BALTIMORE—After a spate of Covid-19 forced the Miami Marlins to wait eight days to play a game, the Orioles might have thought the patchwork team that was hastily assembled wouldn’t present much of a challenge.
However, pitching can be the great equalizer, and the Marlins’ pitchers were sharp and dominant in a 4-0 victory over the Orioles Tuesday night in a game that was delayed 40 minutes so Major League Baseball could make certain the test results for the new Marlins were negative.
Much of the Marlins’ team that last played on July 26 is in quarantine after positive tests for the coronavirus. Twenty-one members of the Marlins’ traveling party tested positive, and Miami put 17 players on the injured list.
Marlins starter Pablo Lopez pitched five scoreless innings, striking out seven. He allowed two hits, both to Austin Hays, who had been 0-for-15. The loss ended a three-game winning streak for the Orioles, who are 5-4.
“We just didn’t swing the bat very well,” said Orioles manager Brandon Hyde, who got a strong start from John Means. “Didn’t hit very many balls hard. We’d been taking really good at-bats off some good pitching this season, and tonight, just didn’t happen for us offensively.”
An Orioles’ bullpen that had been impressive in a three-game sweep of Tampa Bay faltered. Travis Lakins allowed two runs in the sixth, one of them unearned. Renato Nuñez, playing third base because Rio Ruiz has shoulder inflammation, booted a grounder by Logan Forsythe for the second run.
Thomas Eshelman allowed a long home run to Jesus Aguilar in the eighth, his third. Miami is 3-1. The Marlins won two of three in their opening series against the Phillies before Covid-19 halted their season.
James Hoyt gave up a two-out double to Anthony Santander in the sixth. That was the only hit allowed by Miami’s bullpen.
“Never got a rally going,” Hyde said. “[Lopez] didn’t have to pitch with traffic. The bullpen guys didn’t have to pitch with traffic. We didn’t put any pressure on them defensively, so give their pitchers credit for pitching us tough. Wasn’t our night offensively.”
Outfielder DJ Stewart struck out twice and walked. He’s hitless in 14 at-bats this season.
“I think he’s pressing,” Hyde said. “I think he’s trying bit a little too hard. It seems like every swing he’s trying to drive the baseball on top of the warehouse.”
Hays also appeared to be pressing.
“Sometimes you find the barrel, and the ball doesn’t find a hole,” Hays said. “Tonight, the first couple of balls I didn’t really hit all that well, but they found some grass and I was able to get on base a couple of times.”
Hays has been aggressive at the plate.
“I liked most of my at-bats,” he said. “There were a few at-bats that with two strikes, I expanded the zone a little bit. I was missing some good pitches to hit in the middle of the count and early part of the count.
“When I’m at my best, and the numbers are there, I usually don’t miss those pitches or foul those pitches off. I’m getting myself in a lot of two-strike counts that usually I’m not. If I just continue to have good at-bats and continue to stay balanced at the plate, eventually I’ll stop missing those pitches and the numbers will start to show up.”
Means’ night: In his second start of the season, Means allowed just one run, on Francisco Cervelli’s two-out home run in the fifth. He gave up two hits.
Hyde removed Means immediately after the home runs. He threw 72 pitches, a jump from the 51 he threw against the New York Yankees in his season debut on July 30th. Means was scheduled to be the Orioles’ Opening Day starter but was held back because of arm fatigue.
Means allowed five first-inning runs to the Yankees — including a grand slam by Luke Voit — and pitched 2 1/3 innings, the shortest start of his career.
After the Marlins’ Jon Berti singled in the first, Means retired 13 straight until Cervelli’s home run. He struck out four without walking a batter.
“Both starts I gave up two hits, one single and one’s a homer,” Means said. “Both starts, I think I had a pretty good fastball for the most part, and I threw one bad pitch. The same sort of outcome except this was one run, and the last one was five. I did feel better this start, but it was the changeup that made the difference.
“I’ve got to limit that home run to beat me in the game. That gives a team so much momentum when you give up home runs, and they knock me out of the game. They start to get confidence, and I can’t let that happen.”
Bleier returns: Richard Bleier, who was traded from the Orioles to the Miami Marlins after Friday night’s game, pitched a perfect seventh inning in his debut for Miami. He threw 10 pitches in striking out Dwight Smith Jr. and retiring Hays and Chris Davis on groundouts.
“Trades happen,” Hyde said. “Part of the game. Part of this business. Threw the ball well tonight.”
Doubleheader update: The Orioles will start Alex Cobb in the first game of Wednesday’s doubleheader against Elieser Hernandez. First pitch is set for 5:05 p.m.
Asher Wojciehchowski will start the second game for the Orioles. Miami, which will serve as the home team for the second game, hasn’t announced its starter.
Both games will be seven innings based on the new rule for the 60-game 2020 season.
Roster size update: According to published reports, Major League Baseball will go through with its plan to reduce roster sizes from 30 to 28 on Thursday.
However, instead of reducing the roster size to 26 on August 20th, they’ll keep it at 28 for the remainder of the season. Taxi squads for road games, which had been three players, will increase to five.
Injury update: Ruiz missed his second game with shoulder inflammation … Shortstop José Iglesias remains out with a left quad injury. He did bat on Saturday and Sunday but hasn’t started since July 29 … Hyde said that right-hander Dillon Tate, who’s at the Bowie alternate site, is coming back from an elbow injury. “Dillon Tate is throwing,” Hyde said. “He’s progressing. I would say, a couple of week or less, if everything works out, if everything goes smoothly in his rehab.”
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Stewart just looks WAY overmatched at the plate, can’t stand watching guys shake their heads at their play, Stewart & CD looked like bobble heads out there...Means looked ok, can’t give up a HR to an older vet without much power (according to the announcers just before he went yard)...go O’s...
Don't know if I buy Hyde's excuse for removing Means after Cervelli's home run. Means was working on a one-hitter and retired 13 straight batters before giving up the solo home run. Means' arm was looking great prior to Cervelli's shot. How is a starter going to learn how to pitch his way out of bad inning if he's removed ONE out prior to qualifying to get a win? Also, why is Chris Davis in the starting lineup?
That was a very discouraging loss. The O’s should have swept this decimated Miami team. Very discouraging.
Blier shouldn’t get too excited about retiring DJ, Hays and CD. Those 3 guys are over matched by just about anybody.
Boy am I in a cynical mood this morning.
Hays went 2 for 3 last night.
Thanks Boog. I can always count on you to have a positive comment.
Cal and Music both made solid points--Stewart being overmatched and Means could have given 80 pitches. And YES Garceau did just say that Cervelli has no power. Fry has to be put on that short leash with Hess. Sad because 2 years ago Fry looked like a comer. Davis-what can I say? Ouch. Now he's taking AB's from Valaika(never thought I'd say that). Nunez as a 3rd baseman? He solidified his hold on DH last night.
Not sure the team Miami has out there is a pushover, especially with that Lopez guy.. Orioles did look complacent out there and need every bit of the regular starters in the lineup.Hopefully just a bad game last nite but there are a couple guys in the lineup that you cannot depend on ( without mentioning names).
Tony .... we ALWAYS mention names on this site. :)
One thing I think everyone can agree on - Davis looks as lost at the plate (one hit in 16 AB) as he has for the past few of seasons. Time to move on at 1B.
Chris Davis. Can you believe the team actually had a bobblehead night for this bum? Can you believe the dog I named Crush is already 6 years old? Is it time for me to cut my dog?
Ryan who?
And where the heck is Chance Sisco?
Are they even trying to win?
Totally agree on Sisco, should have caught or DH’d...again, don’t get it...go O’s...
& Ryan who...go O’s...
Ryan who, Yusiel who and Williams who are sitting on their asses watching DJ, Smith Jr and Crush make fools of themselves. The season is young but 1/6 thru still it’s torture watching these 3 southpaws stink it up
Crush is making fools of the Angelos family and it's emasculated front office.
DJ is pressing i think. Glad you can think Hyde because since he has been playing in the bigs he’s done nothing but press. Where is Sisco resting for today’s doubleheader. Smith jr is a bum. Besides Hays and Santalander the best outfielders are drinking beer and watching the games at Bowie
Both Stewart's need to take a step back and go to Bowie. Both of them are not MLB ready.
Kohl Stewart opted out last week.
I think he means Steward and Smith at least that’s what I think
Woof. Come into the series riding high after a sweep and get whipped by a bunch of bartenders and landscapers. This game'll humble ya.
One of the unsung tragedies of this season is that, with no fans in the stands, there is little to no opportunity to dance on the graves of that most obnoxious of fanbases, the Red Sox. It appears to be a structure fire in Fenway this year and we don't even get the pleasure of laughing them out of the ballpark in 2020. Ugh.
DJ Stewart was a number 1 draft pick (25th overall) and Cedric Mullins was a 13th round pick both in the 2015 draft of Dan Duquette so be careful how you bash them on this site!!! And just like Dan Duquette started this "tanking" at 2018's trade deadline (BRR) by cleaning house, they are dead wrong (Palsy) on blaming Mike Elias on tanking and just won't admit it while it's Captain Obvious for everyone else! Mike Elias just inherited this barren team and is trying to build through the draft position that HE - Dan Duquette put us in. And because Elias won't do a 1 year 9 month (how long Mike Elias has been here) quick fix which will result in another 14 year drought that's been here before by doing it that way, he's being blamed for this. THAT'S WHAT IS JUST PATHETIC!
Dan Duquette the guy that gave Ubo the big contact and Cobb. I’m not blaming Elias for drafting DJ I’m blaming Elias for playing him when he’s obviously not prepared fo this level. He missed spring training and there was no need to rush him into this season when guys we’re available who played this spring prepared themselves and were ready to play.
Boff, I agree with you on DJ Stewart, he should be sent back down. He didn't have a spring training back in February/March coming off ankle surgery. I think they should bring up Mason Williams but I'm guessing that won't happen because Elias wants to give both DJ and Cedric Mullins a real shot to see if they are quality Major League outfielders. Also, I was just making a point about who drafted them. I never said that you said Elias drafted DJ and who plays players is up to the manager not Elias. My biggest point was and still is: that Dan Duquette is the one that cleaned house at the 2018 trade deadline which started this "tanking", not Mike Elias. Elias inherited this barren roster and was given the task to rebuild the O's which he is trying to do by the draft position he also inherited, the worst record from 2018 and now 2019. Rome was not built in a day. These things take time and patience. I think he's doing a great job so far for what he's done in the draft and the international signings but those players are a few years away.
And just one more thing. Mike Elias also has the difficult task now to try and convince the greater players to come to a rebuilding team. Yeah, good luck with that. What great player is his right mind would want to play for a losing team. But once he rebuilds the foundation for a great team, that task will be a whole lot easier to add the few pieces for another great run!!!
Rich and some others seem to suggest that the O's entered last night's game complacent or overconfident. How this group would not view themselves as underdogs to anyone boggles my mind. Personally, i find the accusation hard to believe. Also kudos to the Marlins for standing up to the virus and enduring the protocols. They earned the win with a professional performance. As for the O's, if Alberto, Iglesias, and Ruiz are not hitting, don't expect any offense, no matter what the team's attitude is.
Right on Will, could have said any better!!!! One other thing to mention, Alberto, Iglesias and Ruiz are all guys Elias brought in here!!!
Does anyone else notice how we have great conversations about baseball & then someone gets permission to participate and starts name calling & all kinds of other stuff...some people just need to grow up...go O’s...
Haven't noticed. :)
What name calling??? The word "pathetic" that you used in the prior article that started this that I just served back? You like to dish it out but you just can't take it. That's pretty lame. And also stating that I can't admit when I'm wrong when I did so but was justifying my stance on Iglesias having a better fielding pct and being robbed for not having won the gold glove. Ok, Iglesias is/was a gold glove candidate. You got a problem with that statement?
Ha!!
No, just you...go O’s...
Actually I know you’re never wrong, but I never used the word pathetic, you can read, or did your girly friend read it to you, Ha!!...go O’s...
Yeah, this is your great conversation? You got a problem with me, you know what you and your "Pal" can do.
I used the word pathetic. When the shoe fits ...
Then this shoe should fit you and your "Pal" perfectly!!!!.
No ... your inability to keep a promise and stop this crap is what is pathetic. Just stop it already. You haven't contributed one post this year that is not in some way a veiled insult or direct attack on me or CPs. It's all you do.
I didn’t think to use pathetic, although it totally fit there, there you go questioning sexuality again, I think it’s a Freudian thing w/you...go O’s...
BRR - I kept my promise until YOU and your PAL started this "Pathetic" crap. The two of you are the pathetic ones. One starts this crap and the other swears by him. You started and I'll finish. You stop and I'll stop. I made this real simple and easy for you both and you both still don't get it!!! Talk about 6th grade education.
6th grade education is exactly right for you, I deal with MS kids everyday, you’re no different...again, not able to admit you’re wrong AGAIN...go O’s...
You started this crap "Pals" and 6th grade education is what you're used to. I'll compare my Masters in Computer Science/Engineering education and Government job to yours any day! And again, your wrong because you started this crap AGAIN and when I called you on it, your Pal BRR said I was telling on you.
How many times do you need a reminder... it's "YOU'RE".... and not "your". Where'd you get that degree ? The University of Imaliar?
And you're lying again. You never stopped. You couldn't help yourself. And BFD on the Comp Sci science degree.
And another thing...stop copying my verbiage. Use your own words. You even copied my apology... in which you didn't really apologize, you just complained about me. Try to be original. You're a hack.
Like I said ... you haven't put out one single post here that wasn't intended to attack me, CPs, or things we've said over the past year or however long you've been trolling us.
One more thing .. you sir, don't know spit about baseball. All you do is repeat the tired old company lines about how to bring players along. We've all heard what you have to say already. STRIDE to do better you simpleton hack.
You're the fn liar you fat piece of crap punk azz. Call me a liar you punk azz. You said you would stop to the other poster and you and your PAL keep this crap up.You are the ones lying here. And my degree is legit, come to NY and I'll show you right after I kick you azz. And I didn't copy anything you said including your lying apology so stop lying AGAIN. I didn't attack you or Pal, I stated just facts that you just can't handle. Grow Up already or man up!!!!
;)
Please disregard my prior post. I don't wish to combat with you or your pal anymore, I apologize for it and I won't be drawn in anymore. I'll be the bigger man here and I am a man of my word. I worked hard for where I am today and won't be belittled by this petty crap anymore and I am no liar nor do I have a reason to lie about all my accomplishments. I have bigger and better things to do with my time. I have extended the olive branch before and I'll do it one last time to you both. Take it or leave it.
There we have it again, physical threats, I’m done with you, it was fun for awhile because you’re easy to piss off, now, it’s like saying “Not another word”, & you go word...go O’s & take Onesy with you...
Have you ever noticed that the only interaction this clown gets on this site is from you and I? Nobody else seems to notice him or care about his "professional" analysis of the team. I was laughing, 'cause he was obviously desperate to get us to bite. I'm sorry I broke down after 2/3 weeks. No more responses from me. And mark my word, he's STILL going to go on with veiled comments to others regarding Chance Sisco, DD being a tanker...yadda yadda yadda. Makes sense that he's from N.Y. I'm thinking that Yankees didn't want him as a fan. Probably sat by himself in the corner of the lunchroom. No friends, much less female companionship other than his mother.
Yup ... I think I hit the nail on the head with "pathetic". And yeah..he's doesn't copy our words. That is of course unless he says things like .... and I quote ... "The two of you are the pathetic ones". Nope...doesn't use our words at all. Unoriginal. No mind of his own.
He's like the waterboy .... "Will you be my friend?" bwaaahaaaahaaahaa.
I got my wish. Thanks!!! BTW, save it!!!
I’m with you, no more attention to him or comments...always great chatting w/u, thx & ...go O’s...
Can someone explain to me why Sisco was removed for a pinch runner. Isn’t it a better match up with one on in the 7th instead of Serverino
"Roster Size Update" It really is past time to move Chris Davis to some other roster, preferably in Korea or Japan. The guy has been done here since the day he signed that obscene contract. (You can look it up, stats don't lie!)
I still think that when they came up with the "Crush Davis Superhero and his dog Samson" bobblehead .. he simply couldn't handle and cracked under pressure. But you're right ... the money seemed to blow his mind.
I don’t believe anyone would argue with you...too bad...go O’s...