Coming off a sequence during which they held their very own in opposition to the very best group within the National League, the Orioles largely did the identical of their opener with the American League’s prime membership.
But they’ve discovered themselves as losers of three of these 4 video games after falling to the Tampa Bay Rays, 3-0, to start a three-game set between groups who entered with the very best data within the AL.
Rays left-hander Shane McClanahan, who was born in Baltimore, held his favourite boyhood group scoreless over six innings, and Tampa Bay’s dominant bullpen completed the shutout. The defeat marked the Orioles’ first in a sequence opener after they received their first 11.
They pushed it to that mark with Friday’s first sport in opposition to the NL-best Atlanta Braves, however since, Baltimore’s hitters have gone 2-for-29 with runners in scoring place because the Orioles have dropped three straight by a mixed 5 runs.
“That says a lot for a young team to show up to three-game series every single time and be 1-0 after the first game,” mentioned Orioles starter Kyle Gibson, certainly one of a handful of veterans Baltimore added to its youthful core this winter. “We know we’ve been taking part in actually good baseball. This isn’t a three-game shedding streak the place we’ve shot ourselves within the foot and we haven’t performed properly and we’ve given away two of the three video games or all three. We’ve been in all three of them, and we’ve been one swing away from profitable every sport.
“So, we feel really good about where we’re at. We’re playing really good baseball and if we keep doing this over the long stretch, we’re going to be right where we want to be at the end.”
Star catcher Adley Rutschman had Monday’s ultimate alternative with the Orioles (22-13) threatening, eliciting chants of “Ad-ley” from an introduced crowd of 12,669 as he stepped to the plate with runners on second and third and two outs within the seventh. But he struck out for a 3rd time to depart two in scoring place and stretch his private hitless spell to 18 at-bats. He’s walked 5 occasions throughout that stretch, getting into Monday because the AL chief in free passes.
“It’s 18 at-bats out of 600-plus at-bats he’s gonna have,” supervisor Brandon Hyde mentioned. “Everybody’s gonna have times where they go a few games without getting hits. That’s just the way it is.”
The Orioles threatened in opposition to McClanahan in every of his even innings however made nothing of these alternatives. Two two-out walks within the second preceded a flyout. Anthony Santander walked to open the fourth, and Jorge Mateo adopted with a bunt single that quickly hobbled McClanahan when he slipped attempting to area it, however after James McCann flied out, Rays shortstop Wander Franco caught a bloop from Adam Frazier and doubled Santander off second base. Santander doubled off the left area wall with one out of the sixth — a drive that may have been a house run within the majors’ 29 different parks, based on Major League Baseball monitoring — however didn’t make it residence.
“We put a couple of rallies together; we just didn’t get a big hit, kind of like yesterday, honestly,” Hyde mentioned. “When you’re facing somebody like that — I thought we grinded. We just had a tough time against him.”
In the underside of the ninth, infielder Ramón Urías suffered a left hamstring pressure on a two-out single, with Kyle Stowers pinch-running for him. Hyde mentioned Urías will probably be evaluated once more Tuesday. Should Urías require an injured listing stint, prospect Joey Ortiz, who impressed throughout a three-game call-up in Detroit, could be a logical fill-in; Jordan Westburg, the membership’s No. 5 prospect based on Baseball America, would have to be added to the 40-man roster to be introduced up for his debut.
The Rays (29-7) additionally went with no hit in scoring alternatives. They put their first two hitters on in opposition to Gibson, however he stranded each. Josh Lowe’s residence run within the second offered the sport’s first run as a sinker Gibson hoped to place down and away ended up down the center, however Gibson largely cruised from there, leaving the bases loaded within the fifth. A leadoff single within the seventh from Luke Raley ended Gibson’s night time, with the veteran having offered his fourth of Baltimore’s eight high quality begins.
Bryan Baker issued two walks behind him, with Tampa Bay doubling its lead on Franco’s sacrifice fly. Raley hit a solo shot off Keegan Akin within the ninth.
“They make you work,” Gibson mentioned. “They don’t take ABs off. And good teams that are filled with good hitters that don’t take at-bats off, no matter how the game score is, they’re challenging. It’s a mental game for as long as you’re out there. It’s a lot of fun. Those are the challenging times where you enjoy being out there, and that’s what makes this game beautiful: going out there and competing against the best and seeing where you match up.”
Despite latest outcomes, Gibson believes the Orioles match up properly.
“This team,” he mentioned, “knows how to win.”
Around the horn
- Injured right-handed relievers Dillon Tate (proper elbow flexor pressure) and Mychal Givens (left knee irritation) will each make their subsequent rehabilitation outings Wednesday, with Tate pitching for Triple-A Norfolk in his sixth look and Givens taking the mound with Double-A Bowie for the fourth time. Hyde mentioned the variety of appearances every wants to hitch the Orioles’ bullpen stays unclear, however they may want extra outings after Wednesday. In the Orioles’ clubhouse Monday, Givens mentioned a number of occasions he’s stepping into “the right direction.”
- Center fielder Cedric Mullins was out of the lineup for under the third time this season, showing in every of Baltimore’s first 34 video games and getting into Monday taking part in all however 17 1/3 of the Orioles’ 304 defensive innings this yr. Mullins struck out as a pinch-hitter within the ninth. “He played a 10-day road trip and played in three of the biggest outfields in the game and played his heart out in Atlanta the last three days, an 11:30 [a.m.] game after a 7:15 [p.m.] Fox game, and so just giving him a breather,” Hyde mentioned.
- Right-handed reliever Joey Krehbiel cleared waivers and accepted an task to Norfolk, the Orioles mentioned. Krehbiel was designated for task final week when the Orioles traded for catcher Luis Torrens from the Chicago Cubs.
Rays at Orioles
Tuesday, 6:35 p.m.
TV: MASN
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
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Source: www.bostonherald.com