The overarching nature of a sleepy Sunday defeat to the Oakland Athletics is one loss in 162 video games. But in September, there’s an elevated significance on every outing, even when a sequence victory was already earned with wins on Friday and Saturday.
Especially when these outings come in opposition to a workforce sitting firmly within the basement of their division.
Before the sport, supervisor Brandon Hyde emphasised how “today is extremely important, and I think everyone knows that.” He didn’t need his gamers to look forward on the four-game sequence in opposition to the Toronto Blue Jays that begins Monday — a sequence stuffed with playoff implications.
There’s no realizing whether or not that matchup with the Blue Jays — the workforce presently occupying the American League’s ultimate wild-card spot — performed within the minds of the Orioles. But the 5-0 loss to the Athletics was uninspiring sufficient to warrant a flip of the web page, even when it comes as a missed alternative to maintain tempo with Toronto.
The Blue Jays beat the Pirates on Sunday to shut out their sequence in opposition to a backside dweller with a sweep. The Orioles fumbled that probability and now path their division rival by 2 1/2 video games.
It got here in opposition to right-hander Adrián Martínez, an Oakland rookie who had by no means labored as far right into a recreation as he did Sunday, when he accomplished six innings in opposition to Baltimore. Martínez confronted his hardest check within the first inning when a single from Adley Rutschman and double from Anthony Santander put runners in scoring place with one out. But a floor ball to shortstop Sheldon Neuse led to an out on the plate as Rutschman ran on contact.
Then Gunnar Henderson — who made two highlight-reel performs at second base to assist beginning pitcher Spenser Watkins — lined out to finish the inning.
After Ramón Urías’ singled to start the second, Martínez retired the following 10 batters he confronted, leaning on a sinker-changeup combine to generate 4 strikeouts and tender contact. That streak ended with a Jorge Mateo stroll with two outs within the sixth inning, and regardless of Mateo’s American-League-leading thirtieth stolen base, Martínez closed his outing by getting catcher Robinson Chirinos to come out. Martínez allowed three hits and walked two in six scoreless innings.
Meanwhile, Watkins struggled for his second straight begin. On Tuesday in Cleveland, Watkins gave up 5 runs — his most since coming back from the injured record in June — by way of 4 2/3 innings. In these 11 appearances, he allowed two runs or fewer in seven of them.
But Watkins gave up 4 runs in his six innings Sunday. And whereas that output wasn’t the kind that ought to bury an offense, it turned that method. After Martínez allowed a single from Urías within the second, Baltimore managed 5 extra baserunners the remainder of the sport. Two got here within the ninth, with Anthony Santander singling and Urías strolling earlier than left-hander A.J. Puk closed the door.
The Orioles wereshut out for the eighth time this 12 months and first since July 24. When Baltimore wanted a roar — or perhaps a growl — to complete a sequence sweep and maintain tempo within the wild-card race, it produced one thing extra akin to a groan.
Around the horn
- Right-hander Tyler Wells threw a bullpen at Camden Yards on Sunday to organize for the following step of his rehab course of from a strained indirect suffered in July. When he does return, Wells stated he’d be open to a reduction position if that’s what’s required. “The starting rotation has done an absolutely phenomenal job,” Wells stated. “Really proud of those guys. If they ultimately decide to put me in the bullpen, then so be it. I’d love to help those guys out too. They’ve been doing a hell of a job this year. Whatever they want me to do to help for a wild card push, then I’m all for it.”
- Right-hander Mike Baumann was added to the taxi squad Sunday in preparation for a spot begin Monday in a doubleheader in opposition to the Toronto Blue Jays. Baumann, ranked because the Twenty second-best prospect for Baltimore in accordance with Baseball America, has allowed simply two earned runs in his final 16 innings for Triple-A Norfolk. Hyde stated he’ll test with right-hander Jordan Lyles whether or not he desires to start out the primary or second recreation.
Game 1
BLUE JAYS@ORIOLES
Monday, 1:05 p.m.
TV: MASN
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
Game 2
BLUE JAYS@ORIOLES
Monday, TBD
TV: MASN
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
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Source: www.bostonherald.com