Baltimore Orioles: Getting NY back on track

The Baltimore Orioles are seemingly helping New York up a bit if the first two games of four mean anything.

While it’s certainly not intentional, the Baltimore Orioles have in essence offered a glimmer of hope to their rivals in the Bronx in the first two games of four this week. On Sunday night when NY played Boston, ESPN’s crew was very careful to say that decisions were being made as they spoke as to whether New York was going to buy or sell at the deadline. New York of course won that game, and they’ve taken the first two from the first place O’s.

So again, it’s not as if the Birds are trying to help New York. But if the word on the street happened to be that NY was going to sell, you have to wonder if that isn’t starting to change. If they look at the standings and see that they’re now only 6.5 games out of first…you never know, right? And that’s all the Orioles really need; a New York team that suddenly becomes an underdog story and captures the attention of the nation as they come out of nowhere to get to the postseason.

Vance Worley was ineffective as a starter last night, although it’s tough to win when you only put up one run as a team. Worley’s line: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 3 K. He gave up a two-run homer to Castro in the second, and he was also responsible for the run that scored in the fifth on Ellsbury’s RBI-single. 

That Balls Outta Here

The O’s tried to put up somewhat of a fight when Rickard’s RBI-double cut it to 3-1 in the sixth. However that rally was over in a New York minute. Castro smacked a two-RBI double in the last of the inning, and Headley a two-run homer in the last of the eighth.

So the question is whether or not New York still views themselves as sellers as the deadline aproaches. One would hope that no team would be compulsive enough to allow a couple of games to influence their thinking. Odds are the O’s are just going through a short skid, and at some point will break back out the bats and move forward. However…

More from Orioles News

• Baltimore Orioles Sign RP Mychal Givens
• Gunnar Henderson: Destroyer of Four-Seam Fastballs
• Which Current Baltimore Orioles Pitchers Have the Best Curveballs?
• Orioles News: Should the O’s Pursue Eovaldi? + More MLB News
• Should the Baltimore Orioles Consider Signing Nathan Eovaldi?

…New York is still New York. Over the years they’ve been very good at just living on a prayer and having that work out well for them. If you’re the O’s, you’re wanting to shut the door on them. But through two games that door has slowly begun to inch back open. And it’s up to them to close it up again.

Next: Baltimore Orioles: Offense a problem in the second half?

The series will continue this evening in the Bronx. Yovani Gallardo will try to be the Orioles’ stopper, and he’ll be opposed by NY’s Michael Pineda. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.