The destiny of the Orioles’ season would possibly properly come all the way down to how they carry out in opposition to the Toronto Blue Jays. If the following two months are something just like the previous week, they’ll do properly in that regard.
Coming off a disappointing collection loss to the Tampa Bay Rays during which they practically went with no baserunner within the collection finale, the Orioles’ offense busted out a 7-3 victory to start a three-game set with the Blue Jays, their third win in eight days in opposition to the American League wild-card leaders. Including the ultimate two video games of this collection, 12 of Baltimore’s remaining 47 video games are in opposition to Toronto.
Although the Tampa Bay Rays’ win over the New York Yankees retains the Orioles (60-55) 1 1/2 video games out of a playoff spot, they ended their recreation Monday trailing by that a lot for any of the league’s three wild-card spots; the Seattle Mariners didn’t start their recreation with the Los Angeles Angels till late Monday.
After going into the ninth with no stroll or hit Sunday in opposition to the Rays, Baltimore bought on the board early. Batting leadoff rather than middle fielder Cedric Mullins for the third straight time the Orioles have confronted a left-handed starter, Ryan McKenna blooped a double over first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to open the night. A batter later, proper fielder Anthony Santander, who missed the Orioles’ earlier go to to Toronto as a result of he was not vaccinated in opposition to COVID-19, grounded a single up the center to supply a 1-0 lead.
“We had a tough series in Tampa,” supervisor Brandon Hyde mentioned. “It was a tough last two games there, and there’s a lot of disappointment, and for us to score right away in the first inning, for me, that was big.”
That benefit expanded within the third when first baseman Ryan Mountcastle continued terrorizing Blue Jays pitching along with his fifth residence run via 26 at-bats in opposition to Toronto this season. Mountcastle, who missed Sunday’s recreation with a bruised left hand and performed via swelling Monday, has a 1.164 OPS off Blue Jays pitchers in his profession, the very best OPS in opposition to a single opponent in Orioles historical past.
Toronto answered with a pair of runs within the inning’s backside half off rookie starter Kyle Bradish, although he induced a double play to strand the tying run at third.
With one out within the fourth, speedster Jorge Mateo beat out an offline throw from shortstop Bo Bichette, superior to second on a nine-pitch stroll from Terrin Vavra, then reached third after an errant pickoff try from Yusei Kikuchi. With the infield in, Tyler Nevin smacked a grounder to Bichette as Mateo broke for residence, however Toronto’s shortstop was as soon as once more unable to nab one of many recreation’s quickest runners. Vavra then got here residence on a second McKenna double, with Adley Rutschman including a sacrifice fly within the body to make it 6-2.
Mountcastle walked to open the fifth, giving him solely his second recreation with a number of walks this season. He finally scored on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by Vavra.
With the victory, the Orioles reached the 60-win mark for the primary time since 2017.
Bradish and bullpen
With Kikuchi knocked from the sport within the fifth, the Orioles didn’t add to their lead. But their bullpen behind Bradish didn’t permit Toronto to rally.
Bradish allowed a house run to Guerrero within the fifth and a pair of singles earlier than being pulled with two outs, marking the primary time in 4 begins off the injured listing he didn’t end 5 innings. Bryan Baker, who closed for Toronto’s Triple-A crew in 2021, stranded Bradish’s two runners then struck out two within the sixth to earn the win.
Dillon Tate labored round a leadoff single within the seventh and mixed with Cionel Pérez for a clear eighth. Félix Bautista put two Blue Jays on within the ninth however bought Guerrero to hit right into a double play to finish the sport.
With 4 1/3 shutout innings, the Orioles’ bullpen lowered its collective ERA to three.06, coming into the day third within the majors in that measure.
Around the horn
>> Mullins was out of the lineup with the Blue Jays beginning Kikuchi. Mullins, who has put up a .568 OPS in opposition to lefties this 12 months, has been out of the lineup or dropped from the leadoff spot in 5 of Baltimore’s previous seven matchups with a left-handed starter. Asked whether or not he has any considerations about Mullins dealing with left-handers, supervisor Brandon Hyde mentioned, “Not right now.”
>> The Orioles made a collection of minor league promotions Monday. Starting pitchers Ryan Watson and Drew Rom moved to Triple-A Norfolk, with latest commerce acquisitions Cade Povich and Chayce McDermott changing them at Double-A Bowie. Infielder Luis Valdez, the organizational chief in steals, went from Low-A Delmarva to High-A Aberdeen. Ten members of Baltimore’s 2022 draft class joined Low-A Delmarva, with prime 100 picks Dylan Beavers, Max Wagner and Jud Fabian amongst them; first total decide Jackson Holliday stays within the Florida Complex League.
ORIOLES@BLUE JAYS
Tuesday, 7:07 p.m.
TV: MASN
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com