Rangers take series 2-1 despite Guthrie’s strong showing

This game was all about the pitching.  In the Orioles 3-0 loss to the Rangers Sunday (losing the series 2-1), both Guthrie and Rangers’ starting pitcher Derek Holland pitched extremely well.  Guthrie pitched 6 innings giving up 4 hits and one run (the only one the Rangers needed).  Although this wasn’t the brilliant start he showed us on opening night, this was still a very respectable outing for Guthrie, especially after just recovering from pneumonia.  Unfortunately, Holland was better.  He shut out the O’s, pitching 6 innings and giving up 5 hits.  He gave up one more hit than Guthrie did, but the Orioles offense could not get anything going against him.

In the bottom of the first, it looked like they had something with Lee singling and then Guerrero singling as well sending Lee to third.  But, (and this will happen all season) Reynolds struck out for the third out.  This was the first time Reynolds was hitting in the 5th spot of the line-up because Jake Fox played for Luke Scott (the bottom of the line-up was Reynolds, Jones, Fox, Wieters, and Andino who played for J.J. Hardy [more on that later]).  Then, in the bottom of the third, Lee walked and Guerrero doubled, sending Lee to third again.  Yet, Reynolds grounded out to again end the inning. In the 5th and 8th the O’s got equal opportunities, but could not capitalize on them.

As for Guthrie, he gave up a homer to Beltre in the 4th.  Unfortunately, Guthrie pitched a really great game but the O’s bats couldn’t back him up to get the win.  Jim Johnson came in at the top of the 7th to relieve Guthrie, and what do you know, he gives up a 2-run blast to Kinsler to put the Rangers up 3-0.  I really really don’t like him.  But, it’s only one game.  The Orioles are now 6-3, still atop of the AL East, and still a lot better than anyone was expecting.  The O’s need to regroup because next up, starting Tuesday, they face a 3-game series at the Yankees, who are a half game back from them.  This is a series O’s fans have been waiting for and it will definitely prove to be an exciting match-up.  If the O’s can hang with the Yanks all season, they’re season will be looking pretty good.

As for some bad news, Hardy will undergo an MRI tomorrow to see what’s going on with his left oblique injury.  Although nothing is set in stone yet, there’s a lot of talk that Hardy’s injury is not good and that he may miss up to 6 weeks.  On the bright side, at least the injuries are happening in the very beginning of the season.  I much rather have Matusz and Hardy and Roberts (he’s ok for now) out in the first few weeks than in August when it matters more.