A Common Orioles Loss and a Common Yankees Win

May 7, 2015; Bronx, NY, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Chris Tillman (30) pitches during the first inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Orioles have a way of losing games, while the New York Yankees have a certain way of winning games. Both were on display Thursday night as the Yankees defeated the Birds 4-3.

New York improves their AL East-leading record to 18-11, while the O’s drop to 12-14. This is not what we expected to see, say, a month ago.

If the Yankees are going to have success, it is going to have to come in the style that was seen last night. They are going to need to keep some pressure on the other team’s starter, which they did by having baserunners against Chris Tillman in every inning and pounding out 10 hits in 5.2 innings.

As well, New York needs to hope to put together some hits in close proximity and get a few runs – which they did in the first inning; and they will hope also that perhaps one of their aging power hitters can get the fat part of the bat on the ball – which A-Rod did for his 661^st home run.

Finally, the Yankees hope to have a lead after the sixth inning so that they can turn it over to their bullpen to pretty much finish off an opponent. Justin Wilson pitched well and got them through to the end of the seventh inning, turning it over to Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller – neither of whom have yet been scored upon this year. Miller earned his 12^th save, and you might note that this is the same number of team wins possessed by the Orioles. Just sayin.’

On the other hand, the Orioles lost in a fashion they typically display when the motor is not firing fully on all cylinders. Runs will be at a premium, while the starter will run high pitch counts and give up just enough to dig a hole. Home runs will be solo shots. A baserunning blunder will blow up a potential big inning. And Adam Jones or another key hitter will drill a screaming liner or two right at someone. All of these components happened on Thursday night.

Also contributing to a hole of epic proportions in the middle of the lineup is Chris Davis striking out in every trip to the plate – a total of four. This makes 7-of-8 over two nights and 9-of-12 over the past three games. This simply can’t happen in the 3^rd, 4^th, or 5^th spot in the order. He needs to be dropped to 7^th or something like that.

Honestly, the Yankees are not a great team. They are rather mediocre with a great back end of the bullpen. But this is a baseball formula to at least win more games than are lost. It turns the ballgame into one where a team will only be seriously challenged for the first six innings (if that many), while, unless facing a similarly-constructed team, they have nine innings in which to score.