Before all this profitable instantly turned commonplace, the Orioles hadn’t proven a capability to string victories collectively. They hadn’t accomplished a sweep of an opponent by way of June, till that three-game sequence in opposition to the Texas Rangers final week served as a launching pad to a lot extra.
Now Baltimore has swept three straight sequence for the primary time since 2005, with the Los Angeles Angels falling in 4 video games earlier than the Chicago Cubs had been dispatched at Wrigley Field. The newest win, the Orioles’ tenth in a row, got here 7-1 over the Cubs on Wednesday evening to finish a two-game set in opposition to their National League opposition.
With their longest profitable streak because the 1999 membership gained 13 straight, the Orioles (45-44) additionally jumped above .500 this late within the season for the primary time since Sept. 8, 2017. With a doubleheader sweep of the Washington Nationals, the Seattle Mariners are tied with the Orioles for the longest profitable streak in baseball at 10 video games, with every crew vaulting into unbelievable American League wild-card competition.
“I think the word I’d use to describe it is incredible,” mentioned left-hander Cionel Pérez by way of crew interpreter Brandon Quinones. “It’s been a great, incredible year for us so far, and we’re having so much fun and enjoying every step of this ride.”
Since transferring to Baltimore in 1954, the Orioles’ longest profitable streak throughout the common season is 14 video games, a feat completed twice and most lately in 1973. That additionally tied the unique franchise report set in 1916 when the crew was generally known as the St. Louis Browns.
On July 2, the Orioles had been 9 video games underneath .500 after they misplaced to the Minnesota Twins on a walk-off for the second consecutive sport. Since then, Baltimore has taken flight.
“Every day we show up to the field, we feel like we’re gonna win the game and should win the game,” outfielder Austin Hays mentioned earlier than the sport. “That’s a feeling we haven’t had here in the last few years. And that alone breeds confidence with every guy in the locker room, knowing when you show up you have a chance to win every game.”
The profitable has additionally introduced Orioles followers to the park in droves, be it at Camden Yards or Wrigley Field. As the Orioles left the sphere Wednesday evening, they had been serenaded by a standing ovation from followers clad in orange on the highway.
If the joy is felt within the clubhouse, it’s additionally felt within the stands.
“We feel every bit of Birdland,” right-hander Spenser Watkins mentioned. “Especially hearing O’s chants going on at Wrigley Field, that’s pretty cool. But yeah, this team is coming together as a whole, and it’s really, really fun to see.”
Watkins offers behind early offense
Before Watkins even stepped on the mound Wednesday, he had a three-run result in work with. And together with his type of late since coming back from the injured record final month, three runs had been greater than sufficient.
Across his final 4 outings, Watkins has allowed a mixed three earned runs. He gave up only one off a sacrifice fly within the fifth inning, occurring to finish 5 frames whereas permitting 4 hits and two walks and putting out 5. He drew 10 whiffs, together with three together with his slider — a pitch he solely launched halfway by way of this season.
He nonetheless confronted site visitors on the bases, with runners on second and third with one out within the third inning, as an example. But Watkins secured consecutive strikeouts of Ian Happ and All-Star catcher Willson Contreras to flee that state of affairs with none runs in opposition to him.
“That’s something we’ve been talking about, just minimizing and making pitches,” Watkins mentioned. “To be able to make my pitches and get outs there was huge.”
Singles from Cedric Mullins and Ryan Mountcastle arrange a two-run double for Anthony Santander, and Hays’ single — and an error in left discipline from Happ — plated Santander. The Orioles added to that cushion with an RBI double from Trey Mancini the following inning.
And pretty much as good groups do, the Orioles tacked on runs late. Adley Rutschman drove in Hays with a double that one-hopped the ivy in middle discipline, and Rougned Odor’s single plated Rutschman. Then a balk from left-hander Daniel Norris introduced residence a 3rd run within the eighth, propelling the pitching employees to a snug outing after the Orioles gained seven of the earlier 9 video games by two runs or fewer.
After Watkins, the bullpen carried on with its regular outings of late, with a mixed two hits off 4 arms. Right-hander Dillon Tate retired all three batters he confronted, and Pérez did the identical. In 6 1/3 innings this month, Pérez hasn’t allowed a base runner.
“There it is. Hasn’t allowed a base runner, and not much hard contact either,” supervisor Brandon Hyde mentioned. “He’s throwing 98 with a nasty slider and how about the emotion he shows coming off the mound? It pumps guys up, and he’s been unbelievable.”
Playing by way of it
There are some tweaks Hays has wanted to make to account for his sore proper wrist, however they’re minute. His backswing is extra one-handed than it had been, giving his wrist a break. He’s lowered the depth of a few of his hitting drills within the cage.
But past that, Hays feels adequate to play with the tape wrapped tightly round his wrist. He first injured that wrist making a diving play in opposition to the Chicago White Sox late final month, then aggravated the harm when he was hit by a pitch July 4 on that wrist.
“I feel like I’m having pretty decent at-bats,” Hays mentioned Wednesday afternoon. “I’m hitting one or two balls hard a game. Just gotta make — hitting too many ground balls and just not having as consistent hard contact as I was before. But I still like the pitches that I’m swinging at, I like how my at-bats are going, I feel like I’m on time for the fastball. So just trying to get something going.”
He positive did.
While he entered Wednesday’s sport with three hits in his final 42 at-bats since June 28, Hays broke out with a four-hit efficiency, lashing singles by way of the infield earlier than launching a double over Happ’s head within the eighth inning and including one other single within the ninth.
ORIOLES@RAYS
Friday, 7:10 p.m.
TV: MASN2
Radio: 97.9 FM, 101.5 FM, 1090 AM
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Source: www.bostonherald.com