All is right in Birdland. After falling to the Astros 11-0 on Wednesday, the Orioles bounced back with a 6-3 victory to secure their 20th series win of 2013. #JustWinSeries
The O’s bats finally came through with 11 hits, snapping their streak of eight consecutive games without ten or more hits. Coming into Thursday’s game, the Orioles had recorded just 15 hits in their last three games.
Bud Norris made his Orioles debut, earning the win, a quality start and a postgame shaving cream pie from Adam Jones and Alexi Casilla. Also of note, this was the first time I’ve seen Casilla in like 3 1/2 weeks.
Norris had struggled in his previous three starts, allowing 16 earned runs in 17 innings pitched after posting a 2.29 ERA in his previous nine outings. Many have noted the defense behind Norris as the reason for his struggles, that will certainly change in Baltimore as the O’s have committed just 33 errors (fewest in MLB).
Of course, the O’s offense should do a much better job supporting Bud The Stud too. In Houston, Norris went through a stretch from April 17 to June 28 in which he did not receive more than three runs of support while he was in a game. His 2.90 run support average over that span was second-lowest in the American League.
Coming into his Orioles debut, Norris had received a 3.50 run support average this season (fourth-lowest in AL).
It took Norris 104 pitches to get through six innings. Perhaps jitters played a roll in the high pitch count as Norris had seen hitters swing at his first pitches 31.3 percent of the time heading into this outing.
…Let’s hope the offense re-ignites. When they won last Friday night against Boston, I commented that I didn’t like the fact that all their runs came via the homerun. Power goes in slumps. They need to better manufacture runs.
Nice start to what I hope will be a long career in Birdland for David Norris. As far as manufacturing runs, the O’s have lost their knack for playing small ball, below the league average in both SBs and SFs so far in 2013. I have no idea what the stat is but O’s in bases loaded situations this year are terrible.
Their batting average is 6th in the AL with bases loaded. 3rd best in the AL with runners in scoring position.
There is always room for improvement,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,doesn’t anyone think Bud Norris reminds them of Sidney Ponson ?????????????????
I was thinking the same thing that Ponson and Norris looked alike. I just hope that he doesn’t pitch like him.
…or drink like him!
Right on , A friend of mine had a condo right next to Scott Erickson’s condo in Fells Point from 1990 to around 2000,,,,,in 1998 we actually partied with them a few times in the condo area ,,,,,,,,,,Ponson was a sponge but Erickson did pretty well also , Rock Coppinger showed up a few times too , but no one got close to unless you were a 5’2” blue eyed blonde and boy did they flock around him , big time……………those were the days,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,