Baltimore Orioles: Scoring Six Runs SHOULD Win Games

Oct 14, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Baltimore Orioles first baseman Steve Pearce (28) hits a double against the Kansas City Royals during the second inning in game three of the 2014 ALCS playoff baseball game at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

For the second consecutive day, the Baltimore Orioles scored six runs in a ballgame. And for the second time, it was enough to win; but six runs should always be enough to win any baseball game.

After opening to a 6-0 lead in the first two at-bats, the O’s only managed to get only one more hit the rest of the game, yet they were able to hold on for a 6-5 victory.

“Holding on” is exactly what it felt like for the final seven innings. In the post-game interview, Showalter said it felt like the root canal surgery he had suffered in the offseason. Good description. The Orioles’ four pitchers threw a grand total of 176 pitches in the game. The Rays – no offensive juggernaut – fouled off pitch after pitch like the Yankees or Red Sox in their prime years.

Wei-Yin Chen was simply not sharp. As in 2014 where he was the recipient of the fourth-best run support in the AL, the O’s began the game with four consecutive hits – plating four runs in the first inning and two in the second. But after a seven-pitch first inning, Chen could not command many of his pitches. He struggled to get any feel or consistency. The velocity was unimpressive. He added to his own troubles by forgetting how many outs there were in one inning and throwing to the wrong base. It was not a good performance.