O’s Swept By Blue Jays
It looks like the team may be starting to unravel after that Boston series.
Game 1: Erik Bedard went to the mound trying to stop the losing streak before it really got started, and he pitched well, but he couldn’t do it. Bedard went 7 innings allowing 3 runs on 6 hits and 3 walks. He struck out 7 batters. Danys Baez came in for the 8th in a tie game (yes, one day after the Boston Massacre) and proceeded to give up a 2 run homer to Troy Glaus. That was all the Blue Jays would need, as they went on to win 5-3. Jay Gibbons hit his 3rd homerun of the year, and Nick Markakis hit his 5th on the offensive side. That accounted for all 3 of the Oriole’s runs. Brian Roberts had a couple of hits and a walk.
Game 2: This game seemed like a real chance at a victory. Facing a rookie making his major league debut and with Daniel Cabrera throwing a complete game with some of his best stuff, the Orioles still found a way to lose. Cabrera went 8 innings for the complete game (Toronto didn’t need to bat in the 9th, they already won the game 2-1). He only gave up 3 hits, while walking 5 and striking out 6. But those 2 runs he yielded would be enough for the Blue Jays to eek out the victory. The Orioles got on the board quickly in the first when a Miguel Tejada double play would allow Brian Roberts to score. But that would be the only run to come across the board for the O’s. Nick Markakis had a couple of hits in the game.
Game 3: In another 2-1 loss, the Orioles just got overpowered by AJ Burnett. Burnett threw a complete game, striking out 10 batters. The O’s could only manage 3 hits, two by Kevin Millar (including his 4th homerun), and one by Paul Bako (of all people). Brian Burres started for the Orioles and he pitched pretty good. He only went 5 innings, but his control was much improved over his last start. He gave up 2 runs on 7 hits and a walk, while striking out 6. Chad Bradford, amazingly, pitched 2 (!) innings of shutout baseball, striking out 4 batters. This has got to be some kind of record, I didn’t think we would see a late inning reliever not named Chris Ray throw more than one inning all season. Danys Baez would throw a solid inning in the 8th, striking out a batter, but it wouldn’t matter.
The Orioles get a much needed day off before traveling to DC to face the Nationals. If we can’t beat these guys, I don’t know who we can beat. Go O’s.
