Orioles fall 10-6 to the Astros
The Baltimore Orioles did something they haven’t done once in the early 2018 season, score a run off the starting pitcher. Even though it seemed like Mike Wright Jr. shouldn’t have shown up to the game today, he turned out to out pitch former CY Young Justin Verlander.
Starting the game with a lead seemed so new for the Orioles they didn’t know how to handle it. Jonathan Schoop hit a HR in the first to give the Orioles a quick 1-0 lead. Not lasting long Alex Bregman walked and José Altuve followed with a fielder’s choice to SS. Then Carlos Correa hit a liner to the left center gap which bounced off the wall and lead to an inside-the-park home run, giving the Astors a 2-1 lead after one.
Mike Wright Jr. buckled down after that, only letting up one other run in the third from a Correa RBI sac fly, which gave the Astros a 3-1 lead. Wright Jr. pitched well throwing 5IP, 4H, 3ER, 1 BB, and 6 K’s.
In the top of the fourth the Orioles missed a golden opportunity due to Josh Reddick robbing Trey Mancini of a three-run homer and instead Mancini hit a sac fly knocking in Schoop. Closing the Astors lead to 3-2, the Orioles offense then game alive again in the sixth when Adam Jones hit a bomb to LF for a 2 run HR and gave the Orioles a 4-3 lead.
Not lasting long Reddick matched Jones 2 run HR and hit one of his own to give the Astors the lead back at 5-4. Adam Jones then answered in the seventh knocking in Machado to tie the game up at 5.
From here on Orioles fans can stop reading becuase it only goes down hill from here. In the bottom half of the seventh George Springer doubled to left, Marisnick scored to give the Astros a 6-5 lead. Josh Reddick then gets the last laugh, hitting a grand slam to RF to close out the game giving the Astros a 10-5 lead. The Orioles would fight back to score one run in the ninth but Reddick’s 2 homers lead the Astros to a 10-6 win over the Orioles and now the Astors will look to sweep the Orioles right out of town.
On the bright side the Orioles offense came to life in a big way tonight but its hard to win when your bullpen gives up seven runs. Crazy that the one night the Orioles get runs the backbone of the team can’t hold the lead. Machado, Schoop, and Jones had big games each having multiple hits. Chris Davis on the other hand had a game to forget, getting the Golden Sombrero with four strikeouts.
Verlander: 5.2IP, 6H, 4R, 1 BB, & 9K’s
Schoop takes Verlander deep in the top of the first. #Birdland pic.twitter.com/t9sf2lad59
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) April 4, 2018
Up Next: Orioles ace Dylan Bundy will make his second start on Wednesday, taking on Dallas Keuchel who is looking to bounce back after losing 5-1 in his first start.
Orioles News: RHP Alex Cobb pitched a five inning simulated game in Florida on Wednesday and could be ready to join the team as early as next week.
