Baltimore Orioles: Late rally isn’t enough

Not an awful outing by Dean Kremer for the Baltimore Orioles this afternoon in Texas. Not great either. End of the day, he pitched well enough to win. The bats couldn’t keep up today. Kremer’s line: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 2 K.

End of the day, neither side had very many opportunities. This was a pitcher’s duel from the beginning. Which is a stark difference from the first two games. But that’s how the ball rolls sometimes.

Kremer ran into trouble in the fourth when he walked two hitters, the second of which came with two outs. And as we know, teams have been able to harm the Orioles this season with two outs.

And today was no exception. That walk brought Heim to the plate, and he smacked a three-run home run. That broke a scoreless tie, and it also gave Texas its first lead of the series.

In fairness to Oriole pitching, the Birds went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position today. Shades of pre-All Star break. If even one of those runs scored, it’s a different game.

However the Orioles rallied. Anthony Santander’s two-run homer in the eighth inning cut the lead to 3-2. However the Birds couldn’t rally further, and they dropped the series finale.

However this was a largely successful opening series for the second half. Not just on the field for the Birds. The Orioles took two-of-three in the series with Texas, and New York dropped two-of-three against Tampa. The Orioles started the weekend a game up on New York, and they finish it up two.

The O’s will enjoy an off day tomorrow in Miami before opening a series there on Tuesday.

Baltimore Orioles’ Grayson Rodriguez shines, bats follow

Grayson Rodriguez became the second Baltimore Orioles’ starter to start off his second half in an outstanding manner. With one small blip in the radar, Rodriguez mowed down Texas hitters throughout his outing. And the fact that it was in Texas, his home state, had to be meaningful. Rodriguez’s line: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 8 K.

Luckily for Rodriguez, Oriole bats put in an equally strong effort. The O’s put runners at first and second with nobody out in the second, and Cedric Mullins laid down a bunt. And a good bunt at that. As Mullins hustled down the line, Texas starter Scherzer popped off the mound to field the ball on the third base side (of the mound). His throw to first however was errant, and a run scored with Mullins ending up at second base. (It was scored as a single and a run scored on an error.)

That brought Ramon Urias to the plate, and his two-RBI single extended the lead to 3-0. Urias would take second on the throw, and he would later score on an RBI-single by Anthony Santander. And save for a two-RBI single by Knizner in the last of the second (cutting the lead to 4-2), the O’s were off to the races.

Cedric Mullins extended the lead to a three-run margin at 5-2 with a solo homer in the third. Three innings later Jordan Westburg’s two-run shot blew the game wide open. Texas made every effort to go quietly in most of the rest of the game, save for Langford’s two-RBI double in the eighth. Of course, Ryan O’Hearn did come back in the ninth with a solo homer, and with the 7-4 win the Birds have taken the first two games of this series and this road trip.

This looks like a different team as compared to the version of the Orioles that limped to the finish line in the first half. That backs up the notion that there were some tired bats and arms across the roster as the first half closed, There’s still a long ways to go this year, but the O’s atoned for themselves well in the first two games of the second half. And with New York losing today, they now hold a two-game lead in the AL East (three up in the loss column).

The series with Texas concludes tomorrow at Globe Life Field. Dean Kremer gets the start for the Birds, and he’ll be opposed by Texas’ Andrew Heaney. Game time is set for just after 2:30 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Anthony Santander blasts off the second half

Baltimore Orioles’ starter Corbin Burnes started Tuesday’s All-Star game. He also started the next game that was played at Texas’ Globe Life Field, that being last night. Burnes’ line: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 6 K.

That’s a bit of a statistical anomaly in a sense. The Orioles of course were playing their first series of the second half in the city where the All-Star game was being staged. And if we’re counting the All-Star game, Burnes was on very short rest, granted he only pitched the first inning on Tuesday. So look at it as a bullpen session.

As well as Burnes pitched last night, he was almost a sideshow. The Orioles’ offense, which had gone into hibernation as the first half ended, sprang to life. Adley Rutschman’s two-run homer in the first inning gave the Birds a 2-0 lead. In theory, that in and of itself would have been enough…

…but why allow people to talk about your stats with RISP, or how your bats are struggling? Why give the impression that you’re winning by de facto as opposed to in a legit manner? The Orioles made sure that wasn’t the case, and almost right after that two-run homer. Colton Cowser hit one of his own later in that first inning, and the Orioles led 4-0.

Texas would get one back on a solo homer by Lowe in the last of the second. But that was a blip on the radar. This although I’m sure people out there would have expected a shutout. However it’s tough to win a big league game. If you’re winning at all, you’re doing something right.

The reason I said above that Corbin Burnes was almost a sideshow last night is due to Anthony Santander. Remember, he was the lone Oriole who got on base in Tuesday’s All-Star game. And he picked up right where he left off last night.

Santander extended the lead to 6-1 in the fifth with a two-run homer. Two innings later he smacked a three-run shot, giving the Orioles a 9-0 lead. And the bullpen shut Texas down, as the Birds took game one of the series.

For those who care about such things, the O’s were 2-for-3 with runners in scoring position. Many will criticize the fact that all of the Orioles’ runs came off of homers. But again, if you’re winning you’re doing something right.

The series continues tonight at Globe Life Field. Grayson Rodriguez gets the start for the Birds, and he’ll be opposed by Texas’ Max Scherzer. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Second half opens tonight

The only thing we can say for sure is that the Baltimore Orioles open the second half of the season tonight in Texas. What happens from there remains to be seen. But certainly the Orioles are hoping that it’s a second half to remember – a second half PLUS a little more.

The O’s do have an advantage given that four core members are already in Texas following the All-Star game. So there’s that. But this is also an Oriole team that limped to the finish line in the first half. They were staring down a winless home stand and a six-game losing streak until they finally caught a break late in Sunday’s game against New York.

But the question remains whether that’s a harbinger for the second half, or a statistical anomaly. And thus just a tough stretch of the season. Unequivocally, we can’t say. However this roster has proven that they can dig themselves out of holes. They’ve proven that they’re resilient, and are capable of winning despite great odds.

The next big “thing” of course is the trade deadline at the end of the month. The Orioles have a litany of riches in the minor leagues, and if they want to be competitive come October, they’re going to have to put them to use eventually. Sometimes a prospect is worth more to you on the trade market than he is on the active roster.

There are rumors that the Orioles are interested in Detroit ace Tarik Skubal, who leads all pitchers in ERA and WAR. He’s been one of the best pitchers in baseball thus far. It’s also worth mentioning that the Birds have two series’ with Detroit in September. That would be potentially twice that they WOULDN’T have to face Skubal in a stretch run – if they traded for him.

Former Oriole reliever Tanner Scott has had an outstanding first half with the Miami Marlins as well. Might he be someone who could solidify the Oriole bullpen? The Birds are in Miami next week, for what that’s worth.

I get the yearn not to trade the farm. I do think you need to be careful in doing so. You don’t want to trade quality for garbage. And no matter what they do, there’ll be people who’ll say they made a mistake. And end of the day if they DON’T win the World Series, someone out there will point back to the deadline and play Monday Morning Quarterback. End of the day, they need to do something. Because standing pat isn’t an option for a World Series contender.

The second half’s first series begins in Texas tonight at Globe Life Field. Corbin Burnes gets the start for the O’s, and Texas is yet to decide a starter. Game time is set for just after 8 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Anthony Santander scores the winning run for the AL

At the outset of last night’s MLB All-Star game, Baltimore Orioles fans felt right at home. Corbin Burnes was on the mound for the home standing American League (as the game was being played in Texas), and Adley Rutschman was behind the plate. Consider that…an all-Orioles battery.

That was only a brief moment – the first inning. There are lots of players to work into the game, so nobody’s in for too long. Burnes gave up a walk and a hit, and stranded two in the first inning. And then his night was over.

Neither Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, nor Jordan Westburg (who got into the game later) were able to reach base. Which is fine. However Anthony Santander did get a hit in the fifth inning. He would immediately score in a homer by Jarren Duran. That put the AL ahead, 5-3, which was the final. So in a sense, Anthony Santander scored the winning run.

Obviously the All-Star game is once again an exhibition; there’s no home field advantage in the fall classic or anything else riding on the outcome. And I would submit that it should always be like that. On a side note, I’d also like to see MLB go back to letting players wear their regular team uniforms for the game. I always thought that was one of the coolest parts of it.

The second half begins Friday, when the Birds will reconvene at Globe Life Park in Arlington, TX for three against the Texas Rangers. That gives Corbin Burnes, Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, Jordan Westburg, and Anthony Santander an advantage unlike anyone else in baseball. They’re already in the city where they’re to play this weekend, meaning they don’t have to travel there. That means some extra built-in rest!

Baltimore Orioles draft Vance Honeycutt

With the 22nd pick of the MLB draft this evening, the Baltimore Orioles selected OF Vance Honeycutt out of the University of North Carolina. Baseball America ranked Honeycutt as the 13th best pick in the field. Honeycutt hit 65 homers this year.

Obviously there’s a history of North Carolina players turning into Oriole contributors. But former Oriole BJ Surhoff and Bran Roberts were UNC-alumni. After signing, Honeycutt will presumably entered the Orioles’ farm system.

Baltimore Orioles: Cedric Mullins saves the day; Birds stay in first

Dean Kremer labored this afternoon for the Baltimore Orioles. Or should I say “this morning.” The series finale with New York began at 11:30 AM. Kremer’s line: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 4 K.

Kremer didn’t struggle per se. He just labored. This on a sweltering day with heavy humidity in downtown Baltimore. He gave up an RBI-single to Grisham in the second, giving New York a 1-0 lead.

That was concerning for a team who hasn’t been scoring runs. But that changed. Gunnar Henderson smacked a two-run homer in the third, and the O’s led 2-1. Their first lead of the homestand.

But Grisham struck again in the fifth. His solo homer tied the game. The O’s spent a great deal of time trying to dance around Soto and Judge in this series – and record outs. They did that successfully today. But the bottom of the New York order hurt them.

However the Birds would get the lead back on a solo homer by Anthony Santander in the bottom of that fifth inning. And Oriole pitching shut NY down – until the end. Almost. As closer Craig Kimbrell was trying to pitch around the heart of the order, he walked the first two hitters of the inning. That turned the order over, and New York’s rookie first baseman, Rice, hit a three-run homer. And the Birds trailed, 5-3.

It’s tough to lose games that way. It exemplifies the agony of defeat. And Orioles fans at Camden Yards were staring that agony down. But…the game wasn’t over.

The O’s had runners at second and third with two down. Adley Rutschman drew a walk to load the bases. So you’re saying there’s a chance, huh…

And…there was. Ryan Mountcastle reached on a fielder’s choice. NY SS Volpe mishandled a routine ground ball, and Colton Cowser came into score. That cut the lead to 5-4.

And before the crowd could settle back down, it was over. Cedric Mullins hit what appeared to be a flair to left. However New York was playing their outfielders in, and that flair…was more than a flair. It fell in over the head of the left fielder Verdugo, for a two-run walkoff double. And the O’s go into the All-Star break with a 6-5 win, and alone in first place.

This snaps a five-game losing streak. There was also an uncharacteristic error by Volpe in the end. But remember, every other weird bounce in this series and on this homestand has gone against the O’s. These things even out.

And with that, the O’s scatter for a few days off over the All-Star break. Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, and others, will go to Texas for the festivities. But make no mistake that this is a huge win. They found a way to- one way or the other. And backs against the wall, that’s what the Baltimore Orioles do.

Baltimore Orioles: Little things turn into big ones

Grayson Rodriguez’s first inning pretty much did the Baltimore Orioles in this afternoon. Not that you can come back from a four-run first easily. You can come back from it but it’s challenging, as the tone has been set. Rodriguez’s line: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 1 BB, 7 K.

Little things can often turn into big things, as the title indicates. With one out and a runner on, Judge Drew a walk in the first inning, You figure the Orioles still have the double-play in tact, however Grayson Rodriguez uncorked a wild pitch to move both runners into scoring position. Following a strikeout, Torres’ RBI-single gave New York a 1-0 lead.

That occurred with two outs – after the strikeout. The Orioles have struggled all year with two strikes and two outs. It’s an interesting point. Quite frankly they’ve struggled over a long number of years in those settings – dating back to previous regimes.

The worst part of that is just prior to the RBI-single, Torres popped a ball into foul territory behind third base. It ended up being just out of reach of the Oriole infield, but it would have ended the inning without any runs scored. That loomed even larger when Wells cranked a three-run homer, giving New York a 4-0 lead.

Again, that’s tough from which to rebound. Especially when your bats are quiet. Which Oriole bats are right now. They would get on the board in the last of the fourth following a leadoff triple by Ryan O’Hearn. He would later score on an RBI-groundout by Ryan Mountcastle.

Here’s the difference in this series between New York and Oriole pitching: the corners. Again, small things turn into big things. New York was commanding the corners all day – and dating back to last night. Did they get a few “benefits of the doubt” in the strike zone? Absolutely. Did the Orioles? Not at all. But the Orioles didn’t own the black of the plate. Granted the umpire’s strike zone can at times dictate a lot of that, but the perception of the home plate umpire was that the Orioles weren’t hitting the corner. New York was.

So the Orioles had to improvise. Unfortunately that entailed going into the upper middle part of the strike zone, which hurt Rodriguez immensely. Soto and Judge hit back-to-back solo homers on elevated pitches, extending the lead to 6-1. End of the day, eventually you have to start “giving in” to a point. Meaning throwing a fastball in the middle of the plate.

New signee Vinny Nittoli pitched the eighth and ninth innings today, and was strong. He gave up a double to Soto in the ninth, but that was it. He looked very crisp in the strike zone with his cutter, which seemed to confuse New York hitters.

With the loss, the Orioles and New York are now tied in the AL East standings. In a sense, the O’s are still ahead by percentage points, as they’re one up in the loss column, however. They’re going through a rough stretch right now, but the break will help. Especially with pitching. And maybe injuries, as Heston Kjerstad went to the concussion IL before the game after last night’s beaning. Even if they lose tomorrow and New York takes first place at the ASB, there’s a long road ahead. Strap in.

The series concludes tomorrow at Camden Yards. Dean Kremer gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by New York’s Carlos Rodon. Game time is set for a special start time due to Roku TV, that being just after 11:30 AM.

Baltimore Orioles: Brandon’s Charge

Cade Povich had a better outing last night than in his last start for the Baltimore Orioles. However it wasn’t enough, as the Birds fell to New York at Camden Yards. Povich’s like: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 5 BB, 6 H.

Povich only gave up three earned runs by a technicality. Volpe got on base with a single in the second inning, however it was misplayed by Anthony Santander in right field. It ended up a single two-base error, with Volpe stopping at third. Given that Volpe followed with a double, the runs are earned.

Volpe would score almost immediately on Jones’ RBI-single. However the Birds would break their scoreless innings streak in the last of the inning with an RBI-triple by Ramon Urias. Which is good to see, but New York got their two-run margin back in the third with a solo homer by Judge.

Soto would add an insurance run in the form of an RBI-single in the ninth, and New York took game one, 4-1. However none of that is what has people talking this morning.

Heston Kjerstad was hit in the batting helmet in the last of the ninth by New York closer Holmes on an 0-3 count. For the record, I don’t think that was intentional, meaning it had nothing to do with the antics that went on three weeks ago in the Bronx. And the Orioles know that. However that situation (involving Judge and Gunnar Henderson) was certainly a backdrop to what happened last night.

Brandon Hyde and the Orioles’ trainers came out to check on Kjerstad, who left the game and is undergoing tests. Hyde, as he was leaving the field turned around and “charged” at the New York dugout while gesturing aggressively – in perhaps the MLB equivalent of “Pickett’s Charge” (Civil War reference there for you).

The dugouts and bullpens emptied, and Hyde was ejected. For his part, Hyde said he didn’t appreciate some of the comments that were directed at him from the New York dugout (quote courtesy of Steve Melewski, MASNsports):

“I was walking back and I hear stuff from their dugout. So, I just reacted the way I did. Saw what they were pointing at me and the whole thing, so, just reacted the way I did.

I’m reacting to their coaches, so, just reacted the way I did.

Holmes, for his part offered his best to Heston Knerstad (quote courtesy of the YES Network):

You know it was one of those things unfortunate. You are never trying to hit someone in the head. I hope Heston is okay from that.

The game situation indicates that this wasn’t intentional. And as Aaron Judge said after the game on YES, pitches have gone back and forth all year from these teams. Again, I don’t think Holmes was targeting anyone, and even if he were, I doubt he was throwing intentionally at anyone’s head.

However you’d be just as naive to suggest that the Orioles should take this lying down. Especially if the New York dugout was “sneering” at Brandon Hyde. It wasn’t let on as to what was being said specifically or who it was, but Hyde wasn’t having it,

I’m reminded of a game years ago when first baseman Chris Davis had been hit several times. He was hit again by the Kansas City Royals, and manager Buck Showalter was ejected demanding that the pitcher be ejected. After the game Kansas City inferred that the Orioles started it and the record showing that only Showalter was tossed reflects that.

Now for the record, nobody in the New York clubhouse said anything like that. However the record shows that in a bench-clearing brawl, only Brandon Hyde was tossed. The hope of course is that we look back on this as an inflection point that drove a fire under the Birds.

The series continues this afternoon at Camden Yards. Grayson Rodriguez gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by New York’s Luis Gil. Game time is set for just after 4 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Is perfection the enemy of success?

The good news for the Baltimore Orioles is that New York is losing to Tampa. The bad news of course is that behind starter Al Suarez, they were blanked by the Chicago Cubs, this while being swept. Suarez’s line: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 4 K.

There’s nothing the Orioles could do tonight and in this entire series that was going to work. And Chicago could do no wrong. I would reiterate that this sort of thing can happen to the best teams. During darker years, even facelsss Orioles teams had sweeps and great stretches.

Chicago took a 1-0 lead in the third on an RBI-double by Suzuki. Two innings later they put up three more, this on three doubles in a row. those were by Busch and Suzuki, giving Chicago a 4-0 lead.

Swanson would smack a solo homer in the sixth, and Chicago would put up three more in the seventh. Swanson and Busch were the two guys who did the most damage to the Orioles this series. That’s striking to me.

Busch at least is hitting .278. Swanson is hitting at a .209 clip. However they both were adamant about making an impact on this series and this game tonight.

The Orioles operate best when they’re tearing the cover off the ball. That wasn’t happening this week. However if the O’s can’t do that, they struggle.

Contrast that with Chicago, and with other central teams (think Cleveland, for example). Their attitude is hit ‘em where they ain’t. Translated: however you can get on base, you do it. Sometimes you have to play ball that way. And it’s something that would serve the Orioles well. Sometimes when you try to be too perfect, you’re anything but. Take it from a perfectionist.

I would remind fans that before the season started I cautioned that there would be tough days this season. That’s going to be true several times over the course of 162 games. The tides eventually turn. That much we know.

The Orioles will now open a three-game set to close the first half tomorrow with New York at Camden Yards. Cade Povich gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by New York’s Gerrit Cole. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.