Baltimore Orioles: Tyler Wells with his first career win

Matt Harvey was technically the starter for the Baltimore Orioles tonight. However that was in name only, as he acted as an “opener.” The Birds needed a starter for tonight’s game, and rather than making a roster move they allowed Harvey to do his side session in a game today. Harvey’s line: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K.

It’s almost a tough thing to ask of a starting pitcher, as he knows he isn’t pitching to get the win – given that he’s only going a max of three innings. But Harvey did what was asked of him, surrendering only a second inning solo homer to Jeffers.

Maikel Franco would reach on an error in the last of the fourth, allowing a run to score and tying the game up at one. One inning later the man who came in to score in that sequence, DJ Stewart, would smack a two-run home run. That gave the O’s a 3-1 lead.

Ryan Mountcastle would break the game wide open in the last of the seventh. His three-run home run doubled the number of runs the Birds had scored, giving them a 6-1 lead. Minnesota would put two across in the eighth, but it wasn’t enough as the Orioles cruised to a 6-3 victory.

Reliever Tyler Wells came in behind Matt Harvey, and pitched three strong innings in relief. He qualified for the win, his first in the majors. Over three innings in the game, Wells struck out two, and surrendered one hit.

The O’s of course snapped a 14-game losing streak overall last night, as well as a 16-game losing streak against Minnesota. So they go from that extreme to winning two straight, and winning a series. That’s quite a swing. And they’ll celebrate it tomorrow with a day off at home before Cleveland comes in on Friday night.

Baltimore Orioles snap losing streak and defeat Minnesota

Bruce Zimmermann started his third game during the Baltimore Orioles’ losing streak this evening at Camden Yards. And the third time was the charm in Charm City, as the Birds snapped their 14-game losing streak. They also snapped a 16-game losing streak to Minnesota. Zimmermann’s line: 5.1 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 7 K.

The O’s got ahead early in the last of the first, when Trey Mancini smacked an RBI-single. However two innings later Minnesota would tie it at one on solo homer. But the Birds had just begun to fight.

And fight they did. Mancini and Freddy Galvis each smacked RBI-singles. DJ Stewart grounded into a fielder’s choice which allowed a third run to score. Ryan Mountcastle would add an RBI-double, and the O’s held a 5-1 lead when the smoke cleared.

And they weren’t finished yet. Pedro Severino smacked a solo homer an inning later in the fourth. Maikel Franco would also add a solo shot in the sixth.

Minnesota would challenge, though. As I said yesterday, long losing streaks don’t go away willingly. They tend to linger and fight to stay alive. Minnesota would bet runs in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings. Once they even left the bases loaded. The Birds came out ahead each time.

In short, the bullpen bent but didn’t break. Which is a good thing. They limited the damage each time they found themselves in a pickle, and helped propel the Birds to victory. And again, that snapped a 14-game losing streak.

The series concludes tomorrow night at Camden Yards. Matt Harvey gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Minnesota’s Randy Dobnak. (On a side note, Harvey is starting on short rest. This will be akin to a side session for him “, but it’ll be in real games. He’s expected to pitch approximately 2-3 innings before turning it over to the bullpen.) Game time is set just before 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: It’s never easy

The Baltimore Orioles had a shot to snap their losing steak this afternoon. It just didn’t happen. Jorge Lopez was actually a bright spot for the Birds, pitching six really solid innings. Lopez’s line: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 7 K.

Lopez’s lone run surrendered was in the third inning on a force out. And that was it. The O’s allowed him to tire just a bit, and when the team needed him to get out of the sixth inning he was able to do so. Pitching tired is “a thing,” and Lopez was forced to do it today. And he pitched through.

Ryan Mountcastle’s solo homer in the last of the fifth tied the game at one. Keep in mind, the Orioles really battled in this game. That doesn’t mean anything when you’ve lost 13 straight and are just trying to snap the streak, but they battled hard.

One thing that’s different from a week ago when they played Minnesota is that their pitching is better. Starting pitching seems to have gotten a bit of a grip, and that’s streamlined the bullpen just a little.

The game went to extra innings, which of course meant that a runner started every inning at second base. Minnesota’s runner was Refsnyder, and after moving to third he scored on a wild pitch. Of course it was going to be a fluky play like that which would send the Orioles to defeat once again. To add insult to injury, Polanco added a solo homer, giving Minnesota a 3-1 lead.

But again, the Orioles fought. With a runner on second, DJ Stewart’s RBI-double cut the lead to 3-2. The Birds appeared poised to at least tie the game, but Minnesota pitched out of it, sending the Birds down to defeat once again, 3-2.

The series continues tomorrow night at Camden Yards. Bruce Zimmermann gets the start for the Birds, and he’ll be opposed by Minnesota’s Michael Pineda. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: This is part of a rebuild

Keegan Akin was asked to be the Baltimore Orioles’ stopper today. And for the most part, while not making it out of the fifth, he did a good job. But when you come in having lost 12 straight games, that makes it tougher. Losing streaks don’t like to go away. Akin did put the Birds in a position to win the game, however. Akin’s line: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 4 K.

DJ Stewart smacked a solo homer in the third inning, giving the O’s a 1-0 lead. And the ironic thing is that throughout this losing streak, the Orioles have had the lead fairly often. Meaning they’ve taken early leads in games, only to surrender them. This time it was only one run, but of course there was the five-run lead they blew in Washington as well.

In general, Oriole pitching was very good today. They just need to put together good pitching and good hitting at the same time. And in the absence of more than one run, Oriole bats were asking the pitching staff to bite off more than they could chew.

Hamilton smacked a solo homer of his own in the last of the third to tie the game. However the game remained tied until the last of the seventh, despite the Orioles loading the bases with nobody out. A single and a throwing error later, and Chicago had a runner in scoring position. Madrigal’s run-scoring triple gave Chicago a 2-1 lead. Moncada’s RBI-single would run the score to 3-1, which was the final.

The opponent always comes up with late-inning heroics when you’ve lost twelve straight games – now 13. On that note, I’ve seen a lot of things said on media such as Twitter during games – about the losing streak, and whether Brandon Hyde or Mike Elias should continue in their roles. Regarding Hyde, there are legitimate complaints you can make about any manager. I don’t see them changing managers unless he loses the clubhouse. And there appears to be no indication of that happening.

Mike Elias was very up front about what needed to happen, and what a full rebuild entailed. It’s a painful process. The nadir of the losing was 2018, before the rebuild even began (it began in the middle of the season at the trade deadline). They actually tried to win that year, but instead we know how the season went. 2019 was really the first full year, and last year was a wash. This season is the second full year.

But again, it’s not a fun process. Sometimes I question – did people think Elias was putting them on when he made that clear at the beginning? This process probably should have happened in or about 1999, and again around 2007-08. Instead they warmed over the team, never fully committing to rebuilding. This time around however, they’re doing it the right way.

Fans may argue that doesn’t make losing 13 straight games any easier. And that’s a fact for sure. But keep in mind that the farm system had been depleted when Elias took over in advance of 2019. As of now they’re a top five farm system in baseball. That right there tells you he’s doing it right, and what will eventually be coming to Baltimore.

The O’s now head home to open a three-game set at Camden Yards. Jorge Lopez gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Minnesota’s Jose Berrios. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.

Baltimore Orioles lose game, possibly Trey Mancini

If Bruce Zimmermann’s effort last night is any indication, perhaps the Baltimore Orioles’ starters are beginning to settle down just a bit. PERHAPS. Zimmermann only threw five innings, but he put the team in a position to win, and he potentially saved them from having to use a bullpen reliever earlier than they did. Zimmermann’s line: 5.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 6 K.

Zimmermann gave up a solo homer to Mercedes in the second inning. And that’s it. Freddy Galvis tied the game in the top of the fourth with a solo shot of his own. And on we played.

But an RBI-single by Hamilton in the sixth gave the ChiSox the lead again. And they didn’t look back. This combined with a three-run seventh inning gave Chicago a 5-1 lead.

But the O’s may have lost more than just their tenth straight game. Trey Mancini was hit on his elbow in the first inning. He was down for awhile, and after being checked out by head trainer Brian Ebel, he went down to first base and ran for himself.

However Mancini was lifted from the game in the last of the first and couldn’t play in the field. He was later diagnosed with a contusion. HeMs listed as day-to-day.

Manager Brandon Hyde addressed Mancini’s injury after the game:

As of right now he’s not undergoing any more testing. We are going to see how he feels tomorrow. I’m sure it’s going to be extremely sore. He got him in a tender spot there by the elbow.

Quote courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports

Bruce Zimmermann was still in the bullpen warming up when Mancini was injured. Zimmermann on Mancini:

It was a very silent bullpen when we saw that happen. Obviously, Trey is the leader on this team and a sparkplug for us on offense, as well. I talked to him a little bit in the clubhouse when I came in. He’s in good spirits and hopefully it’s nothing more than a contusion and he gets back on the playing field as soon as possible because he’s such an integral part of this team and a key to our offense and just the lifeline of this team.

Quote courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports

I don’t need to remind everyone of Mancini’s story. By default he’s already the Comeback Player of the Year. He’s also the league’s RBI-leader. But now he risks going to the IL. Only time will tell on that.

The series continues this evening at Guaranteed Rate Field. Matt Harvey gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Chicago’s Dallas Keuchel. Game time is set for just after 8 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Should Jorge Lopez be a reliever?

Win or lose, Jorge Lopez did a valuable service for the Baltimore Orioles this afternoon in Minnesota. He pitched six innings in this afternoon’s game. That saved the Oriole bullpen, which as we know has already been over-worked. He also pitched to a quality start. Lopez’s line: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 3 K.

Lopez was given the lead early when Trey Mancini smacked a solo homer in the first inning. And that lead stood up for the Orioles over some time. Lopez pitched a solid outing, and mowed hitters down over a long period of time. Until he couldn’t do it anymore.

With two on in the sixth, Cano smacked a three-run home run. That gave Minnesota a 3-1 lead. Maikel Franco would get the O’s back on the board with an RBI-double in the ninth, but it wasn’t enough. And the Orioles fell to their ninth straight loss

Predictably, Minnesota got through to Lopez on his third time through the order. He’s had a real issue pitching the third time through. He’s been fairly solid on the first and second times through the order, but it’s the third time that’s got him.

So should Lopez be a reliever instead of a starter? That would avoid him going through the order three times. Another option might be an “opener.” In that role he might or might not go through the order once. But at the very least he wouldn’t see the entire order, and thus would’t see it three times through.

Here’s another point; did Brandon Hyde wait too long to lift him? Lopez was obviously tiring in that sixth inning. And this is part of having a tired bullpen – you find yourself in these sorts of dilemma’s. The result suggests that Hyde did wait too long. But who knows how true that is. Again, all of this is the result of the bullpen having to be over-taxed.

And the good news is that while they lost their ninth straight game and while Lopez got tagged with the loss, he saved the bullpen some innings this afternoon. He acted as an innings-eater, which is one of the reasons he’s on this team. But the O’s need to keep in mind moving forward that the third time through the order things are different.

The O’s now head to Chicago for four games with the ChiSox at Guaranteed Rate Field. Bruce Zimmermann gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Chicago’s Dylan Cease. Game time is set for just after 8 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Are the O’s positioning themselves wrongly?

The Baltimore Orioles lost their eighth straight game last night in Minnesota. Dean Kremer for the start, and put the Birds in a spot to win. Granted his stay line might not indicate that, but he did. That’s what you ask of a starting pitcher. Kremer’s line: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 3 BB, 5 K.

There was some promise in this game from the Birds’ perspective. In the second inning it appeared they had hit into a double-play with one out, however the Minnesota infield bumbled the ball and everyone was safe. Cedric Mullins proceeded to smack a two-run single giving the O’s a 2-0 lead.

The promising thing wasn’t that they scored or that they had the lead. Throughout the losing streak that hasn’t been an issue. (The issue has been holding the lead.) But what was promising about that was that the O’s held their opponent accountable for their mistake. The inning should have been over. And as opposed to just recording the final two outs in a ho-hum manner, the O’s put two runs across and held Minnesota accountable for their mistake.

However Minnesota came right back in the last of the second. Polanco’s solo homer cut the lead in half, and Refsnyder’s RBI-double tied the game. Minnesota would later load the bases, and take a 4-2 lead by scoring on consecutive wild pitches.

One of those wild pitches was probably blockable by catcher Pedro Severino. But it trickled away. He did make up for that however with an RBI-double in the fourth inning. But Minnesota would put two runs across down the stretch of the game as well, before DJ Stewart smacked a solo homer in the eighth. The O’s would fall 7-4, again with their eighth consecutive loss.

Here’s an interesting point about that; how are the Birds positioning their fielders? I saw Minnesota outfielders making several amazing plays the past two games. Plays they had to work to make, but that they made. Saving balls from falling in by the skin of their teeth.

Other times the O’s were making good contact, but right at fielders. Conversely, it seems that opponents are using the entire field more than anything else. In Washington last weekend there were multiple shots down the lines which sent Oriole corner outfielders scrambling. A trend that has continued into Minnesota.

Are the O’s positioning their outfielders straight-away too often? Because they’re giving up shots down the line, and all but surrendering scoring position for opposing base runners. And there’s something about how opponents can position their fielders AGAINST the Birds which says that they know something about Oriole hitters’ tendencies that the Orioles don’t. That’s concerning.

The series in Minnesota concludes this afternoon at Target Field. Jorge Lopez gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Minnesota’s Michael Pineda. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Six-run eighth sinks the Birds in Minneapolis

The Baltimore Orioles appeared poised to break a six-game losing streak last night in Minnesota following a 45 minute rain delay. John Means had started for the O’s, and was predictably effective. But as I said, they “appeared poised to break the losing streak.” Appearances can be deceiving. Means’ line: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 5 K.

The Orioles took an early 1-0 lead in the first on Anthony Santander’s RBI-double. This is the third straight game in which the Birds have gotten at it right away and scored in the first inning. Unfortunately it’s almost been like the opponent has said we have them right where we want them. Even still, with Means on the mound and with Oriole bats coming in hot after the weekend in Washington, things were looking up.

Means would give up a solo homer to Larnach in the third to tie the game at one. He’s surrender a second solo homer to Garlick in the sixth, giving Minnesota the lead. But true to form, solo homers usually don’t beat you.

The skies opened up with DJ Stewart about to come to the plate with a runner on base in the eighth. The teams sat through a 45 minute rain delay before play was able to resume. And perhaps it was worth the wait, as Stewart smacked a two-run homer. That put the O’s in the lead at 3-2, and again they appeared poised to snap the losing streak.

Then the last of the eighth happened. Minnesota not only tied the game and took the lead, but they did it in grandiose fashion. They shut the door on the Orioles’ hopes of snapping the losing streak, which now sits at seven games. When the smoke cleared Minnesota had put six runs on the board in the eighth inning, and they cruised to an 9-4 victory.

After the game John Means tried to stay upbeat, saying that the O’s were still in a good spot:

Obviously, after a loss like that, it’s pretty quiet, but we approach every day with a lot of energy. We come to the field ready to win, ready to compete. I still think this team is in a good place and has energy coming to the field. It’s just can’t get that one win to get us going.

Quote courtesy of Rich Kubatko, MASNsports

As I said following the Washington series, the Oriole bullpen is really in a spot. They’ve been overused with starters not being able (or in some cases allowed) to go deep into games. And with no off day in sight for awhile. What was once supposed to be the strength of the team is now a major liability.

The series continues tonight at Target Field in Minneapolis. Dean Kremer gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Minnesota’s Jose Berrios. Game time is set for just after 7:30 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Pitching is taking it’s toll

Matt Harvey became the second Baltimore Orioles’ starter in as many days to get a first inning lead against Washington. And he also became the second in as many days to give said lead up. Harvey’s line: 4.2 IP, 9 H, 6 R (5 earned), 1 BB, 6 K.

One thing that was different in this game as opposed to the other two in the series is that the O’s were aggressive early on. Granted they put up five runs yesterday, but they weren’t aggressive early in the count. Today they hit the ground running, and Trey Mancini’s RBI-single in the first inning gave them a 1-0 lead.

The Birds would go onto get an RBI-single from Anthony Santander, and an RBI-double from Maikel Franco. Before Harvey took the mound, he led 3-0. However Washington immediately evened the score in the last of the first. He’ll smacked an RBI-single, and Schwarber a two-run homer.

Washington would take the lead later on in the inning on Avila’s RBI-double. But the good news is that the O’s never stopped playing. Franco’s sac fly-RBI in the third tied the score at four. However again, Washington came right back in the fourth with Turner’s sac fly-RBI to take a 5-4 lead.

Washington would get a sixth run in the fifth on a walk with the bases loaded, and Trey Mancini’s RBI-groundout would get the Birds to within one at 6-5. But that’s as close as they BBC like come, and they were swept in the series by Washington.

The real issue right now facing this team is pitching. Aside from Friday, Oriole bats were strong in this series. They may not have gotten clutch hits in clutch moments, but they put runs on the board. Certainly enough to win the final two games of the series.

But this was bound to happen with starters not going deep into games early in the season. The bullpen tired, and starters continually are throwing shorter outings. And they need to get this figured out soon. They don’t have an off day in sight anytime soon.

The O’s now move onto Target Field in Minnesota to open up a series tomorrow night. John Means gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Minnesota’s Matt Shoemaker. Game time is set for just after 7:30 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Things faded fast in DC

The Baltimore Orioles gave Bruce Zimmerman the lead before he even took the mound at Nationals Park in Washington, DC this afternoon. And a big lead at that – 5-0. However you could almost see Zimmerman and his teammates playing not to lose even at that point. Zimmerman’s line: 3.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 1 BB, 2 K.

I shouldn’t say not to lose. Oriole bats did come alive to a degree today. But while five runs in the first inning are a lot, the issue is there’s still a lot of baseball to be played. Freddy Galvis’ RBI-double would give the O’s a 1-0 lead. As the inning progressed they would eventually load the bases, and Ryan Mountcastle’s grand slam made it 5-0.

Again however, there was still a lot of innings left. And when you have a tired bullpen like the Orioles do, that could be a huge problem. Washington would put a run across on a force out by Gomes in the second. And the Birds actually were able to extend their lead to 6-1 on an RBI-single by Pedro Severino.

But Washington’s lineup was unimpressed with the Orioles and Ryan Mouncastle’s grand slam. Harrison smacked one of his own in the last of the third. That cut the Orioles’ lead to 6-5. In the third inning.

One inning later Turner’s RBI-single tied the game at six, and Zimmerman’s three-run homer gave Washington a 9-6 lead. Those runs weren’t charged to Bruce Zimmerman of course, as he was long gone. But it’s really amazing at how quickly this got away from the O’s. It‘s almost as if Washington was offended at the Birds taking the early lead.

The O’s would get one back on a solo homer in the fifth by Anthony Santander. However Washington would piecemeal a few additional runs together before the game ended. A sac fly-RBI by Castro and an RBI-single by Schwarber in the sixth. They would also get a 12th run on an error by Franco at third base. The O’s threatened in the eighth and netted two on a two-RBI double by Pat Valaika, but they were unable to get closer than 12-9.

Washington took advantage of every opportunity the Orioles gave them. From the grand slam, to scoring on that error. Ironically however, the Orioles took advantage of their chances also. They just had fewer of them. That’s something that needs to change if the O’s are going to win games. Close games, that is.

The series concludes tomorrow at Nationals Park. Matt Harvey gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Washington’s Patrick Corbin. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.