It’s tough for Baltimore Orioles’ fans to blame Kyle Bradish for today’s loss. Sadly, not only was it the Birds’ sixth straight loss, but it also completed a four-game sweep at the hands of Boston. Bradish’s line: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R (0 earned), 4 BB, 3 K.
Bradish pitched well enough to win – as far as four inning outings go. But he was failed by a few things. For starters, Boston fouled off pitch after pitch. Whether it was ticking a ball as it went into the catcher’s mitt, or smacking tape measure foul balls. That drive up Bradish’s pitch count big time.
And similar to other starters, it’s not Bradish’s fault that the offense isn’t clicking. There’s nothing he can do about that. One good note in that front; Christian Encarnacion-Strand gave the Orioles the lead in the first with an RBI-double. That was the Orioles’ first run since late on Thursday.
Things actually seemed to be progressing well in the second, as the O’s recorded two outs with one on. But Bradish worked around that, and induced a ground ball by Monasterio….until, his efforts were foiled. Gunnar Henderson booted the ball and the fielding error left two on and two out.
Predictably, White smacked a three-run home run in the next at-bat, giving Boston a 3-1 lead. All three of those runs are unearned. Defense has been a problem all season long. In this instance, it came from a source in Henderson from whom one might expect better. But it’s happened all year.
It’s easy to say that Bradish may have thrown a sinker that didn’t sink to White. But he was failed by the defense behind him. That’s glaring. You also might consider that catcher Adley Rutschman may have had some advance knowledge on Bradish. Or overall on the O’s in terms of pitch selection in certain situations. Another reason to never trade in the division.
One other point to that effect. The O’s had Rece Hinds (who was called up to replace Luis Robert who went to the IL before the game) for aboard with a double in the fifth. He was promptly picked off by Rutschman at second.
That’s no coincidence. Rutschman knows what the Orioles do. He’s been a part of it. He may well have known the O’s were eyeing third before the O’s did. Which is scary. Again, don’t trade in the division.
Lastly, it’s not Bradish’s fault that his mound opponent, Tolle, was outstanding. He surrendered four hits and one run. He struck out 12. For what it’s worth, the Orioles sat Samuel Basallo in three of the four games against Boston (at the beginning of the game). Against three southpaws.
Could Basallo have done any worse than what we saw out of the Oriole offense this series? Marching up is one thing. Doing it all game and every game from the get go is another. Cleveland is throwing a lefty tomorrow also, for what that’s worth.
You don’t sign Basallo to the extension to which the Orioles signed him last year only to sit him due to a computer. For all I know the results would have been worse, but at a certain point you have to play all your cards. Numbers and Sabre metrics be damned.
The Orioles either have an inability to buck the trends, or they aren’t being allowed to do so. Tolle struck out 12 – do we not think that Adley Rutschman may have told the pitching staff how Oriole bats might react to certain pitches? (The O’s struck out 17 times total today.) Tolle threw a steady diet of four-seam fastballs. And the Orioles bit every time.
On a side note, I’m convinced that there’s some algorithm which says there’s a better probability of winning if you don’t use ABS challenges. Because the Orioles seem to infernally refuse to use them. They okay the game where they flare at the umpire and indirectly question the strike zone.
Again, it would stand to reason that the algorithm says that’s better. Or the app. Everything has an app now. To be blunt, baseball is won the same way it always has been. Since the dead ball era until now. It’s timeless. It’s part of the fabric of our country. You win games the old fashion way. Not in aerospace. There’s nothing about this game that’s “aggressively modern.” Someone should understand that.
The ao’s now stay at home to open a three-game set with Cleveland at Camden Yards. Trevor Rogers gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Cleveland’s Joey Cantillo. Game time is set for just after 1:30 PM.
Birdland Crush 