That’s a pretty good start to the weekend! The Orioles picked up their second straight win tonight, a 3-0 victory to kick off their weekend road trip.
Trevor Rogers and Brady Singer were the starting pitchers today, and while neither pitcher was on the top of his game, Rogers came out on the better end. They both only lasted five innings and they both walked a bunch of guys. But while Rogers was able to work out of his jams, Singer didn’t get so lucky.
The Orioles took the lead in the top of the first.
Two of the first three batters reached via a walk for Gunnar Henderson and a single for Taylor Ward. As Pete Alonso disappointingly struck out, Henderson and Ward pulled off a double steal. Reds’ catcher Tyler Stephenson threw the ball into left field, allowing Henderson to score the first run of the game.
Samuel Basallo followed with a walk, the second of the inning, but he was stranded. It was the first of X innings where the Orioles stranded multiple runners. The Reds had several of those themselves.
Rogers got in on the walks game immediately. He walked Elly De La Cruz to start the bottom of the first, and also gave up a single. But he struck out three batters and kept the Reds off the board.
Rogers and Singer each walked another in the second inning, but no runs were scored. Samuel Basallo changed that in the third. After a leadoff double by Adley Rutschman and a walk from Taylor Ward, Alonso stepped to the plate. Before I even had time to wonder if he could knock in a run, he grounded into a double play. Come on, Pete! Frustrating.
With Rutschman on third base, Basallo stepped to the plate. Singer had gone 3-0 on Basallo in his first at bat and then walked him. He went 3-0 again, and probably would have rather walked him again. Instead, Basallo went the opposite way on a 3-1 sinker that didn’t do much sinking. The ball landed just over the fence in left field, a home run in just 16 out of 30 ballparks. That part doesn’t matter on the scoreboard, though. The Orioles were up, 3-0.
Rogers walked two more in the fourth inning and another in the fifth. Singer actually cleaned his act up a bit after the Basallo homer. He only allowed one baserunner in innings four and five, a walk to Henderson that was erased when Henderson got himself picked off. Another frustrating moment. Henderson reached base twice, stole a base, scored a run, and made some nice plays on defense. But I’ve watched him get picked off too many times this year.
After five innings, both starting pitchers were out, and it was up to the bullpens. Rogers’s final line: 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 5 BB. He threw 93 pitches. It was good to see him prevail despite not having good control, but certainly frustrating to watch in the moment. Singer also threw 93 pitches and walked five batters, but he was on the losing end of this particular battle.
Rico Garcia took over for Rogers in the sixth inning. He has struggled a bit of late, and that continued in his first inning of work. He allowed two baserunners, a single and a walk, but got out of it. I was surprised to see him come back out for the seventh inning, but I guess Craig Albernaz knew what he was doing. Garcia looked fantastic, getting a quick 1-2-3 with two strikeouts.
Garcia was followed by Cano, who was good himself. Noelvi Marte was awarded an infield single on a ball that he chopped in front of the plate. Basallo couldn’t make a clean play and threw the ball away. But Henderson made a great barehanded play to get the final out.
The Orioles offense was unable to do much against the Reds bullpen. They had just one baserunner over the final four innings, a single from Alonso. He was wiped out on a double play. Thankfully, they didn’t need any more runs.
With Ryan Helsley on the IL, Tyler Wells came in to attempt the save. I was prepared for more drama, because I always am. This is the Orioles. But Wells was fantastic. He needed only 10 pitches to retire the side in order, a bottom of the ninth that lasted just a few minutes.
Orioles win, 3-0! They’ll be back in action tomorrow for an Independence Day game. Game time is 7:10 with Kyle Bradish scheduled to take the mound for the O’s.
