Orioles’ Bullpen Tosses up Batting Practice in 9-3 Loss
By Nate Wardle
Apr 22, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Baltimore Orioles first baseman
Chris Davis(19) walks off the field after striking out during the fourth inning in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
Another game, another day where the Orioles blow an early lead, as the bats fall silent when they are needed, the bullpen falters and the defense makes another costly error.
Game 19 – Baltimore Orioles 3 (9-10) Toronto Blue Jays 9 (11-9) F
W: Steve Delabar (2-0, 4.91)
L: Evan Meek (0-1, 3.72) – ERA was 0.00 going into the game
MVP: Brett Lawrie 1-3, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 R, 1 HBP
The GOOD: My mother always said if you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything at all so I guess I should find some good. There was some. Most notably, Steve Clevenger started his second straight game as Matt Wieters deals with a little forearm soreness. The Maryland native went 2-3 with a single, double and walk.
Steve Lombardozzi had another good game offensively, going 3-4 and scoring once, despite only seeing 10 pitches. Nelson Cruz also had a good offensive game, hitting a three-run home run that gave the Orioles a lead in the 6th inning.
Cruz also played well defensively, where he continues to not be a liability for the Orioles. In the pitching department, no one really looked great. TJ MacFarland fared pretty well in his first major league appearance of the season.
The BAD: This game was all too predictable. First, when Steve Lombardozzi made an error in the 6th inning on a fairly routine ground ball, you knew it would cost the Orioles. Then, Miguel Gonzalez was cruising to that point, so the first sign of trouble immediately brought fear and apprehension. And even when the game was tied, you watch the Orioles load the bases with one out only to see an atrocious at-bat from Adam Jones. With the innings already put on the bullpen, you had a feeling this one might slip away. And that is part of the problem, because the Red Sox and Jays both have great bullpens.
Lombardozzi’s error goes down as the defensive miscue of the night.
Hitting-wise, the Orioles were mainly only effective in the 6th inning. They also had their chances in the 7th inning, but stranded the bases loaded. Jonathan Schoop saw 9 pitches the entire game in four at-bats, and one was a three pitch strike out.
What’s NEXT: Luckily, the Orioles get right back at it on Wednesday night at 7:07 p.m. from Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada. The Orioles will watch ace Chris Tillman (2-1, 1.71) take the mound, opposed by Dustin McGowan (1-2, 4.85). McGowan already has one great start against the Orioles under his belt, one in which he earned the win in a 2-0 victory. That game was the same in which Tillman earned his only loss, on a day where he allowed no earned runs.