How long we feel good about that may depend on how these guys look against Tarik Skubal tonight.
Hello, friends.
The Orioles finally blew somebody out again! No, really. In beating the Tigers by a 10-1 margin on Wednesday night, the team hit double digits in the runs column for the first time since Opening Day, and won by five or more runs for the first time since April 16. Runs have not been plentiful even in the O’s uncommon wins over the last couple of months. Last night’s game was a nice reminder that it can be done. Check out John Beers’s recap of the game for more of the lovely totals.
It is probably not a coincidence that the first blowout win since mid-April occurred with several of the key injured Orioles having made their way back. Jordan Westburg had a couple and a home run. Cedric Mullins had two hits, drove in one run, and scored two more on his own. A lineup that features better versions of these guys – and Colton Cowser, who was 1-5 last night – has a lot more potential on a nightly basis, and puts less pressure on Gunnar Henderson or Adley Rutschman or Jackson Holliday to do it all themselves.
This was a nice win especially considering the Tigers had a fine starting pitcher, Casey Mize, in action. He was outdueled by Zach Eflin, who allowed just one run in 6.2 innings to lower his season ERA to 4.08. There’s a sizable contingent of fans who’d like to see Eflin be given a contract extension. Mike Elias has yet to give such an extension to anyone. I feel the pull of the case to make Eflin to be the first. I have my doubts that Elias will feel that pull.
If the Orioles offense wants to make it two big nights of scoring in a row, they’re going to have their work cut out for them tonight. The reigning AL Cy Young winner, Tarik Skubal, will be in action. Skubal is left-handed, which is a particular curse to this O’s team. He’s also, generally, again showing the form that won him the Cy a year ago. Skubal brings a 2.16 ERA and .202 batting average against into this game. He turns batters against him into worse hitters than Heston Kjerstad. Yikes.
Dean Kremer will be starting in the 6:35 series finale. He was not very good last time around against the Athletics. The Tigers offense is pretty good. Maybe the reverse lock theory will kick in here.
Orioles stuff you might have missed
The Orioles’ lineup is finally close to whole. That should make a difference. (The Baltimore Banner)
The Banner’s Jon Meoli is a believer in the idea that getting the injured players back is going to have an impact on how things go for the Orioles. We will certainly all be rooting for that to be the case.
Orioles to construct premium home plate club by 2026, relocate press box (The Baltimore Sun)
Without even getting into the aesthetics of the renderings of this thing that was announced yesterday, I think it sucks to have any portion of the state-granted funding for Camden Yards renovations be used on something that will cater exclusively to corporations or wealthy fans.
Mansolino remains ‘hopeful’ Rodriguez will pitch for Orioles in 2025 (Baltimore Baseball)
“He never fully came back from the elbow,” Mansolino said in describing Grayson Rodriguez’s journey this season. That’s something I’ve been wondering for a while. The Orioles are keeping it vague as to what exactly Rodriguez is doing in his throwing progression, with Mansolino saying they don’t have a public timetable but they’re not trying to force a private one onto Rodriguez either. Rodriguez doesn’t seem to have ever gotten close enough for me to feel like he’s out of the danger zone for eventually needing Tommy John surgery.
Four Orioles fans bring crabs into Camden Yards (The Baltimore Banner)
One of the things that made it onto social media from last night’s game was four guys who brought their own steamed crabs into the stadium and ate them while sitting at the tables in the center field roof bar. It’s quite nice that the Orioles rewarded this antic with a big blowout win.
Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries
Today in 2004, as the Orioles played the Giants, Barry Bonds homered for San Francisco and Rafael Palmeiro hit two homers for the O’s. This became just the third time in history, and the first since 1971, that two members of the 500 home run club hit homers in the same game. The O’s lost this game – the first of a doubleheader – 9-6 in 11 innings, after Jorge Julio allowed four 11th inning runs.
There are a pair of former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 1993-95 outfielder Damon Buford, and 1977-80 catcher Dave Skaggs. Today is Skaggs’s 74th birthday, so an extra happy birthday to him.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you as well! Your birthday buddies for today include: Brooklyn Bridge engineer John A. Roebling (1806), 41st president George H. W. Bush (1924), musician Chick Corea (1941), singer-songwriter Meredith Brooks (1958), and model/actress Adriana Lima (1991).
On this day in history…
In 1429, during the Hundred Years’ War, a French force led by Joan of Arc captured the town of Jargeau from the English.
In 1775, martial law was proclaimed in Massachusetts by the British general Thomas Gage, who promised amnesty to any colonist who laid down their arms. This amnesty did not extend to two leaders, Samuel Adams and John Hancock.
In 1939, the Baseball Hall of Fame opened in Cooperstown, New York, where it still remains today.
In 1967, a unanimous Supreme Court declared in the case Loving v. Virginia that any state laws that forbade interracial marriage are unconstitutional.
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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on June 12. Have a safe Thursday. Go O’s!