O’s Edged By The Astros
Some days the other team is just better. That was the case on Wednesday when the Houston Astros defeated the Baltimore Orioles 2-1 in Minute Maid Park. The game was a pitcher’s duel with Houston starter Cristian Javier getting bested by Baltimore starter Kyle Bradish.
Bradish allowed 2 hits, walked 2, struck out 9 and threw a wild pitch over 6.0 scoreless innings (100 pitches, 62 K) compared to Javier’s 1 run, 3 hits, 2 walks and 11 strikeouts over 5.0 innings (91 pitches, 62 K). The difference was the bullpens. Baltimore relievers allowed 2 runs on 3 hits with 3 walks and 1 strikeout over 2.1 innings but were outdone by their Houston counterparts who allowed 3 hits and struck out 2 over 4.0 innings. Orioles hitters just couldn’t find an answer late in the game: sometimes you just have to tip your hat to the opposition.
Adley Rutschman (1 for 3, 1 2B, 1 R, 1 BB) and Anthony Santander (2 for 4, 1 2B, 1 RBI) combined to put the O’s on the board right away in the first inning. Gunnar Henderson, Ryan O’Hearn and Adam Frazier each went 1 for 4; Henderson’s hit was his 27th double of the year.
Turning on the motors. pic.twitter.com/Vti317ycvs
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) September 20, 2023
Every Oriole starter with the exception of Rutschman struck out at least once in the game.
As for the bullpen, Manager Brandon Hyde used a total of 15 relievers in this 3 game series; an emerging question is can this continue into the playoffs?
Jacob Webb (1.0 IP) pitched a clean sevsnth inning.
Shintaro Fujinami (0.1 IP, 1 R, 2 BB) continues to be inconsistent. On Wednesday he thew 12 pitches (2 strikes) and when he missed the zone, he missed it by a lot. Mike Baumann (0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K) inherited 2 runners and allowed one of them to score.
Danny Coulombe (5-2) allowed 1 run on 2 hits and faced 3 batters over 0.1 inning and took the loss.
2023 Record: 95-57 Magic Number: 7
Next Game: Thurs. 9/21 @ 7:15pm vs. Guardians in Cleveland
Grayson Rodriguez vs. TBD