Most things look easier when you score ten runs. The Orioles offense entered Sunday’s game with 11 runs scored total for the month of August. When all was said and done on Sunday, they’d nearly doubled that total, adding ten runs as they avoided a sweep at the hands of the Rangers with a 10-5 victory. The O’s exit the Lone Star State with a two game deficit for a wild card spot.
This was a nearly whole team effort. Every Oriole in the starting lineup got on base. Eight of the nine batters had at least
one base hit, with only Gunnar Henderson missing out. Pete Alonso hit two homers for the first time as an Oriole, upping his total to 25 for the season. Colton Cowser and Tyler O’Neill homered. The team scored early and often, bringing runs across the plate in five of the game’s nine innings. They did not commit any errors. This was pretty good.
The game began with Henderson striking out. One of the few unfortunate things about this solid performance is Henderson was left out of it. Four of the next five Orioles after him got hits, with Dylan Beavers and Leody Taveras each collecting an RBI on theirs, giving the O’s an early 2-0 lead as they squared off against Rangers starter Kumar Rocker.
Cowser led off the second inning with a home run. Henderson drew his walk with one out, then scored as Alonso hit the first of his two home runs. The Orioles lead ballooned out to 5-0. As you already know if you were paying attention to the opening paragraph of this article, that would not be enough for the Orioles to win the game.
Based on his major league career to date, Sunday’s Orioles starter, Cade Povich, is not a confidence-inspiring pitcher. He showed some more of why in this game, giving back three runs and making the game interesting again for a little while. Povich had two outs and only a man on first before giving up a walk and then a three-run home run to Brandon Nimmo, the Rangers right fielder. In a flash, the Orioles led by just a 5-3 margin.
The Orioles answered right back in the next half inning with Alonso’s second home run of the day, a two-run shot that scored Henderson and left the Orioles up by four runs. The shortstop ended up on base after a fielder’s choice; he also stole second base, his ninth steal of the season.
Six of these runs were charged to Rocker, who was unable to get an out in the fourth inning. Rocker entered the game with a 4.08 ERA for the season, a 94 ERA+ that leaves him below average. Even so, this wasn’t a case of the Orioles rocking a complete scrub. They had a respectable outing against a respectable major leaguer.
With the Orioles back up by four, manager Craig Albernaz delivered a vote of no confidence in Povich, pulling the O’s starter before the fourth inning began even though Povich had only thrown 61 pitches. I probably would have left him in for longer, especially given that Povich coming out meant quite a while with the Orioles relievers nobody wants to see.
To my surprise and delight, Yaramil Hiraldo pitched two scoreless innings Alex Hoppe and Andrew Kittredge each added one more. Hoppe’s inning had a bit of drama, as he allowed two hits, but nobody crossed the plate. Texas didn’t score again until the bottom of the ninth, in the second inning of work of Albert Suárez. By then, the Orioles led by seven runs, and it didn’t matter all that much that Texas got two back in garbage time.
Beyond this game, Povich’s early exit looks like a sign that the Orioles are going to bounce him back to the minors, or at least to the bullpen, in favor of Chris Bassitt. The veteran righty had a good rehab start on Friday night that, as far as the box score shows, looks like it puts him in a good position to rejoin the Orioles rotation after two months on the injured list. Whether or not this turns out to be a good thing is something we’ll see over the last six weeks or so of the season.
Alonso batted five times in the game and reached base all five times. In addition to his two homers, he had a single and two walks. Mayo collected three hits, including a triple – his third in his last several games. Cowser, Taveras, and Jackson Holliday each had multi-hit games as well. If these guys are able to break out of their funks, all of that will help the Orioles try to fight their way back up the standings.
The Orioles next travel to Minnesota for a series against the Twins. This is one of the teams they still need to pass in the wild card standings. They have the chance to help themselves. They just have to play well. The opening game in the series is set for Monday night starting at 7:40. Trevor Rogers pitches for the Orioles, while the O’s will see a familiar face, Dean Kremer. In their last possible “revenge game” against Grayson Rodriguez, Rodriguez pitched well and the Orioles still won. Run that one again, fellas.
It is a longtime tradition on Camden Chat to nominate a Most Birdland Player after each Orioles victory. What is Most Birdland? Each person must decide for themselves. Sometimes this is the same as the most valuable player and other times it is not. Let us know your pick in the comments below.
