Baltimore Orioles – Living on the Home Run
Jun 23, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles pinch hitter Chris Davis (19) is mobbed by teammates after hitting the game-winning three-run home run in the ninth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The Orioles defeated the White Sox 6-4. Mandatory Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports
The Baltimore Orioles had a great win last evening with Chris Davis’ dramatic ninth inning three-run bomb to take the series opener 6-4. Is there anything more exciting in baseball than a walk-off home run?
The Orioles truly are (as at times in the past) living off the home run. The O’s are leading all of baseball for the most round-trippers in the month of June. All six runs last night were supplied in that fashion. The Birds pounded out 15 hits, but only two of them were with runners in scoring position.
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As long as the Orioles get really good starting pitching, this formula has tended to work. But all in all, this is looking like a better Orioles team than we’ve seen in a while. It would appear also that Caleb Joseph is really getting comfortable. He has such a quick swing, and if he really starts hitting, this will be a huge asset for the Orioles lineup.
Tonight will have Miguel Gonzalez taking his 4-4, 4.41 record to the mound. He has only ever started one game against the White Sox – giving up one run on four hits in seven innings. The combined career stats of current Sox against Gonzalez are 5-for-28 with all hits being singles.
The White Sox will pitch Jose Quintana who is 3-7 with a 3.87 ERA – a rough win/loss record given the decent ERA.
Quintana has pitched on three occasions against the Orioles and is 0-2 with a 4.08 ERA. He did go seven innings and give up only two hits in a start on July 4th of last year – a no-decision wherein he struck out 11 batters. Let’s hope that guy doesn’t show up tonight.
Current Orioles hitters are a combined 15-for-55 off Quintana with five of those hits being home runs. Adam Jones has two of them and is 3-for-6. Hardy, Cruz, and Lough have the others.
I might have started Delmon Young tonight and given Markakis the night off. He looked a bit fatigued last night, and Young is hitting well and is 3-for-7 off Quintana.
This is posting late enough to give you the O’s starting lineup:
Nick Markakis – RF
Steve Pearce – LF
Adam Jones – CF
Nelson Cruz – DH
Chris Davis – 1B
J.J. Hardy – SS
Manny Machado – 3B
Jonathan Schoop – 2B
Caleb Joseph – C