Tag Archives: James McCann

The Baltimore Orioles play until the last out – ALWAYS. Granted, that final out came well after it should have. The Orioles and starter Corbin Burnes waited five – yes, count ‘em – FIVE hours through a rain delay before today’s game started. It was supposed to be a day game, and it ended up an early evening affair. Burnes’ line: 5.2 IP, 9 H, 2 R 0 BB, 3 K.

Salvador Perez seemed to make it his mission to torment the Orioles in this game. He smacked an RBI-single in the first, and another one in the third. This before the O’s could do anything. Garcia added a solo homer in the seventh.

Incidentally that first run, credit it to Bobby Witt. He extended a rundown where he was effectively dead on arrival between third and the plate, and allowed a runner to get to third base. It’s pesky things like that which can win you ballgames. And it made a difference today…

…that is, until the eighth inning. Gunnar Henderson got the Orioles on the board in the last of the eighth with a sac fly-RBI. Later in the inning Adley Rutschman would add an RBI-single, but he was thrown out at second base. Nevertheless, the O’s had cut the lead to 3-2.

Then they came to bat in the last of the ninth. With one out the O’s had runners at second and third, and Kansas City opted to intentionally walk Austin Hays to load the bases – Austin Hays, who’s started the season in a bit of a slump. Colton Cowser struck out for the second out, and it briefly appeared that Kansas City had gotten away with the IBB.

But that brought James McCann to the plate. And while he’s only the backup catcher, he delivered. He smacked a two-RBI single, giving the O’s the 4-3 win in walk off manner. Make no mistake, that was a big win.

The Orioles almost couldn’t afford to start the year at .500 against teams who on paper shouldn’t stack up against them. Finding a way to win this game is HUGE in terms of morale. And Lord knows what sort of difference it makes down the stretch. This after a five hour rain delay.

Kyle Gibson only lasted into the fifth inning last night for the Baltimore Orioles. However that doesn’t mean Gibson pitched poorly per se. But the O’s are in a pennant race, so in effect they’re already playing postseason games. And you have to manage a postseason game differently. Gibson’s line: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 5 K.

Ryan O’Hearn stayed hot for the Birds, sending a two-run homer over the wall in the top of the first. However Houston quickly tied the game, with Tucker snacking a two-run homer in the bottom of the frame. Don’t look so surprised, folks. Houston’s the defending champion. They aren’t going down without a fight.

But if the 2023 Orioles have proven anything, it’s that they’re no slouch. Austin Hays came through big in the third, smacking a three-run home run and giving the Orioles a 5-2 lead. But again…Houston’s the defending champion. They aren’t going to go quietly, especially in their home yard. Bregman’s solo homer in the last of the third brought them to within 5-3.

Yet, nobody told the Orioles that they were supposed to stop scoring. Or that Houston wanted them to do so, at least. James McCann came through clutch in the sixth. With runners at the corners he put down a safety squeeze, forcing in a run. And he slid triumphantly into first base, making it an infield RBI-single.

Before the inning ended Gunnar Henderson added an RBI-single, extending the lead to 7-3. Diaz would bring Houston back to within two with a two-run homer in the last of the sixth, but the O’s weren’t relenting, deep in the heart of Texas. Austin Hays smacked his second homer of the game in the seventh, a solo shot. Heston Kjerstad followed suit with one of his own, and the O’s cruised to a 9-5 win.

The key play was McCann’s RBI-single in the sixth. The last thing you’re expecting there is for McCann to put down a squeeze bunt. In a game where Houston was already perpetually on their heels and playing from behind, that really cemented things in a sense. It also kept the Orioles out of a double-play, setting up the inning for additional damage.

The series concludes this afternoon at Minute Maid Park. Kyle Bradish gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Houston’s Cristian Javier. Game time is set for just after 2 PM.

If there’s one slightly concerning thing about last night’s game for the Baltimore Orioles, it’s that starter Dean Kremer seemed to lose it on the drop of a dime. Kremer had an overall good outing. But he walked three hitters in the sixth inning (leading to New York tying the game – temporarily), after having excellent control for most of his outing. Odds are it was nothing and can be chalked up to the ebb and flow of the game. But it happened. Kremer’s line: 5.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 4 K.

Before the game the Orioles took a moment to honor their former manager, current New York Mets’ skipper, Buck Showalter. It was Showalter’s first trip back to Camden Yards as a visitor. The O’s ran a video tribute on Diamondvision in Showalter’s honor, and deservedly so. The crowd gave Showalter a standing ovation, and with that familiar “aw shucks” sort of grin on his face, Showalter tipped his cap several times to the fans. Classy moment and very well-handled on the part of everyone. Make no mistake that Buck Showalter thinks glowingly of his time in Baltimore, and he’ll always have a special place in Birdland hearts.

The O’s took a 2-0 lead in the fourth when James McCann smacked a two-RBI single. However New York got those runs back and tied the game in the sixth when Kremer suddenly struggled. Lindor’s two-RBI single in the wake of the aforementioned walks knitted things up at 2-2.

But the Orioles quickly righted the ship. Ryan O’Hearn’s RBI-single in the bottom of the inning gave them a 3-2 lead. James McCann, who had a big night, added a two-RBI double, and Adley Rutschman a sac fly-RBI. And after six the O’s held a 6-2 lead.

But even though the New York Mets are having a tough season and they just sold off the farm in a sense, they’re still a Major League Baseball team. And Orioles fans know all too well who’s in charge in their dugout – Buck Showalter’s teams don’t give up. You have to put them away. And the Orioles did.

It was Jordan Westburg’s three-run homer in the last of the seventh that blew the game wide open. it was Westburg’s second big league home run, and again in my view it came in a big moment. James McCann added the icing on the cake (on both the game and his own personal effort) with an RBI-single later in the inning. New York pushed a nominal run across in the eighth, and the Birds closed out a 10-3 win.

James McCann of course was traded to the O’s from New York this past off season. And he tormented his old team last night. He became the first catcher to go 3-for-3 or better with a walk, stolen base, and a minimum of five RBI since 1920. More poignantly in the here and now however, he did his part for a big Orioles’ win in the here and now.

The series continues this evening at Camden Yards. Kyle Gibson gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by New York’s Tyler Megil. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.