Shane Baz took to the bump this afternoon for the Baltimore Orioles in Bradenton against Pittsburgh. Solid outing overall for Baz, who’s expected to be a part of the rotation. Baz’s line: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K.
You could do without the two walks. But the four strikeouts were promising. The Orioles are hoping that Baz solidifies the rotation, at least a bit more solid than it was last year.
The game was scoreless until the sixth when Bryan Ramos of the Orioles smacked an RBI-single to give the O’s a 1-0 lead. That run wasn’t in the form of Adley Rutschman, as he had subbed out. But it was a Rutschman walk which led to that run coming across.
However it was also walks which plagued the Orioles in that sixth inning. Wendzel’s RBI-single after two walks tied the game at one. Between challenges, stolen bases, and pushing the issue, Pittsburgh got very aggressive in the last of the seventh. They put two additional runs across, giving them a 3-1 lead.
But it didn’t end there. Pittsburgh extended its lead to 6-1 with station-to-station hitting, and tough running. I found it interesting that they challenged every call that they could – and it worked. They left no stone unturned. Which is how you win games.
The Orioles return to Ed Smith Stadium tomorrow to take on Atlanta. Kyle Bradish gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Atlanta’s Spencer Strider. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.
Birdland Crush 