would submit that there isn’t. But if there is, opposing teams have it down pat. In fact, San Francisco recorded another infield hit in the fourth, followed by a walk. Koss followed that up with an infield hit to Jeremiah Jackson at third…
…Jackson double-clutched the ball, and made an errant throw. That scored a run, and the Birds trailed 4-0. That’s scored as an infield hit and a run scored on the error. That brought Gilbert to the plate, who responded with a two-run triple.
It’s ruled a triple. But it was a soft liner to Daniel Johnson in left field. As he was making his way to the ball (which I suspect he would have caught for an out), he tripped and fell. Read that again: he tripped and fell – and the ball fell as well, scoring two. That goes as an extra-base hit, but that’s not something that can happen. It’s the price you sometimes pay for having inexperienced people in the lineup.
Before the game ended San Francisco would run it to 13-0. Several of those runs came as a result of Oriole errors. The last three came off of position player Alex Jackson. Again, that’s the price you pay for youth and inexperience in the lineup. The O’s would get on the board in the ninth with an RBI-double by Jackson Holliday, and an RBI-single by Gunnar Henderson.
The O’s now head to San Diego to open a three-game set at Petco Park. Kyle Bradish gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by San Diego’s Dylan Cease. Game time is set for just after 6:30 PM.
Birdland Crush 