It was a good week y'all. Not perfect, but about as good as one could hope for. The bats are clicking, the pitching's been adequate-- and don't look now, but the kids' are atop the best division in baseball, with reinforcements on the way.
This must be that "fun" feeling that's evaded us Orioles fans for too much of my life; not just having a chance, but expecting to win every single night, being disappointed in anything less. And that's exactly what we did for most of this last week:
Final Two vs. the Twins
An offensive explosion for the middle game of this set! With Grayson Rodriguez on the bump and the shitty Twins in town, the Birds wouldn't need more than four runs to get the win, but why stop there? Especially when you hit that number just halfway through the third inning...
James McCann kicked things off in the second with an RBI double before Gunnar Henderson drove him in on a long ball. After G-Rod notched three quick outs, the scoring carried on with an RBI ground out by Colton Cowser preceding a two-run shot by Jordan Westburg and a run scoring single by Gunnar. 7-0 before some people got into their seats!
It was cruise control from there. Rodriguez finished with six effective frames, striking out the side on his way to the locker room. Cowser and Anthony Santander added RBI singles to boost the score before Ryan O'Hearn put the cherry on top with his fourth home run of 2024. 11-3 Baltimore win.
A random midday, midweek showdown to wrap up the series, with a 1:05 start to this one. Gunnar knew about the early start, leading things off with a dinger in the Orioles' first at bat of the game. It'd be the last time anybody would score until the seventh.
Spot starter Albert Suarez was excellent for the Birds, giving up just three hits over 5.2 innings plus four strikeouts, carrying over the momentum he'd built up in Norfolk. He unfortunately would be denied a decision, with Danny Coulombe and Jacob Webb each surrendering a run in the seventh. Anthony Santander broke himself out of a skid with a game tying dinger in the bottom of the frame, which helped set the stage for some late inning heroics.
It was Cedric Mullins who did the deed. With Ryan Mountcastle on first, Ced got into an inside pitch at the knees, skying it well over scoreboard and into a raucous crowd. Walk off victory, 4-2 Birds, securing the sweep.
 |
| Photo: Jess Rapfogel/ AP |
Three in KC
Alec Marsh had the Birds' number again in game one of this 3'fer, once again shutting down the lineup to the tune of three scoreless hits and two walks. Dude's had Baltimore's number this season. Dean Kremer was okay, far better than his six earned run outing in his previous start, surrendering just three earned on two hits.
Keegan Akin and Dillon Tate though...woof. The two relievers combined to allow six runs while recording just four outs, a pathetic outing that spoiled Adley Rutschman's single-handed comeback attempt. His 7th inning grand slam made the final score appear much more respectable than reality-- this was an ass kicking-- Kansas City 9-4.
A dose of Corbin Burnes was exactly what the O's needed to get back to their winning ways. A seven-run second inning didn't hurt either, building a large lead that ultimately ended up being necessary. Burnes wasn't perfect, putting the team in a precarious spot by his inability to work through the sixth, but we can't expect perfection every time out.
However, we should be able to rely on relievers like Yohan Ramirez not spiking the ball into the grass four times in a row. The journeyman plunked Adam Frazier in the seventh before allowing a walk and a Maikel Garcia RBI single. The only out he was able to "record" came via Colton Cowser gunning down Kyle Isbel trying to take third on Garcia's hit. It was a pathetic showing, that evaporated the once stout lead.
Fortunately, in the top of that frame, Austin Hays scored on a wild pitch, setting the tone for the oddities to come. The Birds, once well ahead, now had to hold an one lead for six more outs.
Keegan Akin, Michael Baumann and Craig Kimbrel were up to that task, aided with some insurance on an RBI double by Anthony Santander. It was his third hit of the evening, a team high, helping Baltimore to get back on track. 9-7
I was talking to Correspondent Kevin before this rubber match, saying I had a feeling in my plums (against all odds) that we were about to get a big day out of Cole Irvin. Should've put my money where my mouth was, because the man was dealing. Four hits, two walks and not a single earned run across 6.2 frames-- an immaculate line against a hot lineup.
He got a little boost halfway through the start, in the form of back-to-back solo jacks from Cowser and Jordan Westburg. Three innings later, Ryan Mountcastle would tack on an RBI double before Westburg got walked in for the fourth run of the game. Ramon Urias added one in the ninth and that's how you get a 5-0 shutout for the good guys, taking a series on the road in this budding rivalry.
Game One vs. the Halos
Can we get a round of applause for Albert Suarez? Dude hasn't played in the MLB since 2017, then randomly decides to go 11.1 scoreless in his first two starts, seven years later. A true tale of perseverance.
 |
| Photo: Kvork Djansezian/ Getty Images |
Last night was the second of those two starts, with Suarez going 5.2 shutout frames. He looked comfortable working through a lineup that has been better than advertised. A James McCann solo dong, plus an RBI single and double by Adley Rutschman helped him exit the game with a 3-0 lead, which was fortunately enough.
Cowser added a one run bomb of his own in the seventh the put the O's up 4-0. Then Michael Baumann did Michael Baumann things and fucked around on the mound, getting the hook after giving up two earned runs on two hits and a walk, notching just one out. Pathetic, get him outta here.
Yennier Cano and Jacob Webb were able to shepherd the team to Craig Kimbrel, who struck out Mike Trout with the bases loaded in the ninth to record his sixth save in the Orange and Black. 4-2 Baltimore
Concluding Thoughts
-I'm hoping this Albert Suarez ride doesn't come to an obscenely abrupt end, because he's been awesome. With John Means and Kyle Bradish's impending arrivals, he may fall victim to a numbers game here sooner than later. But if he keeps pitching like this, how do you send him down? Especially with how some of our relievers have thrown...
-Such as Michael Baumann. Dude was a decent story in 2023, showing some semblance of competency, but that's gone out the window this year. I don't know if it's a guy from another team, or Nick Vespi, or somebody else in Norfolk (please not Bryan Baker), but something's got to change here
-Austin Hays seemed like he was finally figuring it out a little at the plate, so it sucks seeing him hit the IL. But Heston coming up to the big show, with the opportunity to establish himself among the other young guns currently thriving in Baltimore, is a notion that's incredibly exciting. In 21 games for Norfolk, the fourth ranked prospect in the organization posted a .349/10/30 line with a 1.175 OPS and 22:12 K:BB totals.
It was time to come up, a window just had to present itself. Here's to hoping Heston shut it behind him on the way through.
AL East Standings
1. Baltimore Orioles (15-7)
2. New York Yankees (15-8)
3. Toronto Blue Jays (13-10)
4. Boston Red Sox (13-10)
5. Tampa Bay Rays (12-12)
------
@Choppinglines
*I own no rights to any images found in this blog
Comments
Post a Comment