Baltimore Orioles “Schoop” out another win in Anaheim

There’s been some speculation over the past few days that Miguel Gonzalez could be part of a package/trade that the Baltimore Orioles could potentially make prior to Monday’s deadline. If that’s the case, he certainly showcased himself well last night in Anaheim. Gonzalez’s line: 7.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 5 K. The O’s were without the services of Manny Machado in last night’s game, as he had a back issue flair up in batting practice; Ryan Flaherty covered the hot corner last night, and Machado’s status moving forward is unclear.

The game itself was scoreless until the sixth inning. Gonzalez and Anaheim starter Hector Santiago were really doing a number on the other side’s hitters respectively. However the scoring began when Chris Davis came up with two down in the sixth, and Anaheim employed a shift against him. After going down in the count 0-2, Davis was able to successfully hit against the shift to reach base.

Davis would score on J.J. Hardy‘s subsequent double, which was followed by a two-run home

Courtesy of Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

run by Jonathan Schoop. In a span of a few minutes, the O’s had gone from embedded in a pitcher’s duel to being firmly in the driver’s seat. Nelson Cruz would net a double in the top of the eighth as well, and he would later be doubled home once again by J.J. Hardy to give the O’s a 4-0 lead.

Gonzalez started to tire in the eighth inning when he issued a walk to Hank Conger. With two outs in the inning he hung a fastball to Mike Trout – and suddenly Anaheim was within two of the Orioles at 4-2. Buck Showalter immediately lifted Gonzalez in favor of Tommy Hunter, who induced an Albert Pujols ground out to end the inning.

Showalter brought Zach Britton in for the ninth, and was rewarded with a clean inning as the O’s defeated Anaheim once again by the score of 4-2.

The need for the Orioles to make a trade might have been made more severe yesterday after NY traded for San Diego third baseman Chase Headley. While Headley is a good player that will probably help them to a degree, I’m not sure that he puts them over the top (unless he starts playing out of his mind). However fans are now looking at the O’s and wondering what their move will be.

So bearing that in mind, as I said many trade rumors involve the likes of Miguel Gonzalez. If in fact last night ends up being one of his final starts in an Oriole uniform, he certainly went out with a bang. The Orioles allegedly had scouts at Philadelphia’s game on Monday night looking at A.J. Burnett, who the Phillies have said they’d be willing to trade. Personally I’m not sure that’s the guy that’s going to put the O’s over the top, but he’s someone who’s apparently on their radar.

With the win last night, the Birds have already won the series in Anaheim which is great to see from their standpoint after the lackluster weekend in Oakland. The O’s will try to keep the momentum going good tonight in the series finale before they shake “Cali” for the Pacific Northwest and head to Seattle. Chris Tillman will get the start for the O’s tonight, and he’ll be opposed by Anaheim’s Jared Weaver. Incidentally, the Orioles will play a four-game set in Seattle, before returning home and playing these same Anaheim Angels once again starting next Tuesday. And go figure, the same Seattle Mariners they’ll face this weekend will then come into Camden Yards to play the Orioles next weekend.