As the Orioles finished up their three game series against the Toronto Blue Jays, I noticed an odd trend: good starting pitching, no offense. Hence the title: opposite series. Yes, it is very lame and I apologize for that.
Game One: Blue Jays: 5, Orioles: 1
Wade Miley got the start for the Orioles and pitched well enough. Miley went seven innings allowing three runs on five hits while striking out nine and walking two.
However, he was not helped out by any offense as the only run for the Orioles on the night came in the bottom of the third on a J.J. Hardy solo home run.
Game Two: Orioles: 5, Blue Jays: 3
In a much more positive game, Ubaldo Jimenez started for the Orioles and he followed up Miley’s performance from the night before with a decent start of his own. Jimenez on the night went 6 2/3 innings allowing three runs on five hits while only striking out three and walking two.
He was helped out by Steve Pearce, Manny Machado and Matt Wieters; all of whom had home runs on the night with Machado and Wieters both having two run shots.
Wieters’ came in the bottom of the eighth with the game tied and three and it gave the O’s a 5-3 lead which would be secured by Zach Britton in the ninth.
Game Three: Blue Jays: 5, Orioles: 3
In what was not as fun of a game compared to the night before, the Orioles sent out Yovani Gallardo, who initially struggled but found his composure later on. Gallardo went six innings allowing three runs on five hits while striking out three and walking two.
The runs for the O’s on the night came from a Josh Donaldson error on a Manny Machado soft ground ball, allowing Hyun Soo Kim to score and a Jonathan Schoop two run home run in the bottom of the ninth with the O’s down 5-1 at the time.
Overall, this was a disappointing performance to watch against a team the Orioles are trying to chase in the division. They will try and turn it around, however, against the New York Yankees as they come in for a three game weekend series.
The series will open up with Dylan Bundy facing off against Chad Green followed by Kevin Gausman against C.C. Sabathia and the series finishing up with Wade Miley taking on Michael Pineda.
