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: “Action Jackson’s” rule the night

The motif last night for the Baltimore Orioles was better late than never. That’s said in the context of the hour and forty minute rain delay to kick things off before Trevor Rogers could start the game. And he spun a gem for the O’s last night – the O’s who to date hadn’t had a walk off win all year. Rogers’ line: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 6 K.

Dean Kremer went eight on Tuesday and gave up one run, and then Rogers’ outing last night. This against one of the hottest lineups in baseball. Unfortunately for Rogers, Oriole bats were once again quiet – early, that is.

The lone run that Rogers surrendered came in the seventh when Naylor slapped an RBI-single following a leadoff triple. But that was okay given that Ryan Mountcastle sent the first pitch he saw in the home half of the inning over the wall for a home run that tied the game at one.

Later in the inning after a single by Ryan Noda, Jeremiah Jackson’s RBI-triple gave them the lead. Jackson would also score on a throwing error, pushing it to 3-1. Also known as a “little league homer.” For what it’s worth, Jackson was also a pinch hitter.

Yennier Cano came on in the closer’s role in the ninth. He gave up a single and a walk, putting two runners on, and then Seattle executed a double steal. An RBI-groundout and a sac fly-RBI would tie the game at three, with Keegan Akin replacing Cano in the middle of the inning.

Yet, the home team bats last. The O’s recorded two quick outs in the inning, before Dylan Carlson got aboard with a single. Keep in mind, the O’s hadn’t won a game in walk off fashion yet this year, this with Jackson Holliday striding to the plate.

That Carlson single may have been the key. That turned the order over to get to Jackson Holliday. In a 2-1 count he sent a liner into the right field corner for an RBI-double that won it for the Birds. In a game that was wayward from the get go due to the weather, the O’s were able to record their first walk off win of the year.

The Jackson’s of course pushed in the big runs. Jeremiah Jackson and Jackson Holliday. But again the biggest play may have been Dylan Carlson getting on base. In that situation if you’re Seattle, you have to look at the scoreboard and recognize that if that guy gets aboard, you turn over the order. Some days you win, some days you lose, and some days it rains. Yesterday two of those things were true for the Birds.

The series concludes this afternoon with Seattle at Camden Yards. Tomoyuki Sugano gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Seattle’s Logan Evans. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Just barely not enough

From the immediate outset it appeared that it was going to be a long night for Dean Kremer and the Baltimore Orioles. Kremer allowed a run and some traffic on the bases in the first inning. But he pitched out of it. And that may have set off the best start of his career. Kremer’s line: 8 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 6 K.

After leading off the game with a single, Arozarena stole second base. He would later score on Naylor’s RBI-single. Again, it appeared that it might be a long night at that point. But that was the nadir of Kremer’s outing. Unfortunately it’s all that was needed.

That 1-0 lead stood the entire game. The best shot the Orioles had was in the ninth inning when Seattle closer Munoz appeared to take an elongated rest on the mound. With a runner on and two outs, trainers brought out hydration fluids, and he seemed to take a blow smack in the middle of the inning.

He would later compose himself, but his velocity was down. However Ryan Mountcastle grounded out to end the game, and the Orioles fell, 1-0. Dean Kremer deserved better…

…he really did. It’s no exaggeration to say this may have been the best start of his career. And it goes down as an eight inning loss. You can’t win if you can’t score. That much is a fact.

The sequence at the end of the game was curious. Was Munoz dehydrated? Was he in pain? Tough to say, but the game was allowed to be delayed for a time.

The series continues tomorrow night Zar Camden Yards. Trevor Rogers gets the start for the Birds, and he’ll be opposed by Seattle’s Logan Gilbert. Game time is set for just after 6:30 PM,

Baltimore Orioles “MacIver” their way out of a win

Cade Povich pitched to a quality start for the Baltimore Orioles in this afternoon’s series finale with the Athletics at Camden Yards. Needless to say, he put the O’s in a spot to win the game – which is a starter’s job. And make no mistake that he deserved to win the game, as he was outstanding. Povich’s line: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 5 K.

The Athletics’ starter Morales was shaky. He didn’t last long, and walked four of the first seven Orioles hitters. But the Orioles couldn’t scratch out a hit against him. He only lasted two and two thirds of an inning.

Neither side could scratch out a run. Jeremiah Jackson led off the fourth with a triple, but was tagged out trying to score on a squeeze bunt by Greg Allen. To top it off, Allen was thrown out trying to steal second base a moment later, ending the inning.

But the Orioles eventually broke through. Jordan Westburg smacked a solo home run in the fifth. However the Athletics were able to push one through in the sixth as well. Thomas smacked an RBI-single, tying the game at one.

That was the lone run that Cade Povich surrendered. He was lifted after six, in favor of Yennier Cano. He retired the side in the seventh, and then the Orioles got a break in the bottom of the inning.

Catcher Alex Jackson popped a ball foul on the first base side, which was dropped by the Athletics’ first baseman Kurtz. They challenged the call, claiming the ball was foul – but it was upheld. And rightfully so. It was debatable whether it was fair or foul. But the call on the field was fair, and there wasn’t sufficient evidence to overturn the call. So it stood…meanwhile, Allen ended up at second with a double.

Following an Allen strikeout, Tony Mansolino pinch hit Coby Mayo. Following a passed ball, Mayo smacked an RBI-double to center field, giving the O’s a 2-1 lead. Mayo was immediately removed for a pinch runner. But he served his purpose.

The O’s had an opportunity to add on in the eighth when Gunnar Henderson got to second with nobody out. But they allowed the Athletics to get out of the inning. And the Athletics seemed to take that personally.

Keegan Akin allowed a leadoff walk in the closer’s role, and then a base hit. That brought catcher Willie MacIver to the plate, and he responded. His two-RBI double gave the Athletics a 3-2 lead.

Remember that sequence where the Orioles tried to squeeze their way into a run and then ran out of the inning? It was MacIver who tagged the runner out, and threw out the other one ending the inning. He beat the Orioles both in the field and at the plate.

As I said yesterday, you have to put people away. In the biggest moment of the game perhaps, they couldn’t do that. Granted the O’s are playing for next year, but you can’t let that happen.

Baltimore Orioles: Can’t close them out

Brandon Young didn’t have it tonight for the Baltimore Orioles. Then again, neither did the bullpen relievers that followed him. And save for a brief moment, neither did Oriole bats. Young’s line: 3.0 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 2 K.

Before the game of course MASN broadcaster Tom Davis, former outfielder Joe Orsulak, and of course former outfielder Adam Jones were inducted into the Orioles’ Hall of Fame. Needless to say, the Orioles do things such as their Hall of Fame Induction correctly. Nostalgia is a huge part of sports, and this is a very traditional fan base. The O’s are the masters at what you might call Field of Dreams style moments.

But that was perhaps the biggest highlight for the O’s. Maybe not – after the Athletics smacked a two-run home run in the first inning, Gunnar Henderson hit a three-run shot in the home half of the frame, a homer that was set up by Jordan Westburg butcher boying his way on base. So the Orioles did lead the game for a moment. However in the wake of that Henderson homer, 15 consecutive Orioles were retired.

One thing Young and other Orioles pitchers had in common tonight is they couldn’t get out of at-bats. With two strikes guys would find a way to get on base. That began in the first at-bat of the game when Young started out 0-2, and walked the hitter. The two-run homer ensued. You have to get out of at-bats.

Similarly, Rooker’s three-run home run in the third gave the Athletics the lead back. And that came after the precious hitter was in a two-strike hole. Hernias would add a sac fly-RBI to extend the lead to 6-3 before the inning ended.

The fifth inning was the killer. The Athletics put up five runs. And it could have been worse had Adley Rutschman not picked a runner off third. And again, the O’a couldn’t put the capper on. With two outs Hernaiz grounded back to the pitcher, Yaramil Hiraldo. Hiraldo muffed the ball, allowing the runner to reach,

Four of the five runs that scored in the inning came on the heels of that play. Which happened on another two-strike count. Obviously in that instance the pitcher (Hiraldo) in theory did get out of the situation. That would have been the third out. Until it wasn’t. The Athletics may be at a reduced power level, but you can’t give them multiple chances.

The series concludes tomorrow afternoon at Camden Yards. Cade Povich gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by the Athletics’ Luis Morales. Game time is set for just after 1:30 PM.

Baltimore Orioles lifted by Ryan Mountcastle in his return

Tomoyuki Sugano got the start for the Baltimore Orioles this evening in game one against the Athletics. This in the kickoff game for Orioles’ Hall of Fame weekend. Tomorrow Joe Orsulak, broadcaster Tom Davis, and of course the great Adam Jones will be inducted into the team Hall of Fame. But for starters Sugano pitched a gem. Sugano’s line: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 4 K.

After Sugano retired the A’s quickly in the first, the Oriole offense got to it. Following a Gunnar Henderson walk, Adley Rutschman smacked a two-run home run. In his return to the majors after being injured, Ryan Mountcastle went back-to-back with Rutschman and smacked a solo home run in the immediate aftermath.

That gave the Birds a 3-0 lead, The Mountcastle homer is noteworthy because of his absence. We last saw Ryan Mountcastle in late May when he went on the IL. Then again, who hasn’t been on the IL this year? Mountcastle’s absence has certainly been felt. But his presence was also felt tonight.

And Oriole bats weren’t able to muster much more. So it’s a good thing that Mountcastle smacked that home run, as the Athletics chipped away. Urias’ sac fly-RBI in the fifth cut the lead to 3-1. The Athletics threatened again in the eighth, scoring a second run on Soderstrom’s RBI-single.

But the O’s would pitch out of that jam, and close the Athletics down 1-2-3 in the ninth. Overall, a nice win to kick off hall of fame weekend. And yes, that Ryan Mountcastle solo homer at the tail end of the first inning was the big play.

The series continues tomorrow night at Camden Yards. Brandon Young gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by the Athletics’ Jack Perkins. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles fall in Philly

Dean Kremer has his struggles tonight against Philadelphia at Citizens Bank Park. But he also rebounded in a way. And against a lineup as potent as Philadelphia’s, that’s reallly all you can ask. However you can’t win if you can’t score. Kremer’s line: 6.0 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 6 K,

Kremer surrendered an RBI-double to Marsh in the second inning. This in effect was part of back-to-back doubles in the inning, and it but the O’s. However Kepler would then follow with a two-run home run, and the Orioles trailed 3-0.

Aside from Stott’s RBI-triple in the fourth, Kremer settled down after that. Make no mistake that unless a pitcher is an utter disaster (and Kremer wasn’t on this night), it’s not his fault if the team loses and they get shut out. Again, you can’t have ANY shot of winning if you don’t score.

There’s no AI or computer program which could undo that sentiment. Marsh would tack on an insurance run in the eighth with a solo homer, and the O’s fell 5-0. You have to score to win – FACT.

In fairness, Philadelphia is one of the best teams in the league. Can the Orioles really expect to compete in their current state of power? With the number of players they have on the IL. Many will say yes, they should compete. But be fair.

The series concludes tomorrow at Citizen’s Bank Park. Trevor Rogers gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Philadelphia’s Ranger Suarez. Game time is set for just after 12:30 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: You can’t nibble

In his return from the IL, Cade Povich was good tonight at Citizen’s Bank Park in Philadelphia. Not perfect, but good. Not great, but good enough to win. 5.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 7 K.

Povich was a hard-luck loser, albeit not in the way we might normally think. This wasn’t necessarily a pitcher’s duel. But in a perfect world, Povich would have actually gotten the win as opposed to the loss.

Povich surrendered a solo homer to Harper in the first inning. However the O’s battled in the early innings. Tyler O’Neill smacked a two-run home run in the second to thrust the Orioles into the lead at 2-1. They would extend it to 3-1 in the third on Jordan Westburg’s solo homer.

The interesting thing is that those two home runs were on pitches well out of the strike zone. It seems like the Orioles couldn’t heed what they were being told by that. They couldn’t see that weak pitches out of the zone weren’t going onto cut it.

Povich was lifted in the seventh after recording two outs and allowing a base hit. Interestingly, that base hit was a contested play. Gunnar Henderson made an amazing play to get to a Realmuto grounder in the hole, and the throw wasn’t in time. The Orioles challenged the play, but the call was upheld. My personal opinion is that he was rightfully out. But there wasn’t enough evidence to overturn the call on the field.

Following a Castellanos single, Corbin Martin’s four-seam fastball was slugged into the stands by Bader to give Philadelphia a 6-3 lead. All of the pitches in the Bader at-bat were either out of the strike zone, or on the fringes. This with Corbin Martin on the mound.

Martin would also surrender an RBI-single to Wilson, and then an emphatic grand slam to Schwarber. Philadelphia would also tack on two additional solo home runs in the eighth. And the O’s fell 13-3 in the series opener.

Prior to the Schwarber grand slam, Martin issued a walk to Turner – again, primarily by nibbling. On a 1-2 pitch, Martin had Turner struck out. Pitch track showed the pitch in the fringes of the strike zone.

But when you constantly nibble on the strike zone, you aren’t going to get that call. Povich got tagged with the loss, but he shouldn’t have. It’s merely a technicality that an inherited runner scored. Povich attacked the strike zone. Subsequent Oriole pitchers didn’t. They tried to nibble on the fringes and get cheap strikes. And home plate umpire Jim Wolf wasn’t having it.

When Martin was forced to throw the ball more over the plate with the bases loaded, Schwarber had the ability to sit on a fastball. And it wasn’t good enough to overpower Schwarber.

When you’re forced to pitch to a heavy hitter like Schwarber, odds are he knows you have to pitch to him. Sometimes that’s the line between winning and losing. That can also be defined by things such as instant replay. Had Coby Mayo stretched just a little further to get the ball on the instant replay review prior to the grand slam, it never happens.

The series continues tomorrow night at Citizen’s Bank Park. Dean Kremer gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Philadelphia’s Taijuan Walker. Game time is set for 6:45 PM.

Baltimore Orioles fall despite unlikely heroics

Brandon Young is still looking for his first major league win for the Baltimore Orioles. Not a terrible outing at Wrigley Field this afternoon, but he had to labor. Despite neither of the runs he gave up being earned. Young’s line: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R (0 earned), 2 BB, 4 K.

Jeremiah Jackson committed a two-base error in the first inning, dropping a pop fly. That was followed by Suzuki’s RBI-single, and Chicago led 1-0. Happ’s subsequent run-scoring double multiplied the lead by two.

That’s the argument against a youth movement. You have to eventually bring young guys up, especially in the situation in which the Orioles find themselves now. But you also have to subsequently live with errors like that. Incidentally Jackson somewhat redeemed himself at the end of the inning when a third run tried to score on the Happ double (in the form of Kelly), and he got an assist on the putout at home plate.

Gunnar Henderson would get the O’s on the board in the third with a fielder’s choice-RBI. One inning later it was tied on an RBI-single by Colton Cowser. The Orioles may be at a disadvantage due to various reasons right now, but they don’t give up either.

Chicago would put two runners on in the last of the sixth, the second of which coming on a fluky play. The ball deflected off the base of the pitcher’s mound, and went into the outfield. That’s very typical of the 2025 Orioles. If it’s fluky and it could happen, it has happened. The same is true of the subsequent RBI-single by Swanson which gave Chicago a 3-2 lead.

I’ve said this a million times – the Orioles are playing their outfield slightly too deep. I understand that analytics say that’s what to do, but when you have softly hit balls such as that of Swanson, the outfielders can’t make the play. Soft contact has killed this team this year. And we saw it again today.

The Orioles trailed 3-2 down to their final out. Colton Cowser was on second base after a double, and the Birds sent up Ryan Noda as a pinch hitter. Noda was picked up on waivers yesterday. He’s bounced around with various teams and in various teams’ farm systems. He’s an Illinois native, and he was coming to bat in Wrigley Field with the game on the line…

…and he delivered. His RBI-single tied the game at three. Unfortunately however, Turner’s two-run homer in the last of the ninth won it for Chicago. Valiant effort on the Orioles’ part, but the home team bats last.

The O’s now head to Philadelphia to open up a three-game set at Citizen’s Bank Park. Cade Povich returns to the majors after a rehab to make the start, and Philadelphia is yet to announce a starter. Game time is set for 6:45 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: The confines were friendly to Gunnar Henderson

Tomoyuki Sugano labored through five innings for the Baltimore Orioles this afternoon at Wrigley Field. In short, he set the table. But a laborious afternoon, and not a perfect one. But one where he was able to help the Orioles at least hang around. Sugano’s line: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 5 K.

Chicago put two runners in scoring position in the second, and Horner’s RBI-single gave them a 1-0 lead. McGuire’s sac fly-RBI would extend it to 2-0. Jordan Westburg led off the fourth with a single, and was promptly picked off of first. You can’t let that happen.

Chicago starter Boyd has a strange pickoff move that’s borderline to being a balk, quite frankly, it could go either way. The umpire didn’t rule it a balk, so it was an out. In the hole half of the inning Horner would tack on an RBI-single, and Chicago led 3-0.

However Oriole pitching buckled down in the wake of that fourth inning and mowed hitters down. Which was good, because the O’s couldn’t afford any more runs surrendered. Keep in mind, the O’s hadn’t scored a run since the trade deadline.

Colton Cowser walked to lead off the eighth inning. Jeremiah Jackson followed with a single. Later in the inning Jordan Westburg’s RBI-single got the O’s on the board and cut the Chicago lead to 3-1. At least they ended the mini-scoreless streak.

Backing up a second, with one out in the inning Jackson Holiday grounded into a force out. Chicago couldn’t turn two, and the inning continued. Which means that had they turned two, Gunnar Henderson wouldn’t have come up.

And if you watched the game you know what happened. Henderson smacked a three-run home run to right field, giving the Orioles an impromptu 4-3 lead. You don’t get more clutch than that.

Keegan Akin put the winning run on base in the ninth, but retired the side for the save. There are legitimate criticisms to be made of the Orioles this year, along with a lot of other things that were out of their realm of control. But in a year where nothing’s gone right, that’s as improbable a win as you’ll see.

The series concludes tomorrow at Wrigley Field – the Friendly Confines. Brandon Young gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Chicago’s Colin Rea. Game time is set for 2:20 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Trevor Rogers with a quick hard-luck loss

How the Baltimore Orioles responded to all of the trades yesterday was always going to be a big question. However the answer to that question was simply Trevor Rogers. He was a stalwart on the mound for the O’s, pitching a complete game in the first of three at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Rogers’ line: 8.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 8 K.

Rogers allowed two runners in scoring position in the second inning. And Happ’s sac fly-RBI gave Chicago a 1-0 lead. Unfortunately the O’s couldn’t muster anything offensively. However aside from that, Rogers shut Chicago down.

Unfortunately that one run was all they needed. You can’t win if you can’t score. But on a day when it was unclear what the pecking order was in the Oriole bullpen, Trevor Rogers stepped up.

Many people will say that the lineup lost some pizzazz after yesterday’s trades. Maybe it did. But the moves made yesterday put the franchise in a better spot for the future. That’s what’s important.

We also saw what Adley Rutschman brings to the lineup today, as down to his final strike in the top of the ninth with two outs, he lined a double into the outfield. Tyler O’Neill then made a case for a two-run homer which would have put the Birds ahead, but Wrigley held it.

That’s important. It should symbolize to fans that the core of the team is still in tact. Rutschman was a 1:1 for a reason,

This was also one of the quickest games you’ll see. One hour and 49 minutes to be exact. A hard-luck loss for Trevor Rogers, yes. But one heck of a performance.

The series continues tomorrow afternoon at Wrigley Field. Tomoyuki Sugano gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Chicago’s Matthew Boyd. Game time is set for 2:20 PM.