Baltimore Orioles: Tillman Bad, Weaver Worse, Machado Best

Jul 29, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado (13) hits the game winning solo home run in the twelfth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The Orioles defeated the Angels 7-6 in twelve innings. Mandatory Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

On a night when the expectation would be a pitchers’ duel between Chris Tillman and Jared Weaver, both were driven early from the game after five innings. The Baltimore Orioles would ultimately use three home runs to power past the Angels 7-6 in 12 innings on a walk-off home run by Manny Machado.

It was the seventh occasion this year where the Orioles have hit three home runs. Adam Jones answered a LA run in the opening frame by hitting a solo shot in the bottom of the first inning. And with the Orioles trailing 4-3 in the fourth inning, Nick Markakis hit the right field foul pole for a three-run homer to give the Birds a 6-4 margin.

The Angels would come back to tie the game with a fifth inning home run by Josh Hamilton and a blown defensive play on what should have been a third-out grounder by Hamilton in the seventh inning. Ryan Flaherty was slow to cover the bag on a force out with runners at the corners, and J.J. Hardy’s throw to first was just late.

The strength of the bullpens for both teams took over as zeros abounded until the 12th-inning smash by Machado off Cory Rasmus.

Multiple times in the post-game press conference Buck Showalter said, “We were fortunate that ____ ____ ,” and it was true. Fortunate that some sloppy defense did not hurt them … fortunate that bad baserunning did not cost them the game … fortunate that Albert Pujols is too slow to score from first on a 12-inning two-out Hamilton double, and that Erick Aybar’s line drive was hit right at Steve Pearce for the third out … and especially fortunate that Jared Weaver had his worst outing ever against the Orioles on an evening when Chris Tillman was nearly as bad.

A good team finds a way to win, while a bad team finds a way to lose

But let it be said again that good teams find a way to win, while bad teams find a way to lose. Good teams also have relievers like Darren O’Day, who used only 15 pitches in two innings, lowering his ERA to 1.13.

The Beastly AL East is Back

The Baltimore Orioles really needed this win, as everyone else in the AL East won as well (except for Boston, who is apparently going into fire sale mode). Since the midseason break, the division has looked more like what is generally remembered over the years. The Orioles are 7-4 since then, but have lost 1.5 games in the standings to the Blue Jays, and 2.5 to Tampa Bay.

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The string of tough starting pitchers by opponents continues as the Angels will send Garrett Richards and his 11-3 record and 2.62 ERA to the mound at Camden Yards. The Orioles only have nine innings of experiences with Richards. They lit him up pretty well in a game he started in 2012, with Mark Reynolds, Matt Wieters, and Ryan Flaherty all hitting home runs. Flaherty is 3-for-4 against him, so I’m fearful we’ll have to watch him play second base again (I’d be happy to never see that again, to be honest). The current Orioles are a combined 10-for-32 against Richards.

The Orioles will turn again to Kevin Gausman in hopes that he can take them deep into the game. In fact, the key to this game may be which of the two starters can last the longest. Gausman is 4-3 with a 3.67 ERA. None of the Angels’ hitters have ever faced Gausman, so the Orioles can hope that will work in their favor.

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