Baltimore Orioles lifted on the arm of Kevin Gausman

Kevin Gausman pitched a gem for the Baltimore Orioles last night, as they took game two and the series with the Texas Rangers.

Needless to say, the likes of Kevin Gausman and his fellow Baltimore Orioles’ pitchers haven’t been poor this year. However they’ve been a little inconsistent to say the least – streaky, if you will. However Gausman rebounded from his previous rough outing in Toronto, and threw a gem last night. Gausman’s line: 7.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 7 K.

That’s a quality start, both on paper and in reality. So often we see pitchers throw what’s deemed a quality start because it was six innings plus and they gave up fewer than three runs. But anyone who watched that game might not necessarily call that a quality start. Gausman threw a quality start last night.

However he got off to a bit of an inauspicious start, as Beltran hit his first home run as a Texas Ranger after being dealt there on Monday from New York. Luckily for Gausman and the O’s, it was a solo shot with two outs in the top of the first. Solo home runs generally don’t beat you, unless you allow them to do so. The Orioles didn’t.

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The O’s came right back in the last of the first, tying the game on a Trumbo fielder’s choice-RBI. Later in the inning Matt Wieters smacked a two-RBI single up the middle, and the Orioles held a 3-1 lead. Texas’ additional acquisition, catcher Lucroy,, hit an RBI-single in the second inning…and that was it. No literally, I mean that ended the scoring for the evening on both sides…

…the Orioles won the game 3-2. Gausman shut Texas down for the most part, allowing base runners but always finding a way out of it. And the bullpen combination on the back end of O’Day and Britton worked exactly as they were supposed to. So the O’s took game two with Texas, ensuring them of a series victory as well.

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Britton did allow a base runner in the ninth, however he was almost viciously gunned down trying to steal second base. That was the second out of the inning, courtesy of Matt Wieters. Britton proceeded to record the final out following that play to seal the deal for the Birds.

I do find it a bit ironic that these two high-powered offenses have played what amounts to two pitcher’s duels. The Birds did put five runs on the board on Monday, but pitching ruled the game for the most part. Both teams can score runs in bunches, but pitching has been a question for the Orioles to this point. So that’s fairly good to see from their standpoint in a way.

Next: Baltimore Orioles: Dylan Bundy messes with Texas

The series concludes this evening at Camden Yards. The Orioles will send newly-acquired Wade Miley to the mound this evening in his debut in orange and black, and he’ll be opposed by Texas’ A.J. Griffin. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.