Baltimore Orioles prompted to victory by Hanser Alberto’s squeeze

The Baltimore Orioles handed Asher Wojchiekowski the baseball this afternoon in the Motor City, and got exactly what they needed. They got a starter who put them in a position to win the game. And in the process they’re finding out more and more that Wojciechowski could be a keeper going into next year. Wojchiekowski’s line: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 2 K.

Detroit took an early 1-0 lead on Wojchiekowski and the Birds, on an RBI-double by Mercer in the last of the first. However an inning later the O’s bounced back and tied it on DJ Stewart‘s RBI-single. Detroit briefly had the lead back on Greiner’s RBI-single in the last of the second. But the Orioles weren’t about to let this one get away from them after blowing two late leads and losing in walk off fashion in the twelfth last night.

They took control for good in the third. Hanser Alberto tied it with an RBI-single. The great thing about that was that it was a bunt RBI-single. The Orioles put on the squeeze play and Alberto bunted for a base hit. And…it worked!

And as I’ve been saying all year, sometimes things happen when you get traffic on the base paths. Because later in the inning with two runners on, Rio Ruiz stepped to the plate and smacked a three-run homer. That gave the Orioles the lead for good at 5-2.

Jonathan Villar‘s two-RBI single in the sixth rain the score to 7-2, however the game was interrupted by a 40 minute rain delay as some storms passed over Detroit. But the O’s didn’t let up once play resumed. In fact, they racked on an insurance run. Anthony Santander‘s RBI-single in the eighth ran the final to 8-2.

The Alberto squeeze play was the catalyst for the win. That’s a play on which the Orioles normally aren’t able to deliver. However it’s possible that the fundamentals that the coaching staff have been preaching all season are finally starting to kick in. While many fans will say that’s too little too late, it helps the O’s going into spring training next year. It’s a rebuild; the future is everything.

The series concludes tomorrow afternoon at Comerica Park. John Means gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Detroit’s Tyler Alexander. Game time is set for just after 4 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Nibbling doesn’t work

The Baltimore Orioles sent Gabriel Ynoa to the mound this evening in Detroit, although he ended up being one of many. One of many in a twelve inning game, that is. Ynoa’s line: 4.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K.

Ynoa yielded Castro’s solo homer in the third, giving Detroit a 1-0 lead. After Ynoa has left the game Reyes’ RBI-single in the fifth extended the lead to 2-0. And at various points it appeared that’s how the game was going to end. Boy was that an incorrect prediction.

That 2-0 Detroit lead held until the top of the eighth. The Birds got two runners on, and Trey Mancini strode to the plate. And Mancini smacked a three-run homer into the stands. That gave the O’s a 3-2 lead in later innings.

However that lead wasn’t about to hold either. Reyes came to the plate once again with Detroit down to their final out. And Reyes sent a pop fly to right, which just barely made it over the fence for a solo game-tying homer. Was it a cheapie? Yes. But it still counts.

The game went to the twelfth, where Rio Ruiz gave the Orioles the lead back with an RBI-single. The Orioles were in good shape, but they still needed to close out the twelfth inning. Detroit had to hit again.

Michigan native Paul Fry walked a batter, recorded an out, and then gave up a double to put two runners in scoring position. He then intentionally walked a guy to load the bases and set up a double-play. The Orioles then turned to Ryan Eades.

Eades struggles from the get-go. He walked away in a run to tie the game on four straight pitches. There went the Orioles’ lead. He then gave up a game-winning walk off grand slam to Detroit’s Hicks, which sent the O’s to defeat.

Eades didn’t have the eye of the tiger from the beginning. He tried to nibble his way into outs. This is part of why being a big league pitcher is so tough; you don’t want to get too much of the plate, but you just can’t nibble. All that does is record balls and drive your pitch count up.

Fry took the loss, but make no mistake that the game was lost when a Eades started nibbling. Now it’s also a team effort – you can’t put it all on one guy. The Orioles lost the lead in one other occasion in the game as well. But nibbling shows no confidence, and it’s a sure way to help your opponent in getting more confidence.

The series continues tomorrow at Comerica Park. Asher Wojchiekowski gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Detroit’s Edwin Jackson. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.

Baltimore Orioles are better year-over-year

The Baltimore Orioles came into tonight’a game in Detroit with 47 wins on the year – which is where they finished 2018. So behind starter Aaron Brooks tonight, they had an opportunity to cement themselves as better than they were last season. Brooks’ line: 5.1 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 0 K.

Trey Mancini got the Orioles on the board off the bat with an RBI-single in the first inning. The lead remained at 1-0 through the fifth inning, when DJ Stewart smacked a two-run home run. Mason Williams‘ RBI-groundout would tack on an additional run later in the inning. And with that, the Birds took a 4-0 lead.

Two RBI-singles in the last of the fifth got Detroit on the board. Those RBI-singles also cut the Orioles’ lead in half at 4-2. But the Orioles weren’t done.

Trey Mancini smacked a two-run homer in the seventh gave the Orioles a couple of weeks insurance runs, and ran the final score to 6-2. Incidentally for what it’s worth, nearby Pontiac, MI native Pail Fry pitched a scoreless seventh for the Birds, striking out two. Fry’s parents were in attendance at tonight’s game, and their son didn’t disappoint when getting the opportunity to pitch in his hometown. As I’ve said before, that has to be a thrill for players.

And with that, the Orioles have 48 wins on the year. Not anywhere near the threshold the organization will eventually demand of manager Brandon Hyde and his players. However in the here and now, bettering your mark from the previous year will do.

Make no mistake that there’ll be nobody popping champagne because the Birds won more games this year than they did last year. But when you’re rebuilding you have to celebrate and take the good along with the bad. I think that this does mean a lot, contrary to what some people (including Brandon Hyde) say.

Before the season I said that success in 2019 would resemble winning more games than they did in 2018. The Orioles have now done that. Even if they don’t win another game this year (doubtful), that means something. Or at least it should – to both players and fans.

The series continues tomorrow night at Comerica Park. Gabriel Ynoa gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Detroit’s Daniel Norris. Game time is set for just after 6 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: To the victors go the spoils

Dylan Bundy pitched another decent game for the Baltimore Orioles again this evening. He battled and then battled more. That’s what you want out of a starting pitcher. That’s what you want out of any player. Means’ line: 5.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R (two earned) 2 BB, 6 K.

The Orioles drew a walk and had to HBP’s in the first to load the bases. Austin Hays would then walk with the bases loaded, giving the O’s a 1-0 lead. However an RBI-single by Lux in the second would tie the game at one. But the Orioles took the lead back in the fifth with a solo homer by Pedro Severino.

After that, things got strange. First off, Rio Ruiz allowed the bases to get loaded with a fielding error in the sixth, bringing Martin to the plate (with two outs). Martin appeared to offer at a two-strike pitch, but on appeal first base umpire Jim Wolf said he checked in time. That kept the at-bat alive.

Bundy then proceeded to strike Bundy out swinging, which in theory preserved the Orioles’ lead. However Severino let the ball go right by him behind the plate, and it went to the backstop. Not one, but two runs scored on a passed ball. An oddity for sure.

The check swing is a judgement call. Plays as such also happen very quickly. Umpires have to make snap decisions. However the Orioles’ dugout was up in arms when that call was made. As was Dylan Bundy.

And that may well have made him dig just a little deeper to strike Martin out. However that extra sauce on the ball may well have led to Severino’s passed ball, which lost the game for the Orioles. Mind you folks, it’s never one thing that causes a win or loss. It’s the sum of the parts. But those two things stand out in this game.

I don’t believe that quirky things like that are gifted to you when you’re a “good team” such as Los Angeles. It would be ludicrous to suggest that. But good teams bound for the playoffs always take advantage of the opportunities they’ve been given. The game’s based on failure – either the hitter or pitcher is going to fail. And again, a good team will take advantage of your failures.

The O’s now head to Detroit for a four-game set at Comerica Park. Aaron Brooks gets the call for the O’s tomorrow, and he’ll be opposed by Detroit’s Jordan Zimmerman. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles equal 2018

With tonight’s win, the Baltimore Orioles equaled their 2018 mark of 47 wins. They did it tonight behind a fine effort by John Means. He tamed one of the best lineups in baseball for all intents and purposes. Means’ line: 6.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 6 K

Dwight Smith Jr’s RBI-double gave the O’s a 1-0 lead in the last of the second. And that lead held up until the sixth when Pollock smacked a two-run homer. Los Angeles is one of the best teams in baseball; you can’t totally shut them down.

However the Birds weren’t going to be stopped. Dwight Smith provides an additional RBI-single in the bottom of that second inning to tie the game at two. Right when it looked like we might end up in extra innings, Oriole bats came to life.

Jonathan Villar gave the Orioles the lead back in the seventh. He hit a no doubter into the stands, which opened up a 5-2 lead for the O’s. The record will also show forevermore that Villar hit the 6,106th home run of the 2019 big league season – a new major league record. Again, forevermore the record will show that said record was broken by an Oriole.

Pedro Severino would add a two-run shot in the eighth, and LA would add a run in the ninth. However when all was said and done, the Orioles had a 7-3 victory. Their 47th of the year.

As I said, that ties last year’s win total. My goal at the beginning of the season was for the Orioles to win more games than they did in 2018. So tonight they equaled that mark. Incidentally, they only reached 47 wins on the last day of the season last year.

The prevailing odds are that they’ll achieve my goal. Many people say that’s setting the bar too low. Maybe it is. But at the end of the day they’ll be able to say they did better year-over-year. And that’s an important sentiment to take into spring training next year.

The series with Los Angeles concludes tomorrow evening at Camden Yards. Dylan Bundy gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by LA’s Rich Hill (himself a former Oriole). Game time is set for approximately 7:15 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Outdone by a contender

Baltimore Orioles’ starter Ty Blach found himself grossly overmatched this evening. However that’s true of the entire Orioles squad up against the Los Angeles Dodgers. With their win tonight, Los Angeles clinched the NL West Division crown.

Bellinger’s RBI-single in the first inning got things going early on. LA would later put two runners on with Seaver coming to the plate. And Seager’s three-run homer opened the game up wide in the first inning with the O’s trailing 4-0.

The third inning would bring Seager back up to bat, and with that another home run. Seager’s two-run homer ran the score to 6-0. Lux’s solo shot in the fifth topped things off at 7-0.

The Orioles would get on the board in the eighth when DJ Stewart would smack his first homer of the season. But perhaps the best thing you can say about these Orioles is that they keep playing regardless of the situation. Renato Nunez‘s RBI-single in the eighth, combined with an errant throw, cut the lead to 7-3.

As I’ve said previously, you get people on base and things can happen. Even against a team as good as Los Angeles. The O’s were far outmatched this evening by a team in serious contention. But it also gives the O’s something to shoot for. Their aim and their belief is that they’ll get back to that stage at some point down the line.

As I said, this game was Los Angeles’ clincher for their division. With the win, they’re NL West Champions. So the normal array of champagne, beer, etc. was wheeled into the visitors’ clubhouse at Camden Yards this evening for their use. Now their goal will be to win a World Series.

The series continues tomorrow night with the Los Angeles Dodgers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. John Means gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Los Angeles’ Ross Stripling. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Changes in the organization

The Baltimore Orioles let go of several scouts a couple of weeks ago. Yesterday we found out that they weren’t finished making changes in the front office or throughout the organization. The O’s are apparently not renewing the contracts or parting ways with several people, but most notably former Orioles Scott McGregor, Calvin Maduro, Ryan Minor, and Jeff Manto – again, among others.

I’ll be honest, I’m not a fan of this. I feel that former players should be taken care of. As much as Buck Showalter (who’s son was one of the scouts let go) was criticized for being overly loyal to veterans, I’m right there with him. And that also extends to former players. I think that there should be a place in the organization for those who want to remain a part of it after their playing days.

Obviously it goes without saying that the person has to be doing good work – and there was never any indication that any of the aforementioned alumni were falling short of their duties. This move is more about GM Mike Elias wanting to shape the front office in the manner he prefers. And I do understand that – and I understand it in full. But I also see Scott McGregor, who was on the mound for the final out of the 1983 World Series, who’s now sent packing from the only organization he’s ever known.

At the end of the day, if Elias can mold the Orioles into World Series champions down the line this will have had little to no effect on it. I just wish there were a way that they could have kept former Orioles in the organization. But these are the things that happen when you rebuild. You have to trust the process.

The O’s open a three-game set at home this evening with the Los Angeles Dodgers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. John Means gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Los Angeles’ Ross Stripling. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: MLB needs to re-think it’s interleague strategy

The Baltimore Orioles will open a three-game set with the Los Angeles Dodgers tomorrow night at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Los Angeles of course comes in with an eye on the post-season, while the Orioles are in effect playing out a string. However that wasn’t always the case at this time of year.

As we know, the Orioles won more regular season games than anyone in baseball between 2012-2016. They were always very much in contention at this point. So you, the Orioles fans, know what that’s like. You obviously want things to go as smoothly as possible for you.

Interleague games can sometimes throw a wrench into that armor. From the Dodgers’ perspective, that’s what they’re having to deal with right now. However from the perspective of an American League team, it’s even worse – you surrender your DH. And there have been plenty of times when the Orioles of the aforementioned era have had to do that in these all-important September games.

This is symptomatic of MLB wanting to have an interleague game on every day of the season. Literally from Opening Day until the season concludes. So whenever your team has an interleague game at what could be deemed an inconvenient moment, just keep in mind that someone had to play interleague today.

But I think it made much more sense to do interleague games in blocks, which is how it used to be. Normally the weeks leading in and out of Memorial Day weekend (and Memorial Day weekend itself), and the last couple of weeks in June would be interleague games. So whether you were home or away, that’s when you would be playing games against the opposite league.

MLB moved away from that, however I think it’s something they should reconsider. Once you get to September it should be about one of two things; the playoffs, or playing out a string. I suppose if you’re the Orioles and you’re playing out a string, it’s not that big a deal. However the L.A. Dodgers have to get used to a style of play with which they’re not familiar, at a very sensitive moment.

Again, the Orioles have had to do that in the past as well. However if the league went back to the former rules on interleague play, that would cease to be an issue.

Baltimore Orioles swept away by Texas

The Baltimore Orioles gave the ball to Asher Wojchiekowski in this afternoon’s series finale in Texas. And unfortunately, the net result was about the same as what we had been seeing in the first three games of this series. Wojciechowski’s line: 2.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 2 K.

RBI-singles in the first and second innings gave Texas a 2-0 lead. The backbreaker for Wojciechowski was Solak’s two-RBI single later in the second inning. And that ended Wojciechowski’s day.

The O’s however did try to make a run of things. Renato Nunez smacked a solo homer in the last of the second to get the Orioles on the board. However Texas just kept piling on run after run. Solo homers in the third and fourth innings gave Texas a 6-1 lead. Pedro Severino‘s RBI-double would cut it to 6-2.

Again however, Texas kept piling runs on. When the smoke cleared, they beat the Orioles 10-4 this afternoon. This while sweeping this series at Camden Yards.

Obviously you never want to get swept at home, but this series gave the Birds a chance to see some additional players that might make a difference going into spring training next year. Part of rebuilding is the evaluation process. And the O’s have their work cut out for them.

Baltimore Orioles need to reverse-scout their own pitchers

The Baltimore Orioles did a bit of a number on themselves this evening. Not by what they did in the game, but by what they didn’t do. It was obvious that Texas had studied and scouted Orioles’ starter Aaron Brooks ad hoc. And the Orioles played right into the trap of not scouting their own people. Brooks’ line: 2.2 IP, 6 H, 7 R (6 earned), 1 BB, 3 K.

Brooks loaded the bases in the first inning before even recording an out. He managed to induce a comebacker, but his throw home was wide of the bag. Now the good news was that Brooks retired the final three hitters in the inning 1-2-3. The bad news was that came after an RBI-single, and a grand slam which gave Texas a 6-0 lead.

However the O’s tried to battle back. Anthony Santander‘s RBI-single in the last of the first cut the lead to 6-1. Trey Mancini would later score on a wild pitch, and Mason Williams‘ sac fly-RBI would cut the lead to 6-3. It looked like a night for the offenses.

Texas would tack on three additional runs before the game ended. Rio Ruiz would also smack a solo homer. The Birds would end up falling in this one, 9-4 – due in large part to a wild first inning.

But what happened in that first inning which causes me to talk about scouting or lack thereof? Brooks has actually been fairly solid of late in the past couple of weeks. That’s been due in large part to his changeups being so deadly. He’s really mastered the art of the changeup very well.

But the problem is that he’s gone to the well too many times. Texas obviously felt that Brooks was going to rely on his changeup early in the game; that’s probably what their scouts told them. They trusted their scouting, and it paid off with a big inning right out of the gate.

So again, would it not behoove the Orioles to in effect scour their own players? Maybe have their scouts look at games as if they were scouting another team for the O’s, but in essence to have them report on what they’re noticing about the Orioles? Because dipping into the well once too often on changeups is something that a scout would have noticed. Texas’ game plan was to expect the changeup early. Their hitters did just that, and the Orioles did their part to ensure that the changeups came in early and often.

The series concludes tomorrow afternoon at Camden Yards. Asher Wojchiekowski gets the call for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Texas’ Mike Minor. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.