The Baltimore Orioles won last night thanks to a big inning. Today it was Kyle Bradish who was victimized by one, in essence in reverse. Not as big an inning as the O’s pulled off last night, but big enough. Bradish’s line: 3.0 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 2 K.
Toronto got on the board early with Guerrero’s RBI-single in the first inning. That may have been the biggest mistake the Orioles made today. Guerrero’s had an awful season. Last thing they want is a series against them (the O’s) being the spot where he turned it on.
Kirk would add an RBI-single before the inning ended. However it was the third which did the Orioles in. Bateman led off the inning with a solo home run. Kirk would add a two-run shot later in the inning, after Guerrero returned to form by striking out. Toronto continued to threaten, but Bradish pitched out of it.
The O’s did get one back in the fourth when Christian Encarnacion-Strand reached on a fielding error, pushing a run across. That sequence also included a throwing error by Toronto, but they pitched out of the inning. Toronto would get that run back in the sixth on an RBI-double by Giminez.
The Orioles had thoughts of getting back into the game, however. Pete Alonso’s two-run home run in the seventh cut the lead to 6-3. But Toronto would load the bases in their half of the frame, and extended the lead and the final to 7-3 on a sac fly-RBI.
The O’s now find themselves at three games out of the final Wild Card spot. This makes tomorrow a must-win. The O’s of course will see Toronto once more before the season ends – at Camden Yards.
The series concludes tomorrow at Rogers Centre. Trevor Rogers gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Toronto’s Dylan Cease. Game time is set for just after 1 PM
Birdland Crush 