BALTIMORE—It’s no secret that the Orioles have been allowing home runs at a record pace. When Alex Cobb, who started the second game of a Saturday doubleheader, allowed home runs to Nelson Cruz and C.J. Cron in the first inning, it meant the Orioles had become the first team in baseball history to allow more than 50 home runs before the end of April.
In the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, Dan Straily allowed three solo home runs, two to Eddie Rosario, as the Orioles lost to the Minnesota Twins 6-5. The Orioles surrendered eight home runs in the Game 2 16-7 blowout loss to the Twins.
“A lot of times, baseball games come down to one or two pitches, and before you throw the ball you don’t know what impact it’s going to bring to the game,” Straily said after Game 1.
“One of those would have changed the outcome for us. It brings back the importance of being focused on every single pitch and trying to execute them. Today, a couple of the home runs were not even bad executed pitches. It was just bad game-calling on my end of it.”
Straily left after five innings with the score tied at 3. Jimmy Yacabonis allowed three runs in 2/3rds of an inning.
“We’ve given up a lot of home runs,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “We’re looking to execute a little better with two strikes. A lot of the damage has been done with two strikes against us, and it’s just something we’ve got to get a lot better at.”
Pedro Severino, Straily’s catcher, who hit his second home run of the year, doesn’t have an easy explanation for the bevy of homers.
“The pitcher sometimes miss the pitch up in the zone, and that’s why they get a homer,” Severino said. “We are not perfect. Sometimes, we miss the pitch and still get an out. Sometimes, we miss it, and they get a homer.”
Straily said that pitching at a small home stadium shouldn’t be a disadvantage.
“All ballparks have their challenges,” Straily said. “Everywhere you go has something a little different about it. I pitched a full season at the Great American Small Park in Cincinnati.
“…You can also argue that it can help you as a pitcher because hitters are trying to hit home runs when they come here, and they’re a little more aggressive. It gives us a little bigger zone to swing at…The challenge when you’re pitching here is to make sure guys don’t barrel balls.”
Dwight Smith Jr. and Renato Nunez had the Orioles’ first back-to-back home runs in the third inning.
Tanner Scott sparkled in relief, retiring all six batters he faced, striking out five.
Davis Heating Up; Chris Davis had two hits, a single and a double in four at-bats. Davis is 7-for-17 and his average is up to .140.
Davis had an extra-base hit, and possibly a home run, taken away from him when Eddie Rosario, who had two home runs of his own, snared the ball at the top of the left field fence.
Making a move: After the game, the Orioles optioned right-hander Josh Lucas to Triple-A Norfolk. Lucas had a 4.15 ERA in three games.
A move was necessary when Cobb was activated from the 10-day injured list.
Right-hander Branden Kline was recalled from Norfolk to serve as the 26th man in the second game.
Injury updates: Nate Karns, who is on the 10-day injured list with a right forearm strain, allowed three runs on two hits while recording one out in a rehab stint for Norfolk, Karns walked two and did not have a strikeout.
Austin Hays, who’s recovering from a sprained left thumb, has begun a hitting progression in Sarasota. Hays is hitting off a batting tee.
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The Pitcher we kept when we chose to let Drew Jackson go Mr Wright spelled Wrong is getting shellacked tonight ERA over 11. Please Elias DFA this guy or just demote him to Norfolk after the game tonight
Alex Cobb's ERA is even worse. Buckle up O's fans, it's gonna be a long season.
Yes I give Cobb a little slack coming off DH. Mullins hitting 098 get rid of him too. Jones looks like Trout compared to this guy.
Hoffman... as far as Mullins is concerned the so called “plus” for him is his speed. If he can’t get on base the only use for it is his ability to get to balls in the outfield. He did make a couple of running catches yesterday but did you see the weak throw he made from right center to second base? It bounced twice before getting there. I had seen this when he was at Bowie but didn’t focus on it. One of the complaints we heard about Jones last year was his diminished arm strength but I surely don’t see Mullins ever coming close to being the complete player Jones was for us. To me, Mullins was all hype when he was called up and he’s worn that out by now. Back to the minors for him!
100 per cent right Ekim, what kind of prospect was Mullins ever. He can’t hit or throw , yes he’s fast but for a centerfielder obviously that’s not nearly enough. With all of Elias analytics this has to be obvious to him. I still believe in Diaz and I hope we see Hays our there by June 1st. Richards is a capable fourth outfielder at best we don’t need to fourth outfielders with is what Mullins is at best too
Sorry for typos
With 10 days still left in the month, the odds are pretty good that they'll give up 75 homers by the end of April. What's the over under?
Gotta be an OPACY fear factor going on here. This is ridiculous. It's impossible to be this bad. Roger McDowell we owe you an apology.
Oriel... my beef against McDowell was that he took a fairly decent pitching staff and ruined it within three months of his arrival. That’s not the case this year. There really wasn’t anything to ruin when the new guy (brain fade... can’t remember his name) got here.
I’ve posted on this site, almost continually, about Mike Wright Jr. and his negative impact on the O’s. I’ve also written about how the guy makes me money when he pitches. One of my good friends has met the guy and became a fan of his. Not too long ago we had a serious discussion about him with the result being we made a bet. I pay him $5 for every appearance he makes without giving up a run (inherited or not) and he pays me $5 for every run he allows including inherited runs.. I made $30 last night. I’m almost to the point I hope they keep him. Easy money!
Was at the Yard yesterday, great day for a ballgame, was anyone else surprised at their disappointment when Alberto went down swinging in the 9th, taking the bat out of Davis hands? The whole inning I was thinking 'here it is, the stars are aligned, their down 1 in the 9th at home, the big fella is gonna walk this thing off with a flag court special'. Alas, it was not to be.
Sorry Kim, this was supposed to be a stand alone comment
Cobb has been horrible since he arrived last yr, no excuse, coming off the ir list, he is not a team player, worries about himself, I’d get rid of him looong before I’d do anything w/CD, not the type of veteran I’d want my young guys to emulate....9 runs in the beginning of the game, not after 5, 6 innings....curios how Hyde will cover Cobbs but w/a positive spin....CD would play every day if needed, Corn Cobb goes out (when available) every 5th day & puts on subpar performances, who’s really duping us....I say Cobb....
Butt, damn spellcheck...
Agree. The excuses are getting old.