Baltimore Orioles: A win in the Oakland finale

Grayson Rodriguez was strong, and Baltimore Orioles’ bats were timely in the Birds’ finale in Oakland. And that in an of itself is a bit of a play on words. It was the series finale, and the final game between the two franchises this year. It was also the presumed final time the O’s will play in the Oakland Coliseum. What happens next year remains to be seen. Rodriguez’s line: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 8 K.

Anthony Santander set the tone in the first inning with a solo homer. That was followed by two base hits, bringing Heston Kjerstad to the plate. And he smoked a three-run homer, extending the lead to 4-0. All this with two outs.

Kjerstad would come to bat again in the third, with a runner in scoring position. He sent a high fly ball to fairly deep centerfield – onto the warning track in fact. However Oakland centerfielder Bleday misplayed the ball, and it fell to the Coliseum turf. It went as an error and a run scored, and the Birds led 5-0.

However Oakland made a run in the last of the sixth. Soderstrom’s RBI-double was followed by a sac fly-RBI by Langeliers. One inning later. Bleday grounded into a force out which forced in a run, cutting the Orioles’ lead to 5-3.

However the Birds did tack on an insurance run, Gunnar Henderson slapped an RBI-single in the ninth to run the final to 6-3. And mind you folks, the good teams can usually squeak out an insurance run in the end when games are close. The Orioles did that today.

We already knew that Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson were going to the All-Star game (as starters). However during the game it was also announced that starting pitcher Corbin Burnes had also made the team. Whether he’s the starting pitcher remains to be seen. But he made the roster.

What’s fairly glaring to me is who DIDN’T make the roster. Anthony Santander, Ryan O’Hearn, Jordan Westburg, and perhaps even Ceaig Kimbrel had cases to be made for inclusion. And the fact is any one of them could still make it as a replacement. But the fact that NONE of them were selected sticks out at me.

I get it, sometimes guys get sacrificed for multiple reasons. Fact is that at times it happens so that every team can be represented. Which incidentally is something in which I firmly believe. Every fan should be able to watch the All-Star game and have a member of his or her home team appear in the game. Even if it’s just as a pinch runner late in the game – every fan should get that courtesy.

And sometimes deserving players get passed over as a result. But…NONE of those guys made it? That seems a bit extreme. I suspect that in the end at least one of them will be on the roster. But time will tell.

Baltimore Orioles: Forgettable day in Oakland

It seems like it was ages ago when Cade Povich started this afternoon for the Baltimore Orioles in Oakland. Povich had the toughest start of outing of his short professional career this afternoon, and the rest of his Orioles teammates didn’t fare much better. You have to hope and believe it’s an anomaly. Povich’s line: 1.0 IP, 5 H, 8 R, 3 BB, 1 K.

Povich walked the first two batters of the game. This after the Orioles stranded a runner in scoring position in the top of the first inning. However Oakland took advantage, and Rooker’s three-run homer before Povich even recorded an out gave Oakland a 3-0 lead.

Before Povich exited the game he surrendered another three-run homer to Schuemann in the second. Langeliers’ RBI-single ran it to 7-0. And unfortunately for the Birds, Oakland was off to the races. Before the second inning was over, the Birds trailed 10-0. By the end of the third, it was 12-0.

These sorts of games happen to the best of teams. There can be little doubt that the O’s are of the crème de la crème of the league. And again, you can’t look at today’s game and say “that’s it, this is the real team!” You take them one game at a time.

The good news is that Oriole bats did come alive. The Birds were already too far behind for it to matter, but the offense put some runs up. They got on the board in the fourth on a sac fly-RBI by Austin Hays. Granted by the end of the sixth Oakland had run it to 17-1. But the O’s never folded until the last out was recorded.

Adley Rutschman’s three-run home run in the seventh cut the lead to 17-4. Jorge Mateo would ground into a force out in the eighth, which combined with an error gave the O’s an additional run. Tack on a run-scoring single by Heston Kjerstad, and the Orioles trailed by a mere 11 runs at 17-6.

They brought on a position player to pitch the last of the eighth, in the form of James McCann. Granted he gave up a two-run homer, but he saved a bullpen reliever as well. So while those two runs count as much as any of them, there weren’t surrendered by the Orioles “official pitching staff.”

But the O’s still didn’t fold. Ryan Mountcastle cranked a solo homer in the top of the ninth. Ramon Urias added an RBI-single before the inning ended. End of the day, it’s a big loss – 19-8. But it’s one loss. You shake it off and come back to play tomorrow.

The series in Oakland concludes tomorrow afternoon at the Oakland Coliseum. Grayson Rodriguez gets the call for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Oakland’s Mitch Spence. Game time is set for just after 4 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Happy homecoming for Al Suarez

Al Suarez found himself in the visiting dugout in Oakland last night when starting for the Baltimore Orioles. Which doesn’t seem strange per se, but Suarez came up with Oakland’s cross-town rival San Francisco in 2016-17. The Bay Area was his home, but as we know the Orioles resurrected his career. And we saw that on display last night. Suarez’s line: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 6 K.

Manager Brandon Hyde (a Bay Area native) was complimentary about Suarez after the game, acknowledging some of the work that Suarez had put in since his last start (quote courtesy of Jake Rill, MLB.com):

So good. Good curveball working tonight. The fastball had a bunch of life. We talked about it his last start — just an outstanding six full innings.

Gunnar Henderson led the game off with a double, and later tried to steal third, the throw was errant, allowing Henderson to score. So before Suarez even stepped on the field he had a 1-0 lead. However he’d surrender a solo home run to Andujar in the last of the first, and we went onto the second inning tied.

However Jordan Westburg got on base with a double, which was immediately followed by an RBI-double by Austin Hays. And the O’s took the lead back at 2-1. I said a few games ago that doubles are a great way to score runs overall. Back-to-back doubles get a run in, and leave another runner in scoring position.

And the Birds would end up loading the bases later in the second inning, and Adley Rutschman would draw a walk, extending the lead to 3-1. And if there’s any criticism to be made of this game, it’s only getting one run there. You have to get more than one there. Luckily it didn’t hurt the O’s. Oakland would close the lead to 3-2 on a solo homer by Langeliers in the seventh, but the bullpen held strong after that and the O’s took game one in Oakland, 3-2.

The series continues this afternoon at the Oakland Coliseum. Cade Povich gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Oakland’s Luis Medina. Game time is set for just after 4 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Ripple effect burns the Birds in Seattle finale

The Baltimore Orioles had ace Corbin Burnes on the mound this afternoon in the series finale in Seattle. This of course on the Fourth of July. Burnes pitched a great game this afternoon, however circumstances beyond his control worked against him. Burnes’ line: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 6 K.

Gunnar Henderson slapped a two-run home run in the third inning, and it appeared the Birds were off to the races. Burnes would surrender a solo homer in the fifth, cutting the lead to 2-1. Burnes would later load the bases with nobody out, and Bliss would ground into a double-play, tying the game at two.

However the seventh inning, after Burnes had departed, is what did the Birds in. Jorge Mateo fumbled what would have been a potential double-play ball, resulting in an infield hit. Seattle would load the bases, and Crawford would clear them with a double. Suddenly Seattle led 5-2.

Garver would follow with a two-run homer, extending the lead to 7-2. Jordan Westburg would tack on a solo homer in the eighth, however the O’s would fall 7-3 on this Fourth of July in Seattle. However they did take two-of-three.

It’s easy to blame that Jorge Mateo play. And that did make a difference. But the Orioles were also 0-for-7 with RISP. That all ripples together. The good news for the Birds is that New York lost today, and in fact were swept by Cincinnati at home. The O’s are two games ahead in first, and three up in the loss column,

The Orioles now head to Oakland for the first of three at the Oakland Coliseum. Al Suarez gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Oakland’s Hogan Harris. Game time is set for 9:40 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Dean Kremer dominant in return

Dean Kremer came off the IL and made the start last night in Seattle for the Baltimore Orioles. Kremer had struggled through several rehab starts, so what we were going to see last night was never a guarantee. While he only stuck around for the necessary five innings to get the win, Kremer knocked it out of the park. Kremer’s line: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K.

First off, Kremer’s return gives the Orioles a shot in the arm. Keep in mind, Kremer went on the IL at circa the same moment three different Oriole pitchers were getting Tommy John’s. So now his return is almost akin to having made a trade. That isn’t to say that there’s no need to further solidify their pitching, because that isn’t the case. But Kremer coming back makes the road a bit easier.

Ryan O’Hearn’s two-RBI double in the third inning gave the O’s a 2-0 lead. O’Hearn would later score on an RBI-single by Ryan Mountcastle. And I think that’s a huge recipe for success right there – doubles driving in runs, that is. You score (in this case twice), and you leave a runner in scoring position.

O’Hearn came back to bat in the fifth, and smacked a solo homer. On a night where Dean Kremer was the story, Ryan O’Hearn made a huge case as well. After Kremer’s departure, Seattle did get on the board with a solo homer by Raleigh.

However another story in this game is that aside from that home run, the bullpen was solid last night. That was the lone hit that the bullpen surrendered. The Birds have gotten outstanding pitching thus far in this series.

The series concludes this afternoon at T Mobile Park. Corbin Burnes gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Seattle’s Bryce Miller. Game time is set for just after 4 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Late night win in Seattle

Grayson Rodriguez spun a quality start for the Baltimore Orioles in Seattle last night. Late last night, that is. West coast games are tough, from the late night for fans, to the travel for the teams. Rodriguez’s line: 6.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 8 K.

Anthony Santander worked a long at-bat in the fourth inning with two runners on. It ended with Santander giving the O’s the lead with an RBI-single. Cedric Mullins followed suit in the seventh with an RBI-single of his own, and the Birds held a 2-0 lead.

And that’s where pitching takes over. Both the Orioles and Seattle are contending teams, and pitching can make a difference. Rodriguez and the Oriole bullpen came up big last night.

And it’s also noteworthy in the context of the stretch out of which the Orioles just came. They played 43 games in 45 days; or 30 games in 31 days – however you want to look at it. They had exactly one off day in June, before getting one on July 1st…which was spent recovering from a red eye flight to Seattle.

Point being, it helps the cause to have such a solid showing from the pitching staff last night. It’s never a bad time for it, but the Orioles overall took the bulk by the horns and won a big game last night. Against another contending team, at their place.

The series continues tonight at T Mobile Park. Dean Kremer (who’s coming off the IL) gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Seattle’s Logan Gilbert. Game time is set for just after 10 PM.

Baltimore Orioles drop finale with Texas

Neither starter Cole Irvin nor the rest of the Baltimore Orioles wanted to lose at home on national television. Under the bright lights of ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball, Irvin struggled for a fourth consecutive start. Irvin’s line: 3.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 2 K.

Orioles fans should take a breath. Because despite this loss, the O’s took three-of-four from Texas this weekend. I’ve always said that if you win a series but drop the finale, you get a faux feeling that you actually lost the series. Especially with the lone loss coming on national television. But again, this series was a resounding success for the O’s.

Texas took the lead early with a two-run homer by Hill in the second inning. However you got a taste of what was to come from the get go. Irving didn’t throw his first strike by a hitter until there were two outs in the inning (save for foul balls). His entire outing he left two-seam fastballs over the plate, and Texas hitters got them.

The Birds would get one back in the last of the second on an RBI-single by Ryan O’Hearn. But come the fourth Texas struck back quickly. Lowe, Knizner, and Smith tapped RBI-singles and extended Texas’ lead to 5-1. Heston Kjerstad would knock an RBI-double in the bottom of the inning, and the Birds cut the lead to 5-2.

However Texas continued its assault on the fifth. Langford would smack an RBI-double, as did Lowe. Or did he?! The run counted, one way or the other. However the Birds challenged the safe call at second base. And after a lengthy review, Lowe was ruled out.

And it’s a good thing Brandon Hyde challenged the call. Because Hill came up and smacked his second solo home run of the ballgame, giving Texas an 8-2 lead. That would have been a two-run homer if not for the challenge and the umpires overturning the call. It made little difference, but it did show the Orioles weren’t throwing in the towel.

Unfortunately there was more. Langford smacked a three-run homer in the eighth, completing the cycle. That came after a batter reached on an E5, and another was HBP. Yoir opponents get far on what you leave behind.

Again, keep in mind that this team just finished a stretch of 43 games in 45 days. And/or 30 games in 31 days – however you want to look at it. And in terms of the standings, the loss column, etc, they’re in a better place than they were at the beginning of that 30-game stretch.

And ultimately, you aren’t going to win every game. The best news for the O’s now? While they’re off to the west coast, they do get an off day tomorrow. They’ll also get one next Monday following three in Oakland, before the Chicago Cubs come in. So much-needed rest is on the horizon.

Baltimore Orioles: Silent J gets loud off the bat

Cade Povich scored his first big league win tonight for the Baltimore Orioles. Unfortunately, it was overshadowed by Heston Kjerstad’s big game. Make no mistake however that you win and lose as a team. Everyone made a difference tonight. Povich’s line: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 3 K.

If you’re keeping score at home, that’s a quality start for Cade Povich. However he did surrender a solo home run early in the game to Seager. This in the first inning. But remember, solo home runs rarely hurt you too much.

And the same was true in the last of the second when Anthony Santander smacked a solo shot to tie the game at one. However Texas had another solo homer in them, this one off the bat of Hill – in the fifth. And the Orioles trailed 2-1.

But as opposed to a week ago or so, recently it’s been the Orioles who’ve taken advantage of opportunities thrown their way. The O’s loaded the bases in the last of the fifth, while freshly down 2-1. Heston Kjerdtad, effectively called the “Silent J” (due to the pronunciation of his name), came to the plate. And he didn’t disappoint.

Kjerstad smacked a grand slam, giving the Birds a 5-2 lead. That was a huge moment, as Texas would narrow things. Lowe smacked a two-run home run in the sixth, but Anthony Santander’s RBI-double in the seventh gave the Birds some insurance.

And they needed it. Garcia’s solo home run in the eighth brought things to within 6-5, and Craig Kimbrel go-ahead run on base in the ninth. However he was able to record the final out, giving the O’s a 6-5 win.

Kjerstad was outstanding tonight, as was Cade Povich. As I said however, team effort. That’s how you win games. Grand slams don’t hurt, either.

The series concludes tomorrow night before a national television audience on Sunday Night Baseball at Camden Yards. Cole Irvin gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Texas’ Andrew Heaney. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Firing on all cylinders

To be clear, tonight’s game wasn’t “revenge” for the Baltimore Orioles against Texas. This from last year, when Texas beat the Orioles in the ALDS. However it did do a few things for this season, behind starter Corbin Burnes. And needless to say, Oriole bats followed suit. Burnes’ line: 7.0 IP, 9 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 5 K.

The Orioles led from the beginning. Heston Kjerstad’s bat came to life, both in the first inning and later. His RBI-single in the first inning gave the Orioles a 1-0 lead. That was followed by a two-RBI double later in the inning. And the O’s led 3-0. Ryan Mountcastle’s sac fly-RBI gave the Birds a 4-0 lead.

But that wasn’t the end in the third inning. There was more to come. As I said, Heston Kjerstad’s bat came to life. He smacked two-run homer later in the fourth inning, busting the game wide open.

Texas would get a run in the fourth on a solo homer by Garcia. But they could have afforded a run or two. Especially given that Cedric Mullins smacked a two-run homer in the last of the fourth. Adley Rutschman added on a solo shot in the seventh.

Texas would tack on a run in the eighth, but the Birds weren’t blinking. Colton Cowser added a solo home run in the last of the eighth and Adley Rutschman a sac fly-RBI. Capping off an 11-2 victory over Texas.

Again, this has nothing to do with last year. But everything to do with this season. The Orioles were in a lull, until yesterday. The fact that they won the way they won tonight cemented that. This for 2024. Not 2023.

The series continues tomorrow at Camden Yards. Al Suarez gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Texas’ Max Scherzer. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles squeak by Cleveland, snap losing streak

Grayson Rodriguez had one job as the starting pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles tonight: be the stopper. The Birds came into tonight’s series finale with Cleveland having lost five straight for the first time in just over two years. Folks were getting restless. Luckily Rodriguez delivered for the most part. Rodriguez’s line: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 4 K.

I say he delivered for the most part. I probably could have left that last part off. He delivered in more ways than one. He pitched a quality start, and made it through seven innings. That really helped out the bullpen tonight. So make no mistake, Grayson Rodriguez was a superstar for the Orioles tonight.

He did give up a solo homer to Noel in the first inning, which gave Cleveland a 1-0 lead. Not only was it Noel’s first big league game, but it was his first big league at-bat. And thus his first hit and first homer. However following a Jorge Mateo double in the last of the first, Gunnar Henderson’s RBI-single tied the game at one.

It seemed we were set for another slog of a game between these two. But overall, the pitching settled in. Rodriguez gave up another solo homer in the fifth to Arias, but other than that he was solid.

And the good news is that the Orioles weren’t behind for long. Come the last of the fifth Gunnar Henderson smacked a long solo shot of his own, tying the game at two. Two innings later, Cedric Mullins sent a deep shot down the right field line. A shot that was high and deep…

../it hung in the air forever. And it barely stayed fair, landing on the flag court. Another solo homer for the Orioles, who at that point led 3-2. It wasn’t a big lead. But it was a lead. And when you’ve lost five straight, it feels big.

But…the Orioles needed some insurance. And they got it in the eighth. Ryan O’Hearn’s solo homer, the third of the game off of Oriole bats, extended the lead to 4-2. Craig Kimbrell walked a batter with two outs in the ninth, but it wasn’t an issue. And honestly in his pitch sequences on the first two outs, he was definitely crisp.

End of the day it doesn’t matter how you end a losing streak. What matters is that you snapped it. This is a team that has championship aspirations. Losing streaks happen to everyone, but you have to nip them in the rear. The Orioles did that tonight, and now they can move on.

Tomorrow the O’s open a four-game set with Texas at Camden Yards. Corbin Burnes gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Texas’ Jon Gray. Game time is set for just after 6:30 PM.