Baltimore Orioles: Short outings and different ‘pen can hurt

The Baltimore Orioles got another short outing from a starter last night in Yovani Gallardo, and their bulpen wasn’t what it should be due to injuries.

When the Baltimore Orioles are only able to get four innings out of Yovani Gallardo, the game gets turned over to the bullpen early. If that happens enough, it’s going to tax even the best bullpens. The Orioles of course were supposed to have one of the best bullpens in baseball – and they did, on paper. However injuries and overuse have tamed that a bit.

Gallardo had a lead last night at Dodger Stadium, but he wasn’t able to stick around long enough to even have a shot at the win. Gallardo’s line: 4 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 BB, 5 K. In fairness, both Gallardo and LA”s Urias were affected by the strike zone, which appeared to be both floating and very small. Both were lifted early due as much to pitch count as anything else.

J.J. Hardy‘s two-RBI double in the second inning gave the Birds a 2-0 lead early. Later in the inning Adam Jones would add an RBI-single, and the O’s were on top of things from the getgo. However back-to-back solo homers by Los Angeles tamed that feeling a bit, butting the lead to 3-2. As I said however, the strike zone was incredibly small all night. The only way either pitcher was going to record outs was to pitch-to-contact. 

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Joey Rickard added a two-RBI-double in the fourth, and the O’s jumped back on top by three runs. However Los Angeles used two RBI-singles in the fourth to get to within one, and then they tied it with an RBI-single in the sixth. Gallardo was chased after the fourth inning, again due to high pitch count. As I said, he left with the lead – but without going five innings he automatically got a no-decision.

A sac-fly RBI in the seventh gave Los Angeles the lead, and then an RBI-double in the eighth gave them a cushion as they sent the Birds down to their fifth straight loss, 7-5. Obviously the short starts are starting to get to the bullpen, however it’s also worth mentioning that the bullpen is unable to function as it was meant to. As opposed to O’Day going into the game, it’s the likes of Givens, Despaigne, etc.

Nothing against those guys, mind you. They’re obviously trying as hard as they can, and aren’t intending to cost the Orioles games. However they’re inexperienced, and they aren’t what the Orioles were designed to send into these situations. When your bullpen is as good as the Orioles’ was meant to be, one injury like that can sometimes change the entire makeup.

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Speaking of Despaigne, he balked the tying run into scoring position in the last of the sixth. Manager Buck Showalter didn’t feel it was a balk, and he indicated his displeasure with the call after the game (quote courtesy of Steve Melewski, MASNsports):

"The balk call obviously wasn’t a balk. I don’t know where that came from. It kind of came out of the air. Kind of over-officiating something that’s not there. That’s a big call. Better be 100 percent sure before you make that. But that didn’t beat us."

As Showalter said, that didn’t beat the Orioles. It’s the sum of all parts which equals a win or a loss. But obviously as I said it put the tying run in scoring positions – and Obviously Los Angeles took advantage.

Next: Baltimore Orioles, Ubaldo Jimenez swept away in Seattle

The series continues this evening at Dodger Stadium. Chris Tillman will take to the mound trying to end the Orioles’ losing streak, and he’ll be opposed by LA’s Kenta Maeda. Game time is set for just after 10 PM.