Baltimore Orioles, Chris Davis crush in Boston

The Baltimore Orioles used a three-run homer to defeat Boston 9-7. At 6-0, the O’s are off to their best start in franchise history.

As I’ve said previously, the Baltimore Orioles and Chris Davis aren’t going to finish 162-0 this year. I would submit that would be the greatest season in sports history if someone did that – which is impossible for the most part, I might add. But the fact is that with yesterday’s win in Boston the O’s are 6-0, and now off to the best start in franchise history.

Yovani Gallardo struggled a bit off the bat, but throw in the fact that he was pitching in Fenway and it’s all but understandable. Gallardo’s line: 5 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 1 BB, 3 K. This was your typical “Fenway game,” as Boston starter Price had similar numbers. That “monstah” breathing down your back can have that type of an effect on pitchers. In Gallardo’s case, he gave up three runs in the last of the first – so the perfect record was in jeapardy right off the bat.

However the O’s responded in the third; Davis hit a two-RBI single, and Mark Trumbo smacked a three-run homer. Suddenly ‘dem O’s had a 5-3 lead. Boston would tie the game an inning later on an RBI-double and a fielder’s choice-RBI, however the O’s put Boston and the league on notice that they weren’t going anywhere soon. 

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The teams swapped runs in the sixth, with the Orioles’ coming on a Schoop RBI-double. That brought us to the ninth. The Birds had two on and two out. This is exactly the type of scenario in which Boston thrives when they’re at home in Fenway Park. Part of it has to do with the confines, and the fans. However by nature Boston is a loose team – especially in crunch time. And thus they’re tough to beat…

…but it is in fact possible. Chris Davis reminded us once again why the Orioles

invested that $161 million in him, as he stepped to the plate and promptly smacked a three-run homer to give the Birds a 9-6 lead in the ninth. The Fenway faithful are used to heroics like that in the ninth inning – just off of the bats of their players! Boston would narrow the lead to 9-7 in the last of the ninth with a solo homer from Betts, however the O’s used a big double-play to get out of a jam and take the game.

Yes, at 6-0 the O’s are off to their best start in team history. That’s fairly noteworthy, and it is in fact an accomplishment. But again, let’s not get too caught up in the record itself. At some point they’ll drop a game, and the “perfect start” will be all but a memory. However what’s much more noteworthy is the fact that the Orioles are coming up big in games – both on the mound and at the plate.

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I mentioned how loose Boston’s team is above – thus far it’s been the Orioles who have played with that type of looseness. It’s always good to start well, but it’s more important to finish strong. And we’re a long way off from that! And Davis himself echoed those sentiments in the clubhouse after the game (quote courtesy of Ian Brown and Brittany Ghiroli, MLB.com):

We’re obviously happy about the start, but I think for the most part, the mood’s always pretty positive in the clubhouse. It’s a long season. In this division, you’re always going to have ups and downs. You just got to kind of ride it out. I’m proud of the way the guys are playing. It’s obviously good to get off to a good start.

So if you’re the O’s, you “ride it out,” as Davis said. Not in the sense of riding out a losing streak, but the entire season. It’s a marathon – not a sprint. The Orioles now put themselves in a position where if they can win one of the next two, they’ve won a third series on the year. And that’s what you have to do; just continue winning series’. If you can sweep, even better. But just win them – especially in the division.

Next: Baltimore Orioles: 3 reasons to the Orioles opening week success

The series continues tonight (weather permittin) at Fenway. According to weather.com the rain is supposed to be out of the area by early evening, but you never know. Mike Wright is scheduled to start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Boston’s Clay Buchholz. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.