Baltimore Orioles: Off to Miami after Surviving Cruz Visit

It was as weird as it was wet, but it was a win. Steve Pearce‘s first-inning grand slam held up until the latter stages, and the Baltimore Orioles added a run in the eighth for the win earlier today after Seattle had tied it on a bases-loaded walk.

Tying it was all they could manage, as Tommy Hunter intentionally walked the bases-loaded in the eighth but got out of it. Putting Nelson Cruz on to load the bases was playing with fire, but Hunter retired the side to end that threat. Farewell to Mr. Cruz, who did his most damage in this series by going 2 for 3 with a 3-run homer Tuesday in a game the Orioles came back to win.

Now it’s off to Miami for a weekend set against the high-turnover Marlins.

They are on a seven-game losing streak, swept in four games by Arizona following Thursday’s 7-6 loss. Mat Latos allowed six runs, increasing the rotation’s ERA to 6.24 over the last nine games.

Dan Jennings is off to the worst start for a first-time manager since Tony DeFrancesco also went 0-4 with Houston in 2012. What does it say about an organization when the General Manager installs himself as interim manager, even if perhaps he was ordered to do so by higher authority?

Among the coaching staff, was there nobody the club thought could manage out the season, or at least manage until the All Star Break? Did the Marlins have no minor league managers in whom they were confident enough to promote?

This is a series that screams “make hay while the sun shines” and gives the Orioles a chance to beat a team they should beat, thus qualifying them as a good team.

Keeping Dee Gordon (12 steals and hitting .395) off base will be a tall order. Giancarlo Stanton is 2 for 18 over his last five games, but 3 for 7 with a homer off Ubaldo Jimenez, who the Orioles will trust to continue the roll he’s on. Recent call-up Mike Wright gets the start Saturday.

Next: Baltimore Orioles Vs. Seattle Mariners: Live Stream Start Time, TV Info, Lineups and More