Orioles bullpen struggles in 8-4 home opener loss to the Yankees
The Baltimore Orioles made their home debut today against the New York Yankees and so do right-handed pitcher Alex Cobb. Cobb looked solid in 5 2/3 innings, holding the Yankees to two runs on five hits. Both runs scored on solo home runs by Gleyber Torres and Gary Sanchez, the latter home run ending Cobb’s day.
The Oriole offense started off strong, racing out to a three to nothing lead in the first inning. Jonathan Villar started off the game with a lead off home run. The Orioles then loaded the bases with one out when Yankee starter, James Paxton, balked to bring in a run. Paxton then uncorked a wild-pitch to score the third run.
With Cobb at 87 pitches, Orioles’ Manager Brandon Hyde pulled him and put in Mike Wright in the sixth inning. The wheels promptly fell off. Wright entered the game with two outs and the bases empty. His mission was to get one out and get out of the inning. Wright gave up back-to-back singles before allowing the go-ahead three-run home run to Torres. Wright exited after giving up four hits and three earned runs while recording no outs.
John Means came on to produce 1.1 innings of no hit ball, giving up a walk while striking out two. Michael Givens came relieved him in the eighth, pitching a scoreless inning before putting two runners on in the ninth. Miguel Castro relieved Givens and gave up a three run shot to Luke Voit.
At the plate, Villar went 2-5 with the aforementioned home run. Renato Nunez and Joey Rickard both went 2-4, with Nunez recording an RBI. The Orioles went 1-7 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight, a big departure from their four game winning streak in which they were getting timely hits and scoring opportune runs. For those keeping score at home, Chris Davis went 0-3 with three strikeouts making him 0-17 on the season with 11 strikeouts. Davis has one hit in his last 52 at bats going back to last season.
The Orioles and Yankees are off tomorrow before resuming their series at 7:05 P.M. Saturday night at Camden Yards. The Orioles send Dylan Bundy to the mound to face the Yankees and J.A.Happ.
