Orioles “Dunn” in Chi-town

First thing’s first; greetings from the eternal city of Rome! I’ll be here for another couple of hours before taking off and flying to the island of Sicily which is where my parents’ vacation home is located and where I’ll spend the next week and a half or so. Good times. Nevertheless, it came to my attention that the Baltimore Orioles fell to the ChiSox on an Adam Dunn walk off homer in the last of the ninth on the fourth of July. I suppose you can file this under the category of it is what it is in a sense. It won’t sit well with the Birds heading into a weekend series in NY that they dropped two-of-three to Chicago, but perhaps in the grand scheme of things that’s not a bad thing.

Courtesy of Reid Compton-USA TODAY Sports

Zach Britton did exactly what the Orioles have been looking to get their starters to do in pitching deep into the game. Britton’s line: 7 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 3 K. Having said that, Britton did seem to tire in the sixth as has been the norm for him. He gave up his two runs in the last of the sixth, as he gave up his two runs. Alex Rios‘ and Adam Dunn’s RBI-singles gave Chicago a 2-0 lead. However in fairness to Britton, Buck Showalter sent him back out for the seventh inning and he sent them down 1-2-3. At the very least that probably says something in that perhaps Britton’s durability is growing. You can look at it one of two ways; either Britton contiunes to struggle in the sixth, or he had one bad inning.

The O’s evened the score in the eighth when Matt Wieters reached base safely on an Adam Dunn error, which scored Brian Roberts. Nate McLouth also scored on Nick Markakis‘ sac fly, and we were knotted at two. Tommy Hunter sent Chicago down 1-2-3 in the last of the inning, and was able to record the first out in the ninth. However the aforementioned Adam Dunn walk off homer won it for Chicago at 3-2. Again, dropping two-of-three in Chicago is somewhat frustrating if you’re the Orioles. But the Birds have bigger fish to fry in a sense. New York will probably be up and then some to play this Orioles this weekend given the fact that the Orioles swept them at the yard in dramatic fashion last weekend. But do they owe the O’s some payback for that, or do the O’s still owe them payback for years of abuse?!

Furthermore, do the Orioles need to worry about Tommy Hunter who gave up that home run? I would submit not, as you have to look at the overall track record and Hunter’s has been strong this year. Miguel Gonzalez will get the start tonight at Yankee Stadium, after seeing New York in his previous start last weekend on Sunday Night Baseball. He’ll be opposed by Ivan Nova, who actually pitched in relief in that game. I’m going to have to cut this a bit shorter than normal…I have a plane to catch!