The Orioles welcome the Colorado Rockies to Camden Yards for the first time in 2013 for a three game series between the two clubs. With the Orioles holding a small lead in the American League East, this series could have proven to widen the gap between them and the Red Sox and Blue Jays.
Game One: Orioles: 3, Rockies: 2
The series got off to a very odd start with a walk off win for the Orioles in a more strange way. Yovani Gallardo got the start for the Orioles and pitched a decent game. Gallardo went 6 2/3 innings allowing two runs on five hits, striking out six and walking two.
Adam Jones got the scoring started in the second inning with an RBI single to score J.J. Hardy.
Down 2-1 in the seventh inning, Adam Jones would plate the tying run with a ground ball out, allowing Nolan Reimold to score.
In the bottom of the 10th inning, Manny Machado would hit the ball back to the Rockies’ pitcher Jordan Lyles who would bobble the ball in front of the mound and with Jones running home to try and win the game, Lyles was able to grab the ball and throw it home but the catcher Nick Hundley was not able to hang on, leading to the Orioles victory.
Game Two: Rockies: 6, Orioles: 3
For the first time since June 30th, Chris Tillman allowed more than one earned run in a start. Tillman went five innings allowing six runs on nine hits while striking out four and walking nobody. This was a start he and all Orioles fans would like to forget.
As for the Orioles’ runs on the night, two came thanks to an Adam Jones home run in the fifth inning which also brought home J.J. Hardy. The third run came on a wild pitch by Boone Logan.
Game Three: Rockies: 3, Orioles: 1
Dylan Bundy got the start for the Orioles and was on a roll until the sixth inning when things came crashing down. Bundy on the night went 5 2/3 allowing three runs on two hits while striking out eight and walking only one. Hopefully this is a window into the future of Dylan Bundy being a starter and being able to go longer into games down the line.
As for that sixth inning, former Orioles’ catcher Nick Hundley hit a two run home run off Bundy followed by David Dahl hitting his first career home run in the Majors, making it 3-0. Those were the only two hits Bundy allowed on the night.
Manny Machado put the Orioles on the board in the sixth with a solo home run, making it 3-1, which would go on to be the final score.
As for this series, the Orioles did not really lose any ground in the AL East but they did not gain any either, so it is pretty much a wash. However, I wish the O’s could have take better advantage of a team that has a lesser record but it just goes to show that you never underestimate your opponent.
The Orioles will now head to Minnesota for a make up game against the Twins. Ubaldo Jimenez will face off against Kyle Gibson.
After that, the Orioles will head to Toronto for a pivotal three game series. Kevin Gausman will start off the series against Marco Estrada followed by Yovani Gallardo and J.A. Happ in game two and the series rounding out with Chris Tillman going up against Aaron Sanchez.
