Brandon Young pitched to a quality start. Putting the Baltimore Orioles in a spot to win last night against Boston. It’s possible that Craig Albernaz left him in a little too long. But it’s easy to second guess. Young’s line: 6.2 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 7 K.
Right off the bat however, the Orioles were haunted by their former all-star catcher. Adley Rutschman smacked a solo homer in the first. However the O’s battled. They tied the game at one on a sac fly-RBI by Pete Alonso in the last of the first. They would also take a brief 3-1 lead in the fourth on back-to-back homers by Luis Robert and Pete Alonso.
But two innings later Boston began working their way back. And again it began with Rutschman, who smacked a second solo home run. Kiner-Filefa’s RBI-single in the seventh tied the game at three. Incidentally, that came with two out and a two-strike count – again.
Boston would take the lead at 5-3 in the seventh on a two-run homer by Sogard. A solo shot by Anthony in the ninth gave them some insurance. And it’s a good thing for their sake that they got that, because Christian Encarnacion-Strand smacked a two-run homer in the last of the ninth. But it wasn’t enough, and the Birds fell 6-5.
The glaring thing isn’t the two-run home run by Sogard. It’s the two solo shots by Rutschman. They say solo home runs don’t hurt you. But this season the Orioles have made a career out of being hurt by them in one way or another.
The first home run was on the second pitch of the at-bat. The second one was on the first pitch. Both were in the same location – up and in. If there’s anyone who knows what the technology or AI that the Orioles use in terms of pitching, it’s their former All-Star catcher.
Make no mistake, he didn’t guess on those pitches. He didn’t see a pitch he liked, and went for it. He knew what was coming.
All the more reason not to have traded inside the division. Now to be clear, the Orioles got a haul for Rutschman. Nobody’s disputing that. But a team that was seeing Rutschman 12 or 13 times a year was willing to give up what they gave up to get him. AND they can now use him AGAINST the Orioles. Never trade to a division foe; no matter how good the deal looks on paper. That’s old school thinking – as in, pre-sabre metrics. And make no mistake that it’s still correct.
The series continues this evening at Camden Yards. Shane Baz gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Boston’s Ranger Suarez. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.
Birdland Crush 