What a week of Orioles baseball we just endured: taking 3/4 from the Yankees before going into the Great American Ballpark and sweeping the Reds.
It's not always pretty, but it's generally complementary, which has been paying off in dividends. The bats go cold and the arms pick up the slack-- a starter throws some BP and the lineup does their best to answer. Sometimes it all clicks at once, like Sunday.
Simply put, a winning formula. Which is, slowly but surely, building a winning culture here in Baltimore. Confirmed: the beer is cold.
Three More Against New York
Good Dean made a second consecutive appearance on Tuesday, stifling the Bombers much of the evening. He lasted seven strong, allowing just two earned runs, with four hits, walks and strikeouts. Given the number of pitching questions this team is experiencing, performances like this from Kremer would be a trend to welcome.
 |
| Photo: Patrick Smith/ Getty Images |
Offensively, it was a lot of small ball that got the job done. Jordan Westburg kicked off the scoring with a run scoring fielder's choice in the second. Austin Wells knotted things up for New York with a solo shot the next inning before a big Orioles fourth put it away for good. James McCann's double broke the tie, before Gunnar Henderson drove him in for some insurance. Adley Rutschman tacked on an RBI single after that and the lead was up to three.
I'm not sure if Juan Soto has anything personal against Dean Kremer, but he can fuck off with that stare down after his (very, very long) homerun. Catchup on the scoreboard before starting with the antics-- something the Yankees wouldn't do in this one. 4-2 Birds.
Not to be a prude, but I cannot get over Luis Gil's ridiculous neck tattoo... it's even worse that he dealt Baltimore their first shutout loss of the year Wednesday night, killing our prop bet that they wouldn't be held scoreless in any game before the All-Star Break. The 25-year old allowed just two hits through 6.1, stymieing a lineup that had been formidable.
Oswaldo Cabrera, New York's nine hitter, managed to park a long drive in the foul pole above the scoreboard wall, bringing in two runs for the Bombers. That'd be all they needed, as Clay Holmes slammed the door with a five out save. 2-0 Yankees.
A quick turnaround had these two teams back on the field about sixteen hours after their last game had wrapped up. The O's bats came prepared, scoring all seven of their runs by the end of the fifth inning. Mountcastle, Ryan McKenna and Jorge Mateo all hit solo dongs before a four-run fifth put the Birds well out of reach. Mounty and Mateo provided an RBI each before Jordan Westburg added two on a triple.
New York simply couldn't keep up, not with Kyle Bradish back on the hill. It wasn't a perfect performance, but it was a gritty one that gave his team a chance to win-- 4.2 innings, four hits, two walks, one earned and five strikeouts. Welcome back son!
Keegan Akin gave up a solo shot to Gleyber Torres to afford the Yankees a little dignity, but that'd be it for the scoring here. 7-2 Orioles + a 3-1 series victory.
A Set in Cincy
Cole Irvin, take a bow. He and Hunter Greene exchanged scoreless frames through the first six before Baltimore finally broke through. Rutschman started things off with a double that plated Jorge Mateo. The next batter, Ryan O'Hearn, went yard to put Irvin in the position for a decision.
Yennier Cano and Danny Coulombe would bridge the Birds to the ninth, where Craig Kimbrel made his return to the closer role. It seemed his back had returned to 100%, as the walks turned into K's as he set down the side for his eighth save of the year. 3-0 Orioles.
Then it was John Means' turn. In his return to business, the lefty absolutely locked down the Reds, to the tune of three scoreless hits and eight K's. It was a completely unanticipated masterclass with how shaky he'd looked during his rehab stint.
 |
| Photo: Dylan Buell/ Getty Images |
Mateo and Rustchsman stayed hot, adding solo homers in the fourth and fifth to build up a lead that'd barely stand by the bottom of the ninth. Kimbrel faced four batters, giving up two hits, a walk and a run-- forcing Yennier Cano to the rescue. Fortunately, he was up to the challenge, notching his first save of 2024. 2-1 Baltimore.
With the possibility for a sweep at hand, the Birds came out swinging in the final showdown of this set. Before you knew it, it was 3-0, courtesy of an Anthony Santander single and a Jordan Westburg two-run bomb. And it got worse for Cincinnati in a hurry. Adley RBI double, Ryan McKenna dong, another RBI for Rutsch, a Cowser run scoring double-- then a grand of a cherry on top from Santander. 11-0 entering the bottom of the ninth.
Then Michael Baumann blew the shutout, incapable of recording two outs without allowing run. But if ever there was a low leverage situation to work him into... Dean Kremer was incredible once again, giving up one hit and one walk over six shutout innings. Albert Suarez looked like a bad man coming out of the bullpen behind him too, notching 2.1 scoreless/hitless innings.
We just had to have that Baumann taste in our mouth at the end. Regardless, break out the brooms! 11-1 O's.
Concluding Thoughts
-What a conundrum Cole Irvin's put us in. As soon as the reinforcements of John Means and Kyle Bradish arrive, he (is still currently in the midst of) a 20.2 inning consecutive scoreless streak. He's been masterful during this time, keeping the ball down in the zone and giving opposing batters very little to work with. I don't think a six-man rotation is the way to go moving forward, but this glutton of starting pitching talent is certainly an exciting (and foreign) issue
-Albert Suarez's move to reliever is a tremendous internal solution to our bullpen issue. He looked really sharp in the role Sunday and could end up alleviating what was going to be a major trade deadline concern
-Curious to see if it's Ryan McKenna or Heston sent down when Austin Hays' returns from injury soon. You know exactly what you're getting at this point with McKenna, an average fourth outfielder, but that's really all we need currently. Perhaps Kjerstad would benefit from more playing time back down on Norfolk? Not that he really had much to prove there. His time's coming soon enough though.
AL East Standings
1. Baltimore Orioles (23-11)
2. New York Yankees (23-13)
3. Boston Red Sox (19-16)
4. Tampa Bay Rays (18-18)
5. Toronto Blue Jays (16-19)
------
@Choppinglines
*I own no rights to any images found in this blog
Comments
Post a Comment