The Baltimore Orioles didn’t get their first hit in tonight’s game in Cleveland until the 9th inning. Shane Baz surrendered four runs, but also put his team in a spot to win. Oriole bats just didn’t cooperate until the end. Baz’s line: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 BB, 6 K.
Following a first inning walk, Baz surrendered a two-run homer to Ramirez to give Cleveland a 2-0 lead. However as the game wore on the O’s couldn’t even muster a hit. Cleveland would tack on two more as the game wore on, taking a 4-0 lead into the ninth.
The question is, how could the O’s not even get a hit to that point? This against a starter in Cleveland’s Messick, who’s a rookie? The answer is that Oriole bats were impatient this evening. Very impatient.
You have to work counts. You can’t swing at the first halfway decent pitch you see. Furthermore, keep in mind that the league knows that the Orioles adhere only to analytics. Do we think that even a rookie pitcher isn’t going to know to pitch them a certain way, inducing outs?
However luckily, even Messick tired. Leody Taveras’ single in the ninth broke up the no-hitter. One thing led to another, and the Birds had the bases loaded with nobody out. Gunnar Henderson would get the O’s on the board with a sac fly-RBI. Pete Alonso would then smack an RBI-double, and the O’s were in business. However Cleveland would close it out, and the O’s fell, 4-2.
On a side note, if you follow me on Twitter, I’ve been hacked! I’m not sure I can recover my account, but I’m trying – if possible at all, it may take a few days. But you can follow me on Threads at a similar handle: @@domenic_vadala.
The series continues tomorrow at Progressive Field. Chris Bassitt gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Cleveland’s Tanner Bibee. Game time is set for just after 6 PM.
Birdland Crush 