Baltimore Orioles: Battle of the Beltway Could Determine Season
By Joe Serpico
The Baltimore Orioles are in the midst of three-game losing streak with the first-place Washington Nationals up next.
They call it the Battle of the Beltway. Some consider it a rivalry. Others do not. For the Baltimore Orioles, this series against the Washington Nationals could determine the fate of the season.
The Nationals have a firm lead on the National League East. Washington is currently sporting the second best record in baseball and are considered a favorite to win a championship this season. With an eight game lead on the New York Mets, they are sure thing to make the playoffs.
Meanwhile, things are not so peachy in Charm City.
Baltimore is slowly slipping out of playoff contention after leading the American League East for 111 days this season. More troubling is that they have lost three in a row at home, and five of the last six at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. They still have a 40-22 record at home, but the recent trend is a concern considering how bad they have been on the road.
The problem for Buck Showalter’s team is the inconsistency. When the bats heat up, the pitching stinks. The starters have a solid outing and the bats are nowhere to be found. We are not seeing many games where the O’s get production from both the offense and the pitching.
The 19-9 record in June in which the Orioles hit home runs at a absurd pace seems so long ago. They are 20-25 since and thankfully do not see the Houston Astros again this season. Baltimore is 1-6 against Houston this year.
Seeing Ryan Flaherty pitch on Saturday night made O’s fans sick to their stomach. That’s if you still had anything in your system after the poor performances from Chris Tillman and Omar Despaigne. Tillman’s shoulder is clearly still bothering him and if he lands on the DL, the pitching staff is in real trouble.
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The Yard should be packed for the first two games before traveling down 295 for two contests at Nationals Park. The one advantage the O’s should have is that all four games should have a home feel to them as Orioles fans usually make the trip to D.C. for the games.
Two rookies will take the mound in the series opener. Dylan Bundy will get the start tonight for the Orioles and will match up against A.J. Cole, who is replacing Stephen Strasburg. Strasburg was placed on the disabled list on Monday.
Things got heated between the two clubs in their last meeting after Jonathan Papelbon hit Manny Machado with a pitch last September. The benches cleared and after the game Machado called Papelbon a coward for drilling him. Papelbon is no longer with the Nationals.
Baltimore needs this series. They have to beat playoff caliber teams if they hope to make it back to the postseason. Another lost series could take them out of the final wild card spot that they currently hold.
Next: Ridiculous Loss in Ridiculous Fashion
We are at the point of the season where every game matters. You can call it this rivalry if you want, but what’s more important right now is that the Orioles get back to playing winning baseball.