Around the Diamond – O’s 5, Rays 4

Around the Diamond

It’s good to be back at home.  The Orioles open up the nine game home stand with a win against Tampa with timely hitting throughout the game.  We’ll see how many more runs they score this series against Matt Moore and David Price.

Box Score

First Base

For the first three innings, the initial leadoff hitter got on base.  Well, Wieters in the 2nd actually got on base (…and then off) via the home run.  However, the other innings Nate McLouth was able to get on base to set-up RBI chances for the heart of the line-up.  The Orioles did so and Nate McLouth was responsible for two runs for the night.  A great performance from him at the top of the lineup.  The sixth inning was started as well with a leadoff walk by Markakis as well.

If the first man gets on base, good things have a tendency to happen.

Second Base

Matt Wieters is concerning me.  It’s great that he hit a home run, but did you see it? It barely got out on a breezy night at Camden Yards.  We’ve seen a lot of warning track power from Wieters at Fenway and Yankee stadium over the past week.  I think we need to keep an eye on this to see if something may be up with Wieters because the power does not look to be there at this moment.  Maybe Buck knows something as well based off the sacrifice bunt in the 8th as well to move Davis to 2nd.

Third Base

Attendance was 14,670 for the game tonight.  Alright, it’s not great.  However, it’s also an improvement over the 10,000 that we saw last year.  I’m moderately impressed, but I still think until we start getting into June that this is going to be common for most weekday games.  I bet we see 25,000+ for most games this weekend though.

Home Plate

Alright, I’ve been saving the obvious topic for last.  Jake Arrieta…the bus for Norfolk is here…please pack your bags and enjoy the trip.  Jake Arrieta gave up 1 ER on a leadoff home run on the first pitch.  He then proceeded with the following pitch count for the rest of the game:

19 Pitch – 1st Inning
20 Pitch – 2nd Inning (2 Out Walk)
21 Pitch – 3rd Inning (2 Walks with 2 outs)
19 Pitch – 4th Inning
28 Pitch – 5th Inning (2 Out Walk)
5 Pitch – 6th Inning (Lead Off Walk)

112P-63S-49B; 5.0IP 5 BB, 7 SO, 3 H

That’s unacceptable going forward for this team.  You can’t put that many men on base.  Nor can you have that kind of pitch count and strike ratio for only five innings pitched.  Arrieta needs to head back down and stay there for a bit until he can get deeper into games and garner some control.  I’m willing to try Jair Jurrjens at this point after the following stat line from tonight’s game:  8 hits, 3 runs, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts, 1 HR; 2.60 ERA in three starts.  After that, Steve Johnson could be an option as he should be finished his rehabilitation assignments by that point next week.  Based off of Gausman’s stats tonight, it looks like he needs a bit more time:  92 pitches (66 strikes) 10H, 6R, 5ER, 0BB, 5K, 1HR, 2WP, 1HBP.

Summary

 Alright, it got close in the end with Pedro Strop giving up three runs.  But it’s alright Hulk, we won.  Winning by 1-run once again and rubbing it in Pythagoras’s face.  Let’s move on and try to win this series.