Cruz Hits League Leading 21st Homer in 8-3 Victory For Orioles
Although the final score might reflect a somewhat comprehensive victory for the Baltimore Orioles, Tuesday night’s game started out as a pitching duel between Orioles starter Ubaldo Jimenez and Texas Rangers pitcher, and former Oriole, Joe Saunders. The two starters combined for three earned runs in the first six innings of the game.
While Jimenez failed to qualify for a quality start, as he only pitched 5 2/3 innings, the Dominican born pitcher only gave up one run in the game. Jimenez once again had to fight through control issues, throwing 101 pitches (62 for strikes) in his 5 2/3 innings of work.
Adam Jones and Nelson Cruz powered the Orioles offense, with both of the Baltimore sluggers hitting home runs in the game. Jones, coming off of a 4 for 25 (.160) slump, went 4 for 5 on the night, with two runs scored and the aforementioned home run. While Jones and Cruz provided the home runs, the entire Orioles starting lineup contributed in the game, as every Baltimore starter recorded at least one hit.
Making his first appearance in Texas since signing with the Orioles as a free agent earlier in the year, Cruz was greeted warmly in his first at bat of the game. The left fielder ended up going 1 for 4 on the evening, with a walk and very, very long three-run home run in the 8th inning to put the game away for the Orioles.
Nick Markakis extended his modest eight-game hitting streak with a bloop single in the top of the 3rd inning. The Orioles right fielder compiled three hits on the night while also adding an RBI and a run scored.
Jones started the scoring in the game with a solo home run off of the right field foul pole in the top of the 4th inning. Following the home run, J.J. Hardy stepped up and stroked a single into right field. After a Cruz line out, Jonathan Schoop drilled a double to deep right center; however, Hardy did not score Baltimore’s second run of the game as Orioles third base coach Bobby Dickerson throws up the stop sign on Hardy (and rightly so).
The Baltimore lead lasted about 10 minutes, as Adrian Beltre crushed a solo shot into the left field seats to tie the score at one apiece in the bottom of the 4th inning.
Jones collected his third hit of the night with a leadoff single in the top of the 6th inning. Chris Davis then hit a seemingly routine fly ball to left field; however, the ball carried all the way to the fence, giving the Orioles first baseman a long single. Jones was forced to tag on the play and only made it to second base after the hit. With the runners on base, Delmon Young grounded an RBI single through the 5/6 hole to give Baltimore the 2-1 lead.
Rangers catcher Robinson Chirinos tied the game up at 2-2 with a home run off of reliever Brian Matusz in the bottom of the 7th inning. Nonetheless, the game would not stay tied for long. Baltimore opened the flood gates with six runs in the inning. Markakis, Cruz, Caleb Joseph, and Manny Machado all recorded RBI hits in the frame. Joseph started the 7th inning hit parade with an RBI double to right center field. The Orioles catcher came into Tuesday’s game hitting .069 in 11 games with the club this season.
Markakis and Machado then followed suit with RBI singles of their own to take the Orioles lead to 5-2. While RBI singles are nice, the red-hot Nelson Cruz had other ideas. Cruz stepped up to the plate with two runners on base, still in the 7th inning. The left fielder then absolutely demolished a three-run home run (his league leading 21st on the season) to give the Orioles an 8-2 lead.
The Rangers tacked on a run in the bottom of the 9th inning, with Leonys Martin scoring on a sacrifice fly, but the Orioles close out the game and get their 29th win on the season.
The Orioles will try to take the second game of the three-game set Wednesday night, as Bud Norris (3-5, 4.04 ERA) will try to contain the Rangers offense, and Nick Martinez (1-1, 2.75 ERA) goes for the win against Baltimore.
