As can happen in baseball, the Baltimore Orioles played a vastly different ballgame in the second game of today’s doubleheader. Trevor Rogers’ struggles continued, this as opposed to game one when Brandon Young was stellar. Rogers’ line: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 2 K.
Rogers spent his entire outing on the inside edges of the plate. Which is a problem when the opponent seems to know that’s what you’re going to do. Other teams read the same Sabre metrics as the Orioles do.
Detroit got on the board early with a two-run homer by Dingler in the top of the first. One frustrating aspect of that was that Dingler reached on a fielder’s choice. Vierling led the game off with a single, and McGonigle grounded the ball to Pete Alonso at first base. However the ball was so slow that the Birds could only get the one out.
The O’s would send Adley Rutschman to third base with nobody out in the fourth, and he would score on a sac fly-RBI. However one inning later Detroit would load the bases. Prior to departing the game, Rogers surrendered a two-RBI single to McGonigle. Oriole bats couldn’t muster much the rest of the way, and the O’s fell 4-1.
Detroit came into this game having lost eight straight – the eighth one coming earlier today. They were eventually going to snap that streak, according to the law of averages. However the Orioles were the obvious better team for this series. Which is why they won it.
Trevor Rogers continues to baffle. It’s overly simplistic to say get him out of the rotation. This is last year’s MVO. If it were me, I would start by canceling my subscription to whichever computer program is telling him to throw only on the inside of the plate.
The biggest bright spot was Albert Suarez who came out of the bullpen. Suarez pitched four innings and gave up three hits. In a doubleheader it’s imperative to preserve your bullpen. And he helped the Orioles to do that.
The O’s now open a three-game set against Tampa tomorrow on Memorial Day at Camden Yards. The O’s are yet to announce a starter, but whomever he is will be opposed by Tampa’s Shane McClanahan. Game time is set for just after 1:30 PM
Birdland Crush 