Baltimore Orioles: Chris Davis leads twin bill split

Baseball is really the only sport which gives us the potential for doubleheaders, and we saw one of the old fashioned variety earlier today. Most doubleheaders are split, including this one – with the Baltimore Orioles winning the second game. The doubleheader of course was scheduled due to the riots in Baltimore last month, which canceled two games against the ChiSox.

Tyler Wilson made his first big league start in game one, and with fairly decent results. 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K – a quality start. However Wilson ended up a hard-luck loser, as the Orioles’ offense couldn’t get cranked up again. Until the very end, that is.

More from Orioles News

Wilson walked Adam Eaton to start off the sixth inning, and as we know nothing good ever comes after a walk. Melky Cabrera, and later Adam LaRoche would provide RBI-doubles, and the Orioles trailed 2-0. Chicago would also add a run on a force out-RBI by Tyler Flowers in the ninth, before the O’s got it going in the last of the inning.

After a two-out single by Delmon Young, Chris Davis came to the plate, and nailed a two-run homer into the stands to bring the O’s to within 3-2. However they couldn’t finish the job, and fell to defeat in game one. The eighth inning incidentally was marred by Manny Machado being ejected after he was called out on strikes and slammed his helmet down in disgust. That temper is one thing Machado is going to have to learn to control, lest he wants to start being judged even more harshly by umpires.

Courtesy of Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The majority of these twin bills are split, but that means it’s always tougher if you fall in the first game because that puts some pressure on in the second game. However the Orioles had Mike Wright on the mound in game two, for his third big league start – after pitching brilliantly in his first two starts. From the get go, it was obvious Wright didn’t quite have the stuff he had in the first two starts given that Chicago took an early 1-0 lead on Eaton’s first inning solo homer.

However Wright settled down, and kept the O’s in a good spot to win the game. Wright’s line: 5 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 2 K. Wright also got a little help from his friends, and early on at that. Manny Machado hit a lead off triple which put the Birds in business. Machado would tie the score at one on Adam Jones’ FC-RBI, before Davis came up for the first time in game two with Jimmy Paredes on second base. Davis hit a ground rule double, which scored Paredes and put the Orioles in the lead 2-1.

However that lead was short-lived, as Adam LaRoche’s two-run homer in the third put Chicago back in the lead at 3-2. But the ChiSox had already had their moment in the sun for the day if you will. In the last of that same third inning Steve Clevenger’s RBI-single tied the game at three. However an errant throw allowed Clevenger to advance to second, and Chris Davis to third. Davis would score on J.J. Hardy’s RBI-single, putting the Birds back in the lead for good.

Travis Snider would give the Orioles some breathing room with an RBI-single in the last of the sixth, and one inning later David Lough’s RBI-single ran the score to 6-3 which was the final. The Orioles did have to use four relievers in that second game, however as Buck Showalter has said on numerous occasions, they just take things game-by-game.

So the Orioles finished the day in the same position they began it, two games under .500 and in third place in the AL East. Going back to the Machado ejection in the first game, as I said his temper is going to be something he’s going to have to start controlling. This was Machado’s third ejection of his career, and again as I said if he’s not careful he’s going to get a reputation for being a hot head. While it might be fair to tactfully question here and there when it comes to the strike zone, throwing the helmet as such will get you run everytime.

The Orioles will welcome Tampa to town, in theory for the second time this year starting tomorrow night. As we know, the first series was moved to Tampa where the O’s played as the home team in the wake of the riots which prompted the doubleheader today. Miguel Gonzalez will be on the mound for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Tampa’s Nate Karns. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Next: American League All-Star Voting: Five Baltimore Orioles Who Belong On The Team

More from Birds Watcher

Home/Orioles News