The Baltimore Orioles won ugly tonight, but in doing so snapped a five-game losing streak. That’s often how it goes; losing streaks don’t go easily. One might have thought the O’s would get a better outing from starter Chris Bassitt, but he alarmingly seemed to struggle midway through his outing. Bassitt’s line: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 BB, 3 K.
The O’s were swinging from the beginning. With two on and one out, Pete Alonso’s two-R I double gave the O’s a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Alonso would later score on an RBI-double by Samuel Bassalo (who finished the game a home run short of the cycle), and the O’s led 3-0.
Bassitt would surrender a run in the last of the first on a wild pitch – a bit of a harbinger in a sense. However he started to struggle with control in the second inning, loading the bases with two outs. There’s that two-out number again – the Birds seem to let their guard down after the first two outs of an inning. Hicks’ two-RBI single would tie the game at three.
But the Orioles got the lead right back. Samuel Basallo’s two-RBI single in the third gave them a 5-3 lead. Miami would narrow it to 5-4 on Mack’s RBI-single in the bottom of the frame, but Bassalo came back up in the fifth. And his RBI-triple extended the lead to 6-4. Colton Cowser would reach on a fielder’s choice later in the inning which scored Basallo. And the O’s led, 7-4.
This was lining up to be a big team win. Again, the O’s had lost five straight coming in (including four against New York). Call this whatever you want, my term being a series of consequence. But Miami spoiled the party with back-to-back home runs in the seventh. They would then tie it in the eighth when Ruiz stole third base, and Samuel Basallo double-clutch on the throw, and tossed it into left field scoring the tying run.
The O’s are going through adversity right now, make no mistake. However we also saw a little bit of their character in this game, as they put two on in the ninth with one down. Both runners were the result of walks, which again is a good thing. With Basallo’s spot coming up, Craig Albernaz sent up Adley Rutschman as a pinch-hitter.
Miami played Rutschman very deep in the outfield. Incredibly deep – similar to how the O’s played their outfield last year. And Rutschman made them pay, dumping an RBI-single into left field and giving the O’s an 8-7 lead. They would even get an insurance run on Leody Taveras’ subsequent RBI-single.
Rico Garcia made quick victims of Miami in the ninth, shutting them down 1-2-3. Make no mistake, despite the massive struggles to date this was a huge win for this team. What happens going forward is anyone’s guess. But stopping a losing streak like this is a big deal. And onward we go.
The series continues tomorrow night at loanDepot Park. Brandon Young gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Miami’s Eury Perez. Game time is set for just after 6:30 PM.
Birdland Crush 