And they said it couldn’t be done
Happy Tuesday, Camden Chatters! There are four writers here at Camden Chat who handle the seven days of Bird Droppings every week, and I am the first one this season who is able to write this column with the Orioles on a three-game win streak. That’s right, with their 5-2 win yesterday, the Orioles have won three games in a row for the first time this season.
If you missed yesterday’s win, it was nice and easy. Charlie Morton had his finest game of the season with six innings of two-run baseball and the trio of Sernathony Domínguez, Yennier Cano, and Félix Bautista retired the final nine batters without a baserunner. Ryan O’Hearn continued his hitting onslaught with three hits, Jackson Holliday had two hits, and Dylan Carlson hit a three-run homer. Tyler Young has all the details you need in his game recap.
In the three-game win streak, the starting pitching trio of Trevor Rogers, Dean Kremer, and Charlie Morton has combined to pitch 17.2 innings with just two runs allowed. That’ll go a long way to a win streak.
Those are pitchers who have been much maligned this year, and for good reason. Morton started the month with a 9.76 ERA and before today, the Orioles were 0-12 in games in which he appeared. Kremer has given up between four and six runs in six of his 11 starts, though he’s shown promise lately. And of course, Rogers has been a disappointment at both the major and minor league levels since his arrival in the organization.
I have expected nothing from Morton and Rogers and not much more from Kremer. I still don’t, even with the results of the past three games. But I do feel an inkling of…hope? Is that what this feeling is? It’s been so long that I barely recognize it. But if those three pitchers can provide some value to supplement Tomoyuki Sugano and Zach Eflin (who has had his own troubles), we might actually see some baseball worth watching.
Links
Charlie Morton pitches 6 strong innings, Orioles’ bats back him in win – The Baltimore Banner
Charlie Morton has looked much better of late. Can he sustain it?
This, that and the other – MASN Sports
Roch Kubatko will never be accused of writing excellent headlines. But this story has the story of and some nice quotes by new pitcher Yaramil Hiraldo. He has yet to appear in a game, but I am rooting for him.
Birthdays and History
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have one Orioles birthday buddy, Miguel González (41). González was one of the best stories of the 2012 Orioles, and that team had a lot of them. Alex Church wrote a nice story about him a few years ago.
After years in the minors and several injuries, the Orioles signed him out of the Mexican League in March 2012. He made his major league debut on May 29, 2012 at the age of 28 and ultimately made 15 starts for the Orioles with a 3.25 ERA. He had a great start in the 2012 ALDS against the Yankees, allowing just one run in seven innings before the Orioles lost the game in 12 innings. He appeared in 101 games for the Orioles from 2012-2015 and was always a fan favorite. Happy birthday, MiGo!
On this day in 1960, catcher Clint Courtney used a special glove to catch knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm. The glove was 50% larger than the standard catcher’s mitt, allowing Courtney to catch Wilhelm’s erratic knuckleballs in the win. The mitt was later banned.
In 2014, the Orioles were playing the Milwaukee Brewers and suffered an embarrassing loss. In the bottom of the 10th with the score tied 6-6, TJ McFarland recorded two outs and then intentionally walked former Oriole Mark Reynolds. The Brewers had the pitcher’s spot up and had no bench players remaining, so pitcher (and future Oriole) Yovani Gallardo pinch hit. He hit a game-winning double. Whoops.
In 2022, the Orioles went into the eighth inning against the Boston Red Sox down 8-2. They scored three runs in the seventh, three in the eighth, and four in the ninth to win by a score of 12-8. The multi-inning rally started with a three-run homer from Jorge Mateo.
One year ago today, the Orioles again defeated the Red Sox, 11-3. They were ahead 11-0 before Thyago Vieira gave up three runs in the eighth inning in his only game with the team. Cole Irvin earned the win with five shutout innings. The offense did not hit a single home run but did have six doubles, including two from current Marlins star Kyle Stowers.