What would a series recap against the Los Angeles Dodgers be without a reference to Tupac in the headline? Speaking of that series against the Dodgers, the Orioles went into L.A. looking to snap a four game losing streak that started against the Mariners in their previous series.
Game One: Dodgers: 7, Orioles: 5
The start to this game looked semi-promising at least with the Orioles jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning. That lead would however be cut to one run after the Dodgers scored two in the bottom half of the inning.
The man responsible for allowing those two runs was Yovani Gallardo, who didn’t have the greatest start possible. Gallardo went four innings allowing four runs on six hits while striking out five but walking three. He would also allow two home runs in the game.
In the top of the fourth, Joey Rickard picked up a 2-RBI single to make it 5-2 Orioles at the time but that would be the last lead they would see on the night.
With two runs in the bottom of the fourth and a run each inning between the sixth and eighth, the Dodgers would claim the lead at 7-5 which is where things would finish out.
Game Two: Orioles: 4, Dodgers: 1
The second game of the series would bode a little bit better for the Orioles than the first.
In the first inning, however, the Dodgers would get on the board early with an Adrian Gonzalez RBI single off the O’s starter Chris Tillman.
After that, Tillman would not allow another runner to cross the plate for the Dodgers. Tillman went seven innings allowing one run on five hits while striking out only two but walking two as well. All in all, not a horrible night for Tillman which was needed for this starting rotation badly.
In the top of the fifth, with the game tied at 1-1, Manny Machado would crush a three run home run to give the Orioles a 4-1 lead, which they would hold on to for the rest of the game. This is the blast the Orioles ever so needed to help them part with their losing ways at the present time.
Game Three: Orioles: 6, Dodgers: 4
In the longest game of the season for the Orioles, they showed their resilience very well in one of the most hard fought games during the 2016 campaign.
Kevin Gausman got the start for the Orioles and did not have his best stuff. Gausman went five innings allowing four runs on eight hits despite striking out six and walking only one. He was followed by the Orioles bullpen who pitched a combined nine innings allowing no runs on eight hits and a combined 12 strikeouts, seven of which belong to Dylan Bundy.
Two of the Orioles’ six runs on the night came courtesy of Mark Trumbo hitting two home runs, totaling out to 26 on the year for him which currently leads the Major Leagues.
In the top of the 14th, Jonathan Schoop came through with a huge 2-RBI double, scoring Manny Machado and Chris Davis to make it a 6-4 game and giving the Orioles the lead for the first time in the game since Mark Trumbo’s first home run gave them a 3-2 lead in the fourth inning.
I am very pleased with how this series turned out and relieved that the Orioles not only snapped their five game losing streak but were still able to take the series from the Dodgers. Now that their long west coast road trip is over, they finally get to come home for one more series before the All Star break.
That series will be against the Los Angeles Angels. The series will start with Matt Shoemaker on the mound for the Angels with the Orioles starter not yet announced yet. In game two, Yovani Gallardo will go for the O’s with Nick Tropeano making the start for the Angels. The series will round out with Chris Tillman facing off against Tim Lincecum.
