There were no heroics needed on Thursday night at the Yard in a 7-5 win for the Birds.  For the first time in the series, the Orioles took a lead and held it through the last 5 innings of the ballgame.  That’s not to say things didn’t get dicey. 

Alex Cintron must really like those come from behind games.  In the top of the ninth he looked like he wanted to let the Astros tie the score.  On a tailor made double play comebacker to the pitcher, Sarfate turned to second and made an iffy throw low to Cintron who couldn’t manage to get his glove on the ball. 

The infielder got the ‘E’ and deservedly so – that’s a ball a shortstop has to come up with and at least get one of the outs.  Cintron then went on to misplay a chop base hit that may or may not have been playable, but the shortstop did not put himself in a position to make a play in any case. 

2 runs scored in the top of the ninth because of Cintron. 

As Trembley said, “We got a little sloppy there at the end."  But the bottom line from the Skip: “When you get a sweep, I don't care if it's easy, hard, indifferent or whatever, you'll take it”. 

It turns out that the impact Cintron made with the bat on Thursday night outweighed the impact he made with his fielding.  The shortstop was 3 for 4 on the night, scoring 2 runs and recording an RBI - himself, on a solo shot in the 4^th off of Chacon.

The homerun came after another solo blast from Ramon Hernandez, and put the Orioles ahead where they’d stay for the remainder of the night. 

The O’s got plenty more offense to capitalize on Chacon again in the 5^th.  This time for 3 runs that would secure the win.

Chacon and Burres both put their share of runners on base.  Chacon gave up 8 hits and 4 walks on 5 innings and Burres allowed 7 hits and 2 walks over 5 and 2/3.  They both looked hittable.  Burres just found ways to get out of trouble and Orioles bats wouldn’t give Chacon that chance. 

That kind of pitching vulnerability may not fly as the Orioles head out on a 9 game interleague road trip.  First up are the surging Milwaukee Brewers with Prince Fielder who looks to be regaining his power after a weak start. 

The big first baseman has 2 homeruns in his last 3 games and is batting .322 in the month of June.  The Brewers are in the midst of a 4 game winning streak and are 7 for their last 10, 39-33 overall, as they make a move in the tough NL Central.

Score: 7-5 Orioles, (Box Score)

Next Game: @Milwaukee 8:05pm Fri, Liz (1-0) vs. Suppan (4-4)

Record: 37-34, 7GB

(AP Photo)

Garrett Olson looked like a reliable big league pitcher again in his second start of the year for the O’s.  He was bested in a pitcher’s duel by Dana Eveland in this 2-1 Orioles loss, but not by much.

Losses behind this much strong starting pitching are hard to swallow.  Each 1, 2, or 3 run start is a little pleasant surprise that’s not to be wasted and I get the feeling we don’t know just how many of them we can count on getting.

Ramon Hernandez had the team’s only RBI, driving in Melvin Mora on a grounder in the ninth to ruin Hudson Street’s save chance.  Trembley had given Ramon a stern talking to about his little homerun trot from Monday night- let’s hope the skip can keep the ship afloat.

While the Orioles have lost 7 of their last 9 games, they’ve only scored 14 runs in their last 6 outings.  Huff leads the team with a .278 and it’s all downhill from there, but even Huff is searching for excuses: 

“You're going to go through dry spells. We'll bounce back. We've had a pretty killer road trip; we haven't had much time off. Hopefully, that's it. I'm just trying to make an excuse somewhere.”

This loss parks the Birds at .500 with a record of 16-16, 4 full games behind the Red Sox.  The season’s honeymoon April may be over and reality looms.

(Monday Box Score)

Loewen Non-Information

Adam Loewen’s surgeon can’t find anything wrong with his elbow either so the recommendation is to rub some dirt on it and get out there.  He’ll start throwing forthwith and I’d say he’ll be back up and struggling in 3-4 weeks.

It is hard to tell if no diagnosis is better than a moderate diagnosis.  Something is obviously wrong, so saying ‘get back out there’ shouldn’t offer us much comfort.  This could be the nagging injury that wears out Loewen’s welcome.

(Photo: AP/Ben Margot)

Just as I was getting ready to eat my words about Daniel Cabrera, Ramon Hernandez came to my rescue--giving us all new reasons to be disappointed in our catcher.

Saturday – A Cabrera Start’s A Terrible Thing To Waste

For an unprecedented fifth game in a row, Daniel Cabrera gave the O’s a start to rally behind going into the eighth inning and giving up only three runs and most astonishingly walking only two.  Quiet Baltimore bats kept silent though and Luke Scott’s lone RBI wasn’t enough to overcome a score of 3-1.

(Saturday Box Score)

Sunday – Stuck In Trachs-hell

Why would Steve Trachsel look surprised to see Dave Trembley striding out at him in the fourth inning after giving up six runs and three home runs?  He had a look on his face like he couldn’t believe it.  I had the same look on my face after the third dinger.

This was Trachsel’s second straight three inning outing, and the third in six starts.  I’d love to jump on the bandwagon that’s sending him out of town, but in order to do that you need a replacement and until the Roberts deal gets done we’re not going to have another true starter ready to move in.

Millar was right on the money when he said, “We didn't have good shutdown innings. We scored two, they scored four. We scored one, they scored two. You've got to have a shutdown inning, and we didn't today, so we lost."  The Orioles got to the Angel pitchers, but they got to Trachsel even more as he gave up all six Angel runs in this 6-5 Oriole loss.

While Trachsel’s arm was throwing BP, Oriole base runners were having trouble staying conscious.  As if Ramon Hernandez’s team low .198 batting average (Torres doesn’t count, not enough ABs) wasn’t enough reason to skewer him, his first inning homerun trot sure was.  Granted it was a well hit ball, and sure he has to enjoy every hit that leaves the infield since there haven’t been many, but if you can’t see where the ball went, you better run.

That’s his explanation.  He couldn’t see it.  He didn’t see it, so he assumed it was a home run.  While he’s assuming, he’s also getting tagged out strolling into second on what could have been a pivotal offensive inning. 

“…the thing was that it bounced right at [Garret Anderson] so I couldn't watch the ball."

Not good enough Ramon.  Absolutely not good enough.  Sure, Roberts got picked off and caught stealing third, but I can chalk that up to aggressiveness and not pure carelessness. 

With the loss, the Orioles fall to just one game over .500 and are in a three way tie with the Rays and the Yankees for second with Toronto just a game and a half behind. 

(Sunday Box Score)

Next Up

The Orioles pull into Oakland to take on the overachieving A’s in a three game set.  Garrett Olsen will try to follow-up on his strong debut outing facing the 3-2 rookie Dana Eveland.

(Photo: AP)

Olson’s big test was a bases loaded jam in the third.  Two outs and Upton at the plate, Olson dug deep and struck out the hot hitting centerfielder.  This was a key situation and the youngster didn’t even flinch.  Upton would get his revenge with a homerun on Randor Bierd who gave up 2 runs and only recorded 1 out.  This is the second poor outing from Bierd after a dominant start to the season.

Luckily for Bierd, the Oriole bats were alive in a serious way, including Huff’s 5^th homerun of the season contibuting to the 7-4 Oriole win.  Even Ramon Hernandez got into the action going 2 for 3 with a walk, raising him above the Mendoza line to .208.  Looks like my prayer vigils for his BA have already started paying off.

Matt Albers is going to get the start tonight with a chance to build on his 2-0 start to the season.  We still don’t know how long Loewen is going to be laid up, but the bone scan results should be in soon.  All we know is he won’t be back when his 15 days are up. 

My guess at this point is that Olson will be Loewen’s replacement given Trembley’s line that Albers has done well in the pen and he’d like to keep Matt there if he can.

Millar went 1 for 3 with 2 walks, a run, and an RBI last night but is only batting .176 with runners in scoring position from the cleanup spot?  I’m not saying other options abound, but he’s been in the 4 slot all season and based on a .176 when it matters, someone else has to get a shot.

(Tuesday's Box Score)

(Photo: AP/Rob Carr)

Due to some spotty pitching, the Orioles lost the latter two of the first three games in Chicago, 6-5 and 6-1 this weekend.  After riding a three game winning streak into the second game of Saturday’s twin-bill, the O’s still find themselves in a three-way tie for first in the division with Tampa Bay and Boston.

In Saturday’s nightcap, veteran Steve Trachsel couldn’t get out of his own way sinking the team into a five run hole (four earned) after only nine outs.  The offense rallied to tie it until Randor Bierd, nearly automatic until now, gave up the conclusive run on two hits and two runs. 

Millar and Huff, the two experienced RBI producers, both had a chance in the top of the ninth with the bases loaded, but they could not make it happen.  You set the fourth and fifth hole in the order for situations just like that, but they did not come through on Saturday night.

In your evening with the Hernandezes, we were spared the stress of watching Luis try to make plays at short and drop his .233.  Granted, he did go 1 for 1 pinch-hitting for Eider Torres who recorded two errors himself, but the young Eider also recorded his first hit as an O.  The also disappointing Ramon actually raised his average by going 1 for 4 and did admittedly record two, what could have been key, RBI. 

Sunday’s game certainly went even worse.  Once again, the offense couldn’t figure out Jose Contreras (for previous woes against the funky delivery, read here) and the Baltimore pitchers weren’t stingy giving out runs – a rough combination.  

Jeremy Guthrie gave us five innings and was credited with three earned runs – not horrible, but you hope for more.  The real disaster came when Greg Aquino’s cock-eyed hat poked out of the bullpen.  Three runs and only one out.  Can you believe this guy was nearly our closer?  I have a quick hook, but how long do we give his 14.21 ERA to come around?  Can’t we put this guy on the DL or something?

Oh, and Ramon Hernandez scored his fourth error and went 0 for 4 bringing him to .181.  Make that another candidate for the DL.  I’m starting a prayer group that he can reach Mendoza by Memorial Day.

Final note of interest, a post just popped up that’s speculating on a Roberts trade to Colorado.  Another compelling option to ponder.  Thoughts?

(Saturday Night Box Score)   (Sunday Box Score)

(Photo: AP)