Orioles Report 6/4

Another good week in the books for the Birds! And yet we lose a game of ground to the Yankees...what a tear they've been on.

All we can do is win though, which is what our Orioles have been doing for the most part. A good week on the footstep of a very challenging June ahead. Time to see what the boys are made of...

Final Two vs. the BoSox

An up and down start for Grayson Rodriguez in game two of this threesome against Boston. On one hand, he managed a career high 10 strikeouts. On the other, he exited with a 4-3 deficit after allowing seven hits over six. Solid, but he'd be the first to tell you he could do better. 

The bats also had plenty of room to improve here. After falling behind by two in the top of the first, they Colton Cowser and Jordan Westburg countered with one and two-RBI singles, respectively, to put the Birds ahead 3-2. They wouldn't score again.

Cionel Perez needed Yennier Cano to relieve him, being credited with an earned run post departure. Keegan Akin gave up the other three in the ninth, on a walk and two hits-- a long ball included. Need an upgrade on that front ASAP. 8-3 BoSox.

A much brighter rubber match however, with Corbin Burnes on the bump doing ace things. He'd allow Boston to go ahead 1-0 on a Dominic Smith RBI groundout in the second, but it'd be the last time they scored.

Photo: Reggie Hildred/ USA Today Sports

It'd be the last time they lead as well, with Baltimore putting up a five-spot in the bottom of the frame. Ramon Urias drove in the first run on a run scoring single before a James McCann walk set up Gunnar with the bases loaded. The result was grand, and far-- a 422' bomb to go ahead 5-1.

Ramon added a solo dinger of his own later on, seeing Corbin out the door after seven strong. The Red Sox were completely stymied by the righty, striking out five times while mustering just three hits. Orioles win 6-1 and take the series vs. their AL East rivals.

A Trio vs. Tampa

Onto the next divisional foe, with the floundering Rays in town for a set. Albert Suarez greeted them upon arrival, surrendering just one run through five sharp innings. What a contributor he's been these first few months...more on that later.

The offense would do Suarez no favors though, with the starter exiting in a 1-0 hole. Then Austin Hays showed signs of life, tying things up with an RBI single to left. Two batters later, Jorge Mateo delivered a two-strike, two-out two-bagger that plated Hays and Colton Cowser. It was a phenomenal at bat from a guy who had* really been in the zone.

Yennier Cano, Danny Coulombe, Jacob Webb and Craig Kimbrel took it from there, scattering a hit and two walks over the final three while keeping Tampa off the board. Orioles start the series right, winning 3-1.

Hope you brought your popcorn for the middle match, because there were some fireworks. Ryan Mountcastle and Anthony Santander hit back to back long balls in the first inning to put the good guys ahead three early on. Kyle Bradish faltered from there, allowing the Rays to tie it up in the top of the second.

Jordan Westburg broke the deadlock in the bottom of the frame with a solo home run of his own, but Bradish couldn't escape the third as Tampa jumped back ahead 5-4. Not his best work, but I suppose he was due for a tough start.

It was all Orioles from there though. Westy led the charge in the third, tying things up on an infield single before a Kyle Stowers double and Mateo sac fly put the good guys back ahead. Ryan Mountcastle would go yard once again in the fourth, scoring Ryan O'Hearn in the process, putting our score at 9-5. 

Which is exactly where it would stay for the final five innings! Credit Webb, Dillon Tate, Cionel Perez, Cano and Keegan Akin for that-- even though the latter fucked around and loaded the bases in the ninth. Dude's got to go. Regardless, Baltimore emerges victorious, guaranteeing themselves a series win.

Then came game three, one of the more frustrating ones we've endured in recent weeks. Cole Irvin was shaky yet oddly efficient, giving up eight hits and two earned as he made his way through 6.1 on just 90 pitches. He left the game with a 3-2 lead, thanks to a Gunnar leadoff home run in the first-- his sixth such long ball of the year-- and RBI singles from Santander and Adley. Dillon Tate powered through the rest of the seventh and all was well.

Til it wasn't. The wheels fell off for Tate in the eighth, as the Rays battered the righty for four hits and two runs before Hyde yanked him mid-inning. The lineup was unable to pick up the slack, despite loading the bases with just one out in the bottom of the frame. A Mountcastle double play quelled that threat, taking the wind out of Baltimore's sails in the process. Tough way to wrap things up, 4-3 Tampa.

Game One in Toronto

Connor Norby in the house! Some very exciting news breaking midday Monday that the O's sixth ranked prospect was finally getting the call to the big show. It wasn't all sunshine and roses for the second basemen, striking out twice against Kevin Gausman while going 0-3, but an incredible achievement nonethless.

Grayson Rodriguez was back to form, dicing the Blue Jays through 6.2. He allowed seven hits, a touch higher than we'd prefer, but no walks was super encouraging. 

He'd be powered to a decision victory via the long ball: a two-run shot by Santander, a solo bomb by Ramon Urias, a two-run shot and a solo bomb by Austin Hays plus a Colton Cowser double comprised Baltimore's scoring, quickly building a lead and refusing to let go. 

Not even Keegan Akin could mess this one up, 7-2 Orioles to start things off up north.

Concluding Thoughts

-Awesome seeing Connor Norby get his first crack in the bigs. An 0-3 night wouldn't be how he'd have scripted it, but it was a huge moment and well deserved. Really gross that it took Cedric Mullins concussing Jorge Mateo to get him here...but we'll try to look at the glass half full

-Kyle Stowers' mini-emergence has been really refreshing. I was firmly in the camp that he was no more than a AAAA guy, a Ryan McKenna with a little more pop, if you will. Small sample size, but Stowers is slowly proving that he can be a contributor on the major league level. Emphasis on slowly, because we're still getting plenty of Austin Hays for whatever reason. Hopefully that two homer performance will put a little pep in his step for the upcoming weeks

-It absolutely cannot be slept on how clutch of a discovery Albert Suarez has been. Between the borderline dominant spot starts and sharp transition to (and from) the bullpen, he's been a weapon on every tier of our pitching staff. Given the plethora of injuries our pitchers are dealing with, his emergence has been critical to the team's success. 

It's also bought Mike Elias some extra time to find the right arm(s) to boost their title chances. There would be a clamoring for the club to rush into a trade after Means/Wells/Kremer all went down, compounded by the year-long bullpen struggles. Now this isn't to say outside pressure would have any impact on Elias' decision making, but he surely doesn't mind not having to deal with as much noise as he stalks the market for his next splash move.

AL East Standings

1. New York Yankees (42-19)

2. Baltimore Orioles (38-20)

3. Boston Red Sox (30-30)

4. Tampa Bay Rays (29-30)

5. Toronto Blue Jays (28-31)

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@Choppinglines

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