Author Archives: Domenic Vadala

Welcome to Birdland Crush! Yes folks, for the record it's a spin off of the popular summer beverage native to the Mid-Atlantic Region - "orange crush." Nevertheless, I've been covering Orioles' baseball since 2009 in some capacity, and it's basically the greatest gig of all time so far as I'm concerned! But for those who aren't familiar with my work or bio, I'm familiar with pretty much every sport out there. But baseball is king - we all know that. So my hope is that you come back and check in after every Orioles' game, and throughout the off-season. I'm always on duty!

Baltimore Orioles: Hot teams eat errors for dinner

Shane Baz was victimized by Baltimore Orioles’ errors in the field this evening at Boston’s Fenway Park. It’s probably a poor idea to commit a bunch of errors against a team who had won 13 straight games coming in. Especially when that team’s a division opponent who sort of refuses to lose. Baz’s line: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R ( 2 earned) 0 BB, 6 K.

I’m not someone who believes in vibes in the moment or at all. But Boston is certainly feeling something along those lines. When you’ve won 13 straight games, that’s probably part of the deal – regardleas of what I say.

However the Orioles were far from blown out in this game. It was a struggle to the end. Tyler O’Neill got the Birds on the board in the first with a ground-rule RBI-double. Duran’s sac fly-RBI in the third would tie the game at one, and Boston would put two across in the third to take a 3-1 lead.

However keep in mind that those two runs in the third were unearned. Jeremiah Jackson committed a two-out error, which led to those two runs. Baz pitched well; he deserved better.

But the O’s battled back. They lost this game, but they certainly battled. Which makes a difference – not in the standings, but it makes a difference. Christian Encarnacion-Strand’s solo homer in the fifth cut the Boston lead to 3-2. One inning later the O’s led 4-3. This after an RBI-single by Jeremiah Jackson, followed by an RBI-single by Christian Encarnacion-Strand.

However Boston led off the sixth with a single by Abreu, who advanced to second on a throwing error. He walks later score on Contreras’ run-scoring double, tying the game at four. Tyler O’ Neill would ground out on the seventh, scoring a run. And the Birds led, 5-4.

However Boston would tack on two in the later innings. This included solo homer by Durbin in the last of the eighth, which won the game for Boston. End of the day, you can’t commit four errors and expect to win. Which is why the Orioles need to continue looking at and addressing their defense going forward.

The series continues tomorrow at Fenway Park. Kyle Bradish gets the call for the Orioles, and Boston is yet to announce a starter. Game time is set for just after 1:30 PM.

Baltimore Orioles sweep Houston with a master class performance

Brandon Young got the start this afternoon in his de facto hometown of Houston for the Baltimore Orioles. Young of course grew up approximately 100 miles from Houston, and this was his second start at Daikin Park. The first one wasn’t too shabby, as he almost threw a perfect game. Not the case today, but still very good. Young’s line: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 7 K.

Houston put two runners on with nobody out in the second, but Young pitched out of it. That was the main threat that Houston made in the game. At least early. Gunnar Henderson’s RBI-single in the third gave the Birds a 1-0 lead. Later in the inning the O’s had Pete Alonso on first and Henderson at third. Craig Albernaz called for a double-steal, and it was executed perfectly. Henderson stole home plate, and the Birds led 2-0.

Houston would get on the board in the bottom of the inning on an RBI-double by Alvarez. But Young limited the damage, and got out of the inning. Pitching is as much about that as anything else – limiting the damage. Teams are going to score runs – most teams, that is. But no reason to turn that into a big inning.

The O’s would load the bases in the fifth, and Leody Taveras’ two-RBI single extended the lead to 4-1. Coby Mayo sent the second pitch of the sixth inning over the wall in right, extending it to 5-1. Altuve got Houston one back in the eighth with a solo homer, but the Birds went onto win 5-2.

One area of concern now is catcher. The Orioles called Sam Huff up to join the team before the game, making one wonder if Adley Rutschman isn’t dinged up. Samuel Basallo started behind the dish today, but left the game in the second with what the Orioles called right shoulder discomfort. He appeared to wince while swinging the bat in the top of the inning.

It might be fair to say maybe Rutschman had a scheduled day off. However odds are against the O’s doing that and calling up a third catcher for today’s game as a result. Something to watch as we go onward.

The O’s have now swept their previous two series’. They’ll go to Boston, who’s won 13 straight games. The Orioles’ win streak is at seven. So for the next few days we’ll see the two hottest teams in baseball.

The O’s now head to Boston to open the aforementioned series at Fenway Park. Shane Baz gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Boston’s Payton Tolle. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: The Tyler O’Neill game

Trevor Rogers was non-decisioned in a hard-luck manner for the Baltimore Orioles this afternoon in Houston. He by and large pitched well enough to win. And he should have won. Rogers’ line: 6.1 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 8 K.

Dylan Beavers got the Orioles on the board in the fourth on an RBI-double. Rogers was lifted after allowing two on in the sixth, with two outs. Rico Garcia was greeted by a bunt RBI-single by Allen, tying the game at one.

The game went to extra innings, and it got interesting fast. Leody Taveras was the Orioles’ ghost runner in the tenth, and he went to third on Christian Encarnacion-Strand’s single. Taveras would later score on a sacrifice bunt by Jeremiah Jackson, and the O’s led 2-1.

However Houston would get the leadoff runner on in the bottom of the tenth, and Alvarez’s ground rule run-scoring double would tie the game at two. Following a Gunnar Henderson throwing error, Houston had the bases loaded with nobody out. Not exactly a scenario conducive to winning.

Altuve came to the plate needing to get one run in to win the ballgame. He sent a fly ball medium depth to right field. Tyler O’Neill made the catch for an out, and immediately turned his attention to the runner at third who was tagging up.

O’Neill made a somersaulting throw to home plate, and Samuel Basallo tagged the runner on the helmet as he tried to slide in and score what would have been the winning run. Houston persisted and tried to have Wade lay down a quick bunt for a base hit – back to the pitcher, Andrew Kitteredge. However he calmly threw the runner out at first to end the inning. And we played on.

Everything had to come together for the Orioles to avoid losing the game in that inning. None however moreso than the Tyler O’Neill throw. Say what you will about him at the plate. But his play in the field was outstanding today.

And speaking of O’Neill at the plate, he came up in the top of the eleventh with two outs and runners on first and second. After working the count, he sent a swinging bunt to Altuve at second. However for whatever reason, Altuve was playing slightly further back than he probably should have been.

With the runners going on contact, O’Neill ran on a dead sprint down the first base line. And he was safe. In the mean time, Gunnar Henderson (the ghost runner) astutely never stopped running. This until he had crossed home plate, giving the Orioles a 3-2 lead.

Later in the inning with Leody Taveras batting, Houston’s batter had some major issues with their pitchcom device. The game was paused for a few minutes while they worked on it. Did that effectively freeze the pitcher, De Los Santos? Possibly. Either way, Taveras smacked an RBI-single extending the lead to 4-2. Resulting in an unlikely 4-2 victory.

The O’s have now won this series in Houston. Which given the Wild Card standings, is a big deal. However again, make no mistake that this was Tyler O’Neill’s day. As hard of a season as he’s had, he found a way to contribute and to help the team win a ballgame. Heck of an effort, which was about as gritty as you’re going to find.

During the game we also learned that the O’s had signed pitcher Kyle Bradish to a contract extension. The deal is believed to be for five years and in excess of $90 million. That’s two pitchers (Bradish and Shane Baz) that the O’s have locked up for the foreseeable future.

The series concludes tomorrow afternoon at Daikin Park. Brandon Young gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Houston’s Hunter Brown. Game time is set for just after 2 PM.

Baltimore Orioles lifted late by Taylor Ward after tight rope walk

Dean Kremer got the start for the Baltimore Orioles in Houston last night in the first game out of the break. He only lasted four innings, but his first inning perhaps foreshadowed the end of the game. Kremer’s line: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 5 K.

After a leadoff walk Alvarez’s RBI-double gave Houston a 1-0 lead. Later in the inning Houston had runners at the corners with only one out. Kremer appeared on the ropes early. However he induced Altuve to ground into a double-play, ending the inning.

Kremer gave up a run. But he limited the damage. And that was huge in the moment, as well as in the grand scheme of the game.

The Orioles would tie the game in the third when Pete Alonso drew a bases loaded walk. Houston challenged the call of a strike, but it was upheld on replay. However Houston got their lead back in their half of the frame on a sac fly-RBI by Paredes.

The game wore on, and neither team could push anything across. Which in theory benefited Houston. However the O’s turned to reliever Cam Sanders in the eighth – with the bases loaded and one out. The Birds traded for Sanders over the break after he was DFA’d by Pittsburgh.

He was thrilled to join the Orioles, who obviously threw him into the fire right away. he immediately struck out Paredes, and induced Walker to pop out to end the inning. He had delivered the Orioles from the brink of Houston potentially breaking the game wide open.

Adley Rutschman hit a leadoff double in the eighth, bringing Taylor Ward to the plate. But Ward wasn’t going to walk this time. Instead he smacked a two-run home run, propelling the Orioles into the lead.

From the brink of disaster into the lead. It happened that quickly. Tyler Wells closed Houston out in the ninth, striking out Walker with two on to end the game , giving the Orioles now a five-game winning streak.

For once this year, it was the O’s holding their opponent accountable. Sanders stopped a golden opportunity for Houston to take a bigger lead. When they failed at that, the O’s pounced. And they won as a result.

The series continues this afternoon at Daikin Park. Trevor Rogers gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti. Game time is set for just after 4 PM.

Baltimore Orioles begin the second half

The second half of the 2026 season starts tonight for the Baltimore Orioles in Houston. It opens with the Orioles being on notice that they’ll be without lefty reliever Keegan Akin for some time. Akin underwent Tommy John’s surgery over the All-Star break.

Akin reported elbow surgery after his June 27th outing against Washington. Akin, a seven-year MLB veteran, has spent his entire career with the Orioles. The surgery leaves Grant Wolfram as the only southpaw in the Orioles’ bullpen.

This news comes of course on the heels of Blaze Alexander suffering a broken arm Sunday against the Kansas City Royals after being hit by a pitch late in the game. The benches emptied, but order was restored quickly. Perhaps it’s fitting that the Birds go into the break with a fresh slew of injuries.

The series with Houston opens this evening at Daikin Park. Dean Kremer get the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Houston’s Peter Lambert. Game time is set for just after 8 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: First four-game winning streak of the year to end the first half

The Baltimore Orioles now have their first four-game winning streak of 2026, this in the final game of the first half of the season. It took awhile to get here, and this was no picnic. But Shane Baz set the tone for the O’s, and the bats eventually came around to record a three-game sweep of Kansas City. Baz’s line: 4.2 IP, 7 H, 2 R (one earned), 0 BB, 9 K.

Baz was throwing strikes, evidenced by the nine strikeouts. Kansas City also got to a few pitches, which can also be a derivative of throwing strikes. They got a runner aboard in the top of the second on a throwing error by Blaze Alexander, and Kansas City made them pay. Collins’ subsequent run-scoring triple gave Kansas City a 1-0 lead.

Put the ball in play, and things happen sometimes. We’ve said it all season. But the O’s weren’t to be stopped today. Not yet, at least. In the bottom of the second Leody Taveras hit a LONG two-run homer to give the O’s a 2-1 lead. The ball traveled 448 feet to the batter’s eye. Kansas City would tie the game an inning later, and we were knotted at two.

Baz only lasted 4.2 innings due to a few laborious innings. He probably deserved to win the game. But he set the tone, and put the team in a spot to win. That’s the goal.

All year we’ve seen the Orioles fall victim to fluky plays. Today they got one back, and it sparked a big time rally. With one on and one out in the last of the sixth Tyler O’Neill pinch hit for Colton Cowser, and he popped up a shallow fly ball to right. Cagliqnone, the KC right fielder, appeared to not pick up the ball in the sky, and it fell to the turf. Runners at the corners ensued.

Leody Taveras came through again immediately after. His RBI-single gave the O’s a 3-2 lead. Another pinch-hitter, Jeremiah Jackson, added an RBI-double. And the Birds led, 4-2.

Next up was Gunnar Henderson, who was credited with an RBI before he even got a base hit. Kansas City pitcher Straham was called for a balk, and with a runner on third the Orioles led 5-2. Henderson’s RBI-single extended it to 6-2.

But the O’s weren’t quite done yet in the inning. Pete Alonso’s RBI-single made the margin five with an RBI-single, and the Orioles led 7-2.

Samuel Basallo led off the seventh with a solo home run to center. The one downside of this game came after that, with the Birds leading 8-2. Blaze Alexander, who despite his error today has had a great first half, was hit with a pitch right after. Alexander was hot, and the benches cleared.

Order never really was in question. This was never destined to be a benches-clearing brawl. It was more of a gathering at home plate. However Alexander was pulled from the game. It’s unclear if an injury factored in. One has to hope not. That’s the last thing the Orioles need or can afford.

With the 8-2 win, the Birds now have their first four-game winning streak of 2026. They finish the first half with a three-game sweep at home of Kansas City, and with a record of 46-51. Needless to say, they wish they were better than that, and the plan was to be better than that.

Adley Rutschman now heads to Philadelphia to be a part of the AL All-Star team. The rest of the players and coaches will disperse for a few days. As will I. Surf’s up, dude!

Baltimore Orioles: Teeing off on Kansas City

Kyle Bradish probably should have been the big story for the Baltimore Orioles tonight. Needless to say, he was part of the big story. Bradish’s line: 6.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 K.

Bradish didn’t surrender a hit until the sixth inning. That’s why I say he should have been the big story. But it was what went on at the plate for the Birds which took the cake tonight.

Pete Alonso led the second inning off with a double, and he later scored on Samuel Basallo’s RBI-single. Basallo did make the unfortunate decision to try to stretch the single into a double, and was thrown out at second base. Sometimes common sense needs to overrule exuberance.

But the O’s didn’t let that bother them. Pete Alonso smacked a two-run home run in the last of the fourth to extend the lead to 3-0. But one inning later it was Coby Mayo who gave us the highlight of the night. He smacked a solo home run to extend the lead to 4-0, and in doing so hit the ball off the facade of the second deck in left field.

Keep in mind, earlier in the season when these teams met in Kansas City, Mayo hit a tape measure homer. Then earlier this week against Chicago he joined an elusive club of players (which includes Pete Alonso as an opponent) who had hit the ball into the second deck. And then he more or less did it again tonight – smacking it off the facade.

Taylor Ward joined the homer parade in the sixth, his first home run at Camden Yards as an Oriole. After breaking up Bradish’s no-hit bid, Kansas City would get on the board in the seventh on a sac fly-RBI by Perez. But just to show the Birds weren’t kidding, Gunnar Henderson restored their five-run margin with a solo shot in the eighth, leading the O’s to a 6-1 victory.

The O’s once again have a shot at a four-game winning streak if they can win tomorrow. Either way, they’ve won the series. But a four-game winning streak would go a long way towards helping the O’s to perhaps get over the hunp.

The series and the first half conclude tomorrow at Camden Yards. Shane Baz gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Kansas City’s Seth Lugo. Game time is set for just after 1:30 PM.

Baltimore Orioles select Eric Booth Jr #7 overall

The Baltimore Orioles selected OF Eric Booth Jr. with the number seven overall pick in today’s MLB draft. Booth entered the draft straight out of high school, and he comes to the Oriole organization from Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg, MS. He was the top-ranked outfielder in the draft.

Booth has committed to Vanderbilt. Presumably the Orioles have done their homework and are confident he’ll sign. The O’s have never taken a pitcher in the Mike Elias era.

Baltimore Orioles: Sammy slams it home

The Baltimore Orioles needed and received another quality start from a pitcher in last night’s series-opener against Kansas City at Camden Yards. And they got it out of Brandon Young. While he didn’t qualify for the win – which came later- he put the Birds in a spot to win with how he pitched. Young’s line: 7.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 5 K.

At first at least it appeared that Young might be victimized by a lack of runs offensively. Or become the most recent Oriole starter to suffer that fate. RBI-singles in the third by Jackson Holliday and Gunnar Henderson gave the O’s a 2-0 lead. As much as Henderson has struggled of late, he needed that.

However Young allowed Kansas City to equalize. Caglianone’s solo home run in fourth cut the lead to 2-1, and Rojas’ RBI-double later in the inning tied the game at two. However it wasn’t tied for long. Blaze Alexander’s solo homer in the bottom of the inning gave the O’s the lead back at 3-2.

Young lasted through seven, and was sent back out in the eight. He led off the inning by surrendering a solo homer to Collins, tying the game at three. He was promptly lifted. Young probably deserved to win the game, and he probably shouldn’t have come back out to pitch the eighth. But again needless to say, he set the Orioles up for success in the game.

And in the last of the eighth inning, it was Samuel Basallo who delivered that success. With Pete Alonso aboard, he jumped on a hanging slider and smacked a two-run home run. The Birds took a 5-3 lead, which was closed out in the ninth and turned into a 5-3 win.

The series continues this evening at Camden Yards. Kyle Bradish gets the start for the Birds, and he’ll be opposed by Kansas City’s Noah Cameron. Game time is set for just after 7 PM,

Baltimore Orioles: Opponents either guess right or know what’s coming

Most of the decisive blows in this evening’s Baltimore Orioles’ loss to Chicago came after starter Dean Kremer had departed. Yet, he still got the loss. Kremer’s line: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 4 K.

Crow-Armstrong smacked a solo home run in the top of the third, giving Chicago a 1-0 lead. The O’s would tie the game in the bottom of the inning when Gunnar Henderson grounded into a double-play with runners at the corners, tying the ballgame at one.

Pete Alonso smacked a two-run home run in the fourth which gave the O’s a 3-1 lead. Yet that was the only thing the O’s were able to do that inning. They had additional runners on, but couldn’t convert.

However Chicago could. Once we went to the fifth, that is. The first two pitches of the inning, one by Conforto and the second by Kelly, were hit out of the ballpark. Consider that – THE FIRST TWO PITCHERS. Meaning that in the snap of a finger, the game was tied. That fast. To make matters worse, Crow-Armstrong smacked a third solo homer later on the inning, and Chicago led 4-3.

The most intimating part of the game was that inning. The beginning of that inning, that is. Whomever is calling pitches (from the dugout or above) should be advised that those were back-to-back home runs ON THE FIRST PITCH. Meaning two pitches, and two home runs. To lead off an inning.

Conforto, Kelly, and others are either guessing right, OR they know what’s coming. Has the current regime not seen or understood that yet? Do they not see how incriminating it is to throw two pitches to lead off an inning and have two solo home runs?

Solo home run aren’t supposed to beat you. But when you have multiple solo home runs in a game (heck, in an INNING), that adds up. I would severely caution the current regime going forward, that someone COULD be tipping pitches. Notice I didn’t say stealing signs. I said tipping pitches. That fourth inning was perhaps the most incriminating part of the game.

I’ve insinuated since early last year that people were tipping pitches. Notice, I’m not suggesting that signs are being stolen. I’m saying that the Orioles are somehow tipping pitches. Someone’s doing something which indicates what’s coming, AND/OR where it will be. The alternative is that opponents are getting lucky. Argue amongst yourselves which is more likely, and/or which is more incriminating.

Chicago put up five runs in the seventh. They loaded the bases early in the inning and scored on Crow-Armstrong’s sac fly-RBI. Grant Wolfram uncorked a wild pitch netting another, and Suzuki’s three-run home run extended the Chicago lead to 9-3. For the record, the slider that Suzuki hit out of the ballpark was on a two-strike count. How many two-strike and/or two-out rallies have we seen against the O’s this year?

The O’s did battle back. Or they attempted to, at least. Tyler O’Neill smacked two solo homers – one in the seventh and one in the eighth. Coby Mayo would also smack a two-run home run in the eighth, and Ward’s RBI-single combined to cut the lead to 9-7. The O’s went quietly in the ninth, and have now dropped the first two games of this series.

Keep in mind that the margin of victory for Chicago was two runs. Think back to those two solo homers to begin the fifth inning. Two pitches, two home runs. And I maintain that the two hitters (Conforto and Kelly) either got lucky or knew what was coming. Assuming it’s the latter, that’s incriminating. To whomever is truly guiding this franchise.

If pitches are being tipped, it goes without saying that it’s unintentional. However the pitch selection (or more realistically how the pitches are being guarded) needs to change. Granted, some might argue that the late runs were in garbage time. But the margin of victory was still two no matter how you market it. Something needs to change.

The series concludes tomorrow night at Camden Yards. Trevor Rogers gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Chicago’s David Peterson (a southpaw). Game time is set for just after 6:30 PM.