Baltimore Orioles open the Battle of the Beltways vs. DC and Matt Wieters

Every year since the Baltimore Orioles began his big league career in 2009, Matt Wieters has been a part of the annual Battle of the Beltways. This year will be no different, however he’ll experience it from the opposite dugout. Wieters of course is now the starting catcher in Washington.

That’s more of a player-centric storyline than it is having to do with this weeks two series’ against Washington. Yes, tonight and tomorrow’s games are one series, and Wednesday’s and Thursday’s games in Washington are another. That’s how MLB does these regional rivalry games. But I digress…

…if attendance is any indication, the fans on both sides of the aisle really seem to like these games. But I’ll be honest; they just don’t have the same feel as they did years ago, when ironically both teams weren’t very good. The Orioles used to go down to DC over a weekend in May, and Washington would come up to Camden Yards over a weekend in June. That was good for fans on both sides of the divide, as if you wanted to go and spend the weekend in the other city and see the games you could.

Somehow it isn’t the same when they do two games in one city followed by two games in the other – during the week. However fans across Major League Baseball are happy about that because it places less emphasis on regional rivalries and perhaps more on divisional play. Nevertheless no matter how you spin it, the Orioles play Washington four times this week.

You’ll see a few curly W’s at the yard tonight and tomorrow for sure, however if history has anything to say about it you’ll see A LOT of orange and black at Nationals Park on Wednesday and Thursday. But at the end of the day, it’s all about the games more so than the fans. If the Orioles win, fans will be happy – no matter how many of them they are, or in which park.

The Wieters storyline adds a bit of drama, but more so from the perspective of a former player returning as a visitor. Washington certainly didn’t sign him as a slap in the face to the O’s or anyone else – they needed a catcher and he was available. But it’s always interesting to see these games unfold, because in effect they are between two brothers. And while the Battle of the Beltways certainly isn’t the Subway Series per se, the fact is that nobody does baseball like we do it in the mid-Atlantic region.

Baltimore Orioles: A pleasant afternoon on Tillman Island

Chris Tillman struggled in the first inning yesterday. He walked the first two batters and later had the bases loaded, putting the game in a precarious state from the beginning. However he pitched out of danger, which is a huge key. I tell people all the time that pitchers will get themselves in trouble – it’s the nature of the position. The good ones will also get themselves out of trouble. Tillman’s line: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K.

I suspect that Tillman would have liked to have gone deeper into the game, however keep in mind that this was only his first start of the season (after having been injured). More importantly, as a starter he put his team in a spot to win the game. and he drew glowing reviews from Showalter after the game (quote courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports):

It was a real testament to his pitchability, searching for something he could survive with early where he could get in step a little bit. Chris has got a lot of weapons. I remember when we first had him it was really a 2 1/2-pitch mix. Now, it’s a cutter/slider and he went to that some later on. He went to that some later on. Changeup, he found a feel for that. He’ll tell you I don’t think he really felt good about the command of his fastball for most of his outing, but he and Frankie found a way to survive.

After getting out of a jam in the top of the first, the Orioles’ offense took over in the bottom of the inning. They took a 1-0 lead on Jones’ sac fly-RBI, and never looked back. Later in the inning Mancini added an RBI-double, giving the Orioles a 2-0 lead.

Jones would also add an RBI-single an inning later, as would Machado. And that closes the book on the scoring in this game. For awhile it looked like the Orioles were going to run them out of the park, but Chicago themselves settled down their own pitching situation as the game went on. But the damage was already done.

Alec Asher pitched nearly four innings in relief for the Birds yesterday, making one wonder if he’ll need to be optioned. Yesterday would have been Asher’s normal turn in the rotation, however with Tillman’s return he was relegated to the bullpen. Showalter indicated that he hoped he wouldn’t have to option Asher because he certainly didn’t deserve that.

However with a few exceptions (such as starters and various relievers), every pitcher knows that his status as a big leaguer is shaky at best with the Orioles. They utilize the entire 40-man roster an then some. So a guy like Asher knows that he could be headed down if for no other reason than the team needs a fresh arm. It’s unfortunate at times, but it certainly can happen.

The Orioles will open up a two-game series at home with Washington this evening, which will also mark the return of Matt Wieters to Oriole Park at Camden Yards – but as a visitor. Kevin Gausman gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Washington’s Gio Gonzalez. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles hold onto win, Manny Machado homers again

The good news for the Baltimore Orioles is that power bats are starting to come alive, and that began this past week with Manny Machado. Needless to say, he had quite a series in Boston, and one that I suspect the Fenway Faithful will begrudgingly never forget. That aside, we also saw Davis’ bat get hot on Friday, which again is a positive sign for this team.

Last night the only drawback to the Birds’ 6-5 win was that it became a close game late. But sometimes that’s going to happen, which illustrates why a strong bullpen is such a big deal. And the Orioles’ bullpen unfortunately suffered another casualty yesterday as Britton returned to the DL with left forearm soreness.

The O’s and ChiSox had to wait an additional 45 minutes to play due to storms in the area, but once the game started the Orioles jumped out of the gate. Dylan Bundy pitched another strong effort as a starter, which put the Birds on the right track from the beginning. Bundy’s line: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 3 K.

The Orioles loaded the bases in the last of the first, and then took a 1-0 lead on a balk by Chicago’s starter Covey. Mark Trumbo would add an RBI-single, and the Birds led 2-0. Later in the inning Trey Mancini‘s RBI-double gave the O’s a 3-0 lead, and they were off to the races. Just keep loading the bases and good things will continue to happen.

Machado’s eighth homer of the season came in the last of the second, and it appeared that the Birds were starting to pile it on. However Chicago found a way to get back into the swing of things. Cabrera’s sac fly-RBI got them on the board in the fifth, and they netted a second run on Garcia’s RBI-single. But the Orioles weren’t done either. Mancini’s decided to lay into one in the bottom of the inning, which ended up being a two-run homer and the O’s led 6-2.

Chicago would add a solo homer in the sixth, and then in the eighth Abreu smacked a two-run line-drive home run off the left field foul pole. The ball was almost foul. In saying that, I mean that if it had been even six inches to the left it would have hit in foul territory. But them’s the bounces I suppose.

O’Day closed in Britton’s absence, and the Orioles had themselves another one-run victory. If not for the late Chicago surge, this shouldn’t have even been a save situation. However part of what makes this Orioles team so great is their next man up philosophy. Britton goes down, and O’Day steps right in. That’s how it should work.

Today’s game is one to watch for the Orioles, as Chris Tillman will finally make his 2017 debut. It’s unclear if Tillman will be on a pitch count or how far they want him to go into the game, however keep in mind that the O’s don’t have an off day for awhile. If Tillman can perform at his normal level, the Orioles’ rotation will be in very good shape moving forward.

The series concludes with Chicago this afternoon at Camden Yards. The aforementioned Tillman will be on the mound for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Chicago’s Jose Quintana. Game time is set for just after 1:30 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Chris Davis homers in win vs. ChiSox

Many of the Baltimore Orioles’ power hitters have had semi-tough starts to the season, including Chris Davis. However zeroing in on him for a moment, perhaps all he needed was some home cooking – as it felt like the O’s hadn’t been home for years and years when they got there yesterday. There really is no place like home!

Wade Miley made the start, but lasted only two outs into the game in what perhaps was one of the strangest sequences I’ve ever seen befall a starting pitcher. Miley was hit by consecutive comebackers, and was knocked out of the game. Miley’s line: .2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K. He was later diagnosed with a left wrist contusion – which in essence is a bruise. Miley and the Orioles should consider themselves lucky; it could have been a lot worse.

So the Orioles summoned Gabriel Ynoa from the bullpen to reliever Miley, and he gave them quite an outing in a winning effort. Ynoa’s line: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K. Ynoa did exactly what the Orioles wanted him to do, and for that he’ll probably be sent back down before tonight’s game. After going so long in relief, he won’t be available for awhile; furthermore he also experienced cramping in his hamstring…because of course he did.

The Orioles took a 1-0 lead in the last of the first when School got hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. That’s one way to get ahead I suppose! Two innings later Davis broke out of whatever funk in which he’s been with a solo home run which gave the O’s a 2-0 lead. Perhaps the best part of that home run from the Orioles’ perspective was that it went to left center – as opposed to right center. Davis is a power hitter who actually does a very good job of going the opposite way.

For the most part, this game was won on pitching. Ynoa and his fellow bullpen mates seemingly shut Chicago down. They netted a run on an RBI-groundout in the eighth, but the Orioles came right back in the bottom of the inning and regained their two-run margin on Joey Rickard‘s RBI-double. Later in the inning Hardy reached on an error which allowed Trumbo to score, and Chicago would ground into a double-play in the ninth which netted the final result at 4-2 in favor of the Birds.

After the game it was revealed that Zach Britton wasn’t available last night, as he’s once again experiencing left forearm discomfort. This is obviously a very serious matter for the Orioles, who don’t want to lose Britton for another extended period but who also need to do justice by their player.

It could be a wait-and-see situation, or possibly a return trip to the DL. Britton had an MRI yesterday, and the team will evaluate the results to decide how best to proceed. But it’s something that’s of concern to the O’s right now, and will continue to be until Britton’s 100%.

So if you’re keeping track at home, it’s worth paying attention to Miley given that he was hit with two comebackers. Odds are Ynoa will be sent down today despite his outstanding effort in last night’s game, and Britton could once again be on the shelf in the near future. For the record, if Britton were healthy I suspect the Orioles would consider keeping Ynoa on the roster (and for all I know they still might – surprises happen). But it’s bad enough having one reliever who can’t go, but two is a tough sell.

The series continues tonight at Camden Yards. Dylan Bundy gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Chicago’s Dylan Covey. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Manny Machado’s Boston Massacre

I’m unsure of how many times it’s going to be necessary for Manny Machado of the Baltimore Orioles to get the last laugh on Boston. Throughout all of the theatrics of the week at Fenway, Machado’s consistently stood above the fray in a sense, and has consistently hurt Boston on the field in the games. That trend continued last night.

Tyler Wilson had to be summoned from Norfolk to get the start for the Birds after they had to burn a starter and relievers on Wednesday. Wilson’s line: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 1 K. Wilson pitched to contact all night, which kept his pitch count down. But most importantly, he put the Birds in a spot to win the game. And that’s all you can ask of a starter.

Unfortunately for the O’s, they had to play a bit of catch-up. Boston got a two-RBI single from Bogaerts in the first inning, which gave them a 2-0 lead. However the Orioles weren’t going silently into the night. In the third they executed a double-steal, with Seth Smith swiping home plate. That cut the lead in half at 2-1, albeit briefly. Pedroia led off the last of the third with a solo homer, and Boston led 2-1.

But as I said, the Birds weren’t going quietly. In five plate appearances, Smith got on base five times. This included a two-RBI double in the fourth which tied the game. But it was Machado who delivered the fatal blow, and sent the final message back to the Boston clubhouse. Later in the inning he smacked a three-run homer over the green monster, and the O’s suddenly led 6-3.

Hardy and Jones would add RBI-singles later in the inning, and the Orioles headed home after an 8-3 victory at Fenway Park. So what was “the story” of this series – the theatrics, or Manny Machado owning the Boston Red Sox? Because that’s pretty much what happened. Boston pitching was unable to solve him, and he really made them pay.

The Orioles are just happy to be out of Boston and now heading home, even if technically just for a few games. The ChiSox come to town this weekend, followed by the Washington Nationals for a truncated two-game series on Monday and Tuesday. The Orioles of course will then head down to DC for two games on Wednesday and Thursday. Those are obviously road games, but…it’s the Battle of the Beltways. You get the idea.

The series with Chicago begins tonight at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Wade Miley will be on the mound for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by former Oriole Miguel Gonzalez. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Kevin Gausman ejection ended last night’s game

The competitive portion of last night’s game effectively ended when Baltimore Orioles’ starter Kevin Gausman was ejected in the top of the second inning. Gausman hit Boston’s Bogaerts with a first pitch curveball (at 77 MPH), and was promptly thrown out of the game by home plate umpire Sam Holbrook. Gausman’s final line: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 0 K.

Yes folks, Bogaerts came around to score – on Rutledge’s RBI-single later in the inning. Two innings later they would take a 2-0 lead on Young’s RBI-double. Boston would also net two more runs that inning on a fielder’s choice, as well as Pedroia’s sac fly-RBI.

The O’s would make an attempt to get back into the game, which incidentally would have been impossible without relievers Richard Bleier and Ubaldo Jimenez (obviously a starter who was pressed into a relief role due to the circumstance at hand) holding things where they were. As much as you might want to say about Jimenez over time, he pitched three innings of shutout baseball and was very effective out of the bullpen.

The Birds got a sac fly-RBI out of Mancini, and an RBI-single from Hardy in the sixth. But 4-2 was as close as they were going to get on this night. And make no mistake that it was almost entirely marred by poor decisions by the home plate umpire.

Earlier in the day yesterday MLB held a conference call with both managers and both GM’s, hoping to clear the air. It was made very clear that the theatrics needed to stop, along with the fact that no warnings would be issued prior to last night’s game. The league said that nobody (including the umpires) would come into the game walking on eggshells.

Apparently Sam Holbrook didn’t get that memo. Furthermore, it was plainly evident that he was going to eject anyone who hit a batter – warning or not. If you’re going to throw a purpose pitch, you do it with a fastball. Gausman’s 77 MPH curveball was clearly a pitch that slipped, and according to multiple reports the ejection surprised Boston as much as it did the Orioles.

Catcher Caleb Joseph was LIVID, and he made his displeasure known to Holbrook immediately, along with Gausman. The mannerisms that Joseph showed were well beyond the line of acceptability, and the fact that he wasn’t tossed out also tells me that Holbrook knew he made a mistake. Once he made it out to home plate manager Buck Showalter shoved both Gausman and Joseph out of the way and continued the argument.

To make matters worse, Adam Jones was ejected in the fifth after striking out. The point of contention there was on a called strike two, which first off appeared to be high. However the real issue was that Holbrook seemed to stop and think about the pitch for approximately three or four seconds before deciding it was a strike. After a swinging third strike, Jones appeared to mumble his continual displeasure as he headed back to the dugout. For that, Holbrook issued Jones his first career ejection.

For the record, Jones didn’t turn around and confront Holbrook (until being tossed), and he didn’t show him up. So for the second time in the game, Buck Showalter found himself arguing at home plate about a player that was unjustly tossed. So if you’re keeping score at home, the Orioles lost their starter (compounding their pitching situation for today), AND their unofficial team captain. Both were ejected for what appeared to be illegitimate reasons.

Jimenez was tonight’s scheduled starter, but he was used in relief last night, so the Orioles have to figure out what they’re going to do. I suspect they have a plan, but it hasn’t been announced as of yet. This also has reverberations as the Orioles go onward into their schedule, as summed up afterwards by Caleb Joseph (quote courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports):

The reason that I got so upset is because yes, the in-game decision is very important, but there’s ripples we’re going to have to deal with for the next five, six, seven days. We had to cover (seven) innings in the bullpen and that’s huge. That can set a team back five or six days. Sam’s a fine guy, a good umpire, but tonight he missed a call. He missed a call, and what I would like to see, and we see it all the time with umpires, if they’re unsure, they gather together.

Here’s the other thing; make no mistake about the fact that this occurred because of the theatrics caused mainly by Boston people over the past two weeks. I say Boston people because it’s not just the Red Sox and the way they’ve behaved on the field. It’s also some of the Boston media, who have acted as cheerleaders towards the hometown team and encouraged this to continue. (Now in fairness, my understanding is that the New England Sports Network’s announcers were adamant last night that the Gausman ejection was a miscarriage of justice.)

So the theatrics were caused and carried on by Boston. But in the end, it’s the Orioles who have had to pay the price for it. Granted Boston did lose a reliever for four games, but this is something that will affect the Orioles for days to come. And as I said, the competitive portion of the game ended when Gausman was ejected. At that point the Orioles all but forfeited the game.

The series mercifully concludes tonight at Fenway Park, and don’t be surprised if Buck Showalter gets tossed for arguing that any Boston pitcher who hits a batsman should be ejected. The Orioles haven’t yet announced a starter, however Boston is throwing Kyle Kendrick. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Manny Machado sounds off on Boston

Following last night’s 5-2 loss in Boston, the Baltimore Orioles’ Manny Machado “went off” on the Boston Red Sox. Machado came up to bat in the first inning in the wake of the Fenway Faithful giving teammate Adam Jones a standing ovation after Monday night’s racial taunts. Boston starter Sale proceeded to throw low and in at Machado, almost hitting him.

Warnings were issued to both sides, and that was the end of it – for now. However after the game Machado laid into the Red Sox and their entire organization (quotes courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports):

Coward stuff. I mean, that’s stuff that you don’t (expletive) do, but I mean, I’m not on that side, I’m not in that organization. They’re still thinking about that same slide that I did that was no intention on hurting anybody. I’m still paying, I’m still trying to get hit at, get thrown at at my (expletive) head. They’re (expletive) throwing at everywhere. (Expletives). I’ve lost my respect for that organization, for that coaching staff, for everyone over there.

Later in the tirade Machado went onto say:

I had a (expletive) bat, too. I could go up there and crush somebody if I wanted to. But you know what? I’ll get suspended for a year and a pitcher only gets suspended for two games. That’s not cool, that’s not cool.

In baseball circles it’s certainly bad form to lash out at another organization like that. So I’m sure there’ll be some brush back today in the media for that. However keep in mind that Machado’s the guy who’s having 95 MPH fastballs aimed at various points in his body for a reason he deems incorrect. So in that sense perhaps his comments have some justice.

Orioles’ starter Alec Asher put the Birds in a spot to win the game, which is all one an ask. Asher’s line: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 4 K. If you’re keeping track at home, that’s a quality start.

Boston took a 1-0 lead on Pedroia’s RBI-single in the second, and they extended it to 2-0 on a Ramirez solo homer in the fourth. However the Orioles still had a bit of fight in them, as Trey Mancini‘s RBI-double in the fifth cut the lead in half at 2-1.

But this was Boston’s night; Ramirez had one additional solo shot in him, in the last of the sixth. Betts would add a two-RBI double in the seventh, but not before Machado put another exclamation mark on his performance with a solo homer. So even in a losing effort, he was a factor.

As Manny stepped on home plate he turned and gave a cold glare into the Boston dugout before heading back to his own bench. That was a harbinger for what Manny would later say after the game. Again, this is something that will get lots of play today on the various ESPN shows, and on sports talk radio.

So what happens next? Do the Orioles retaliate in some manner tonight or in some other game over the course of the season? Or ironically, does Boston take umbrage at Machado’s comments and throw at him again?

The sad thing is that in effect, this will turn into a city/fan base vs. city/fan base type of argument. Why is Boston so aggressive? Why do Baltimore fans complain so much? Nevertheless, this has the beginnings of a bench-clearing brawl between the two teams at some point this season.

The series at Fenway Park continues this evening. Kevin Gausman heads to the mound for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Boston’s Drew Pomeranz. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Adam Jones situation shows we have a long way to go

Last night Baltimore Orioles’ center fielder Adam Jones was the target of racist taunts at Fenway Park. According to Jones, several fans were directing the “n-bomb” in his direction, and one fan even threw a bag of peanuts at him as he left the field. The mayor of Boston and the Red Sox organization have since apologized to Jones and the Orioles.

This story has been well-documented on various outlets all night, so I’m not going to re-hash it. However I will mention that this isn’t the first time something like this has occurred. Jones had a banana thrown at him in San Francisco in 2013 (an action which has obvious racial connotations), and apparently heard similar racial taunts in Toronto during the playoffs last season. He also witnessed a full ban of beer thrown at one of his teamates.

MLB really needs to get a handle on this type of thing. Jones was very careful to say that while he had heard these types of things in Boston previously, he didn’t feel it was “a Boston thing.” There are bad apples all over the place, and in every fan base. Unfortunately those are the ones that we notice. Jones also went onto say that various Boston players reached out to him to express support.

The color barrier in MLB was broken in 1947 – that much we know. That wasn’t as much about baseball as it was civil rights in general, and I would submit that it’s a moment which many view as getting beyond race being an issue. However what’s evident is that we haven’t reached that point.

The various civil unrest in communities across America, including Baltimore at this exact moment two years ago, tells us that race is still an issue. But nothing shows us of this more so than a player having to take that type of verbal abuse while competing. While many folks don’t necessarily want to hear that, it is in fact the truth.

And MLB has a responsibility to recognize this and find some way to protect it’s players. And it’s fans for that matter – if you went to a baseball game and heard words like that out of other fans, would it not dissuade you from going back? Jones himself said today that he’d like to see fines be handed out to fans/people who do these types of things (quote courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports):

Fines. That’s not in my realm. Obviously, I’m worried about playing the game. That’s something, I think, that will be individually assessed. Certain ballparks, certain rules and regulations. I met with Mr. (John) Henry today. He said if things like this happen, they’re going to revoke whoever’s tickets they are. I know that tickets here are very sacred. They’re passed down through generations and it’s hard to get, so stripping people of their right to come to the ballpark, … that would suck because this is one of the greatest venues to watch a sporting event and people would miss out on it because of some pure stupidity.

Ironically, that might be a bit overly-draconian in a way. If someone just screamed a racist taunt, they do have that right to free speech. It may not be popular, but they do have that right. The league and stadium authority has the right (and in my view the duty) to eject that person and probably to ban them for life, but in order to levy a fine the law would have to get involved. And unless there’s proof of that taunt causing something more than hurt feelings, it’s legal.

Again, I don’t say that as a matter of thinking it’s okay to say things like that – under no circumstances do I believe that. I’m speaking on a matter of law in that instance – what’s unpopular or offensive, may well still be legal. But the idea of revoking people’s tickets is one that might well send shivers down the spines of fans in moxie-land. As Jones himself said, many of those folks have had tickets passed down throughout generations of families. Would you want to be the great-grandson, nephew, etc. who got the family’s tickets revoked (especially for THAT)?

What Jones also revealed in that quote was that he had been personally contacted by Mr. John Henry, the owner of the Boston Red Sox. That in and of itself should restore some faith in Boston, along with the fact that the mayor made a statement of support for Jones. This type of thing goes beyond team loyalties; for the owner of the team to reach out like that to an opposing player speaks volumes.

At the end of the day, MLB needs to address this in some manner as I said. Not through comments and statements, but through action. Perhaps it should be a league-wide policy that if you get caught doing something like this you should be banned from the ballpark for life. And if you’re in the ballpark as a result of a season ticket plan, that should be revoked also.

Buy beyond whatever the league can or should do, this goes beyond baseball. WE THE PEOPLE need to collectively do better. ALL OF US.

Baltimore Orioles: Manny Machado silences Boston fans

Anytime he stepped on the field last night at Fenway Park, made a play, or came up to bat, Manny Machado of the Baltimore Orioles was boo’d vociferously. Now with that said, let’s assume that the Fenway Faithful was up in arms about the slide on Pedroia (even though it’s been established that it was clean) as opposed to hating on Machado because their guy got suspended for throwing at him. But either way, it was Machado and his Orioles teammates who got the last laugh on this last night.

Dylan Bundy tossed seven very strong innings in tough conditions. Temperatures at Fenway were in the high 40’s at first pitch – on May 1st! But obviously both teams have to deal with the weather conditions, which in the NFL are referred to as “the great equalizer.” Bundy’s line: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 2 K. The walks are a bit of a concern for Bundy, but the defense behind him turned several key double-plays. And make no mistake, they weren’t exactly easy double-plays to turn.

The teams played to a scoreless tie through five innings. Mind you, until Sunday in the Bronx Caleb Joseph hadn’t knotched an RBI since 2015. Now he’s seemingly an RBI-machine; his RBI-double in the fifth inning gave the Birds a 1-0 lead. But one inning later it was Machado who provided the scene of the night, with his solo homer.

Again, we know that Machado’s slide on Pedroia two weeks ago was clean. It was a bit late, but it wasn’t intended to injure anyone – and nobody felt worse about the situation than Machado. But way more was made about this than was necessary, especially seeing that the Boston media in essence was cheerleading that entire weekend trying to get them to retaliate. And of course they did, on that Sunday afternoon when Barnes threw at Machado’s head.

And incidentally, Machado got very high marks from the national media for how he handled the entire situation. And that should continue into last night, as he let his bat respond on his behalf. After the game Machado played down whether or not the crowd inspired him to smack the homer and help turn so many tough double-plays, but he played it down (quote courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports):

I just go about my business. I’ve got to come out here and perform regardless, whether they boo me or whether they don’t. I’ve got a job to do and that’s what I went out there today and did.

Again, Machado did everything right. However I suspect that it felt good to silence most of those people last night. Incidentally, Boston all but threw up over themselves in the field later in the game, committing a total of four errors. And most of them led to Oriole runs…

…Machado reached on one of those errors in the eighth, scoring a third run. A throwing error on a Trumbo single later in the inning ran it to 4-0, and Davis’ sac fly-RBI gave the O’s a 5-0 lead. All three of those runs were unearned, as Boston literally just gave them to the Orioles.

Boston would threaten in the last of the eighth with two RBI-singles. However the Orioles’ bullpen put a stop to the rally after relieving Bundy, and the Birds closed the game out with a 5-2 victory. If there was ever a reminder of how important good defense is, it’s Boston’s performance last night.

The series continues this evening at Fenway Park. Alec Asher will get the start for the Orioles (techincally a spot start since he was most recently a reliever), and he’ll be opposed by Boston’s Chris Sale. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Everything but the kitchen sink

The Baltimore Orioles had just about everything thrown at them that was possible yesterday in the Bronx. Darren O’Day was called for a phantom balk, the umpiring was sketchy at best all day, and there was a situation with the lights. Did I mention that they had to tap dance around the New York Yankees all day?

Starter Wade Miley seemed to flirt with disaster all afternoon. Yet he put the Orioles in a position to win the game, and he was in line to collect the win when he left the game. Miley’s line: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 5 BB, 6 K. Miley gave up a solo homer to Holliday in the last of the first, however he seemed to collect himself after that. He pitched out of several bad jams, including having the bases loaded with nobody out.

The O’s tied the game at one on an RBI-single by Adam Jones, however NY took the lead back in the bottom of the inning on an RBI-single by Headley. Due to a high pitch count, it appeared that Miley was done after five innings in the game. But as I said, he left with the lead…

…Mancini grounded into a force out with the bases loaded in the top of the sixth. This score a run which tied the game, and the Orioles took the lead a moment later on an RBI-double by Jonathan Schoop. They would extend that lead to 4-2 after Gentry’s RBI-groundout.

That felt like a turning point in the game, and one that would decide it at that. The bullpen shut NY down through the remaining innings, and with two men on in the last of the ninth they found themselves down to their final out with O’Day on the mound. At one point he moved to throw back to second in a pickoff attempt, but the ball went into center field. The runners were unable to move up since Adam Jones was on the ball immediately, but…

…home plate umpire Stu Scheurwater fingered O’Day for a balk. This allowed both runners to move into scoring position. It also brought an irate Buck Showalter out of the dugout to argue the call, which resulted in the skipper’s first ejection of the year. Here’s the irony in all of this; the call was supposedly changed to an E6 on Hardy for obstruction, which made no sense whatsoever. (Since when is a fielder not allowed to make a play on the ball at the bag on a pickoff attempt?) Yet in the box score, it’s officially listed as a balk.

O’Day never made a move towards home plate, and according to him and Buck Showalter he used the same pickoff move he’s used for his entire career. And Showalter’s comments after the game reflected that (quote courtesy of Brittany Ghiroli, mlb.com):

There wasn’t a lot of give and take. Same thing he’s been doing for eight or nine years. One out of four saw something that wasn’t there. I think we call it over-officiating in basketball. He had a pretty good game going until that.

A few other players indicated that they felt the rookie umpire had no issue calling a balk which appeared not to be there, but he couldn’t find a way to call NY for a third strike throughout the game. The strike zone was tough to find at best. However that incident balked the tying run into scoring position, and NY took advantage with Gregorious’ two-RBI single.

The late afternoon turned overcast as the game went to extras, yet the lights at Yankee Stadium didn’t go on – until New York came to bat in the last of the tenth. The Orioles threatened to protest, citing a rule which says that the lights can’t go on or off in the middle of an inning, and the lights were shut off. Gamemanship, perhaps?

The Birds almost lost it in the last of the tenth when pitcher Logan Verrett decided to try to nab a runner at second on a sac bunt attempt. Both runners were safe, compounding things further with nobody out. But Verrett redeemed himself eventually with the bases loaded. He induced Castro to ground into a force out at home plate with one out, and then struck out Judge to end the inning. No small feat.

The O’s got back in the driver’s seat in the eleventh with an RBI-single by Trumbo, and a two-RBI single by Castillo. That gave them a sizable lead of three runs, and Verrett sent NY down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning to secure the victory. This was about as hard-fought and strange of a game as you’re going to see, but in the end it was the O’s who prevailed.

The Orioles will now head to Boston for a four-game set. Dylan Bundy takes the mound for the O’s tonight, and he’ll be opposed by Rick Porcello. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.