Oh, the drama!
I'm sure I was one of scores of Orioles fans absolutely convinced that Chris Tillman's shortened start the other night was a sign that he was on his way up to Baltimore to take Adam Eaton's spot in the rotation, especially after the O's came out and said his departure had nothing to do with an injury.
Boy, what a difference a day makes.
The O's cleared the air yesterday morning, letting us down, I mean, letting us know that Tillman actually did leave due to an injury described as tightness in his groin. So we have to wait another few weeks for the young stud to get his chance.
Sadly, he's not really a guy you bring up to bolster your bullpen, which is what the O's need right now. After pitching six innings of one-run ball yesterday, they basically imploded again. This most recent version included three earned runs from Chris Ray, who may have earned himself a spot on the next train to Norfolk. This guy just can't get anyone out right now. He saw his ERA balloon to over 10.
Luckily, things are looking brighter down on the farm
Big Inning Leads to Tides Loss
Okay, so maybe the results for their farm teams aren't looking any brighter, but the players are.
Minor League vet Oscar Salazar continued his stellar season, notching three more hits and another RBI. His average now sits at a lofty .380. Jeff Fiorentino wasn't as lucky, logging another oh-fer, dropping his average to .254.
That's about all there was to report on offense. Since Montanez and Reimold have left for the show, the Tides have lived and died with their pitching, and sadly, they lost this one, 6-2 due to their arms. David Pauley has proven to be quite a welcomed addition to the rotation, but he didn't have his best stuff, struggling to get through six innings. He gave up eight hits and six runs (four earned), not to mention a grand slamarino to RBI machine (pun intended) Jason Plouffe (currently hitting .227).
On a positive note, the bullpen tossed three scoreless innings, courtesy of Andy Mitchell and Bob McCrory.
No Stopping Snyder, Baysox Roll Again
Is anyone debating the fact that Brandon Snyder needs a promotion? A night after driving in five runs, good ol' Snyder was at it again, cranking a two-out first inning home run, his ninth of the season. If you're counting at home, he's now four home runs away from tying his career high of 13.
He wasn't the only one doing the damage, though, as three other Sox notched multi-hit games. Ambiorix Concepcion continued his hot streak, going 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI. Danny Figueroa also kept his hot hand since returning from the DL, stroking two more hits. He's now 3-for-8 with three runs scored since his return.
On the mound, Troy Patton pitched another great game, albeit a short one. Going only five innings was still enough to get him his fifth victory on the season. He did give up three earned runs, which raised his ERA to 1.62. Out of the pen, Ryan Ouellette continued his hot streak since his promotion to Bowie, pitching three more scoreless innings.
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Keys Win Slugfest, Florimon Jr. continues to shine
Who says the O's need to take a shortstop with the No. 5 pick in the draft? Seems to me that anyone they take (i.e. Grant Green) will probably perform at about the same level or even worse.
Florimon knocked in another run, contributing to Frederick's 7-5 victory. He also scored two more runs and walked twice. His average now sits at .322, or about 80 points higher than his career average, and 100 points higher than his 2008 number.
Florimon wasn't the only one who enjoyed a good night. Outfielder Kraig Binick went 2-for-3 with two RBI and catcher Caleb Joseph (aka Matt Wieters' plan B) also continued his fine season, going 2-for-4 with three RBI. Joseph was highly touted as a prolific offensive player coming out of last year's draft and hasn't disappointed. He is near the top of every offensive category for the Keys.
On the mound, Tim Bascom pitched six strong innings, striking out a season-high seven. His biggest mistake was giving up a first inning two-run homer to Nate Recknagel (bless you!). His good work was undone by Brian Parker, unfortunately, who gave up two runs on three hits in two innings. He was charged with a blown save, but escaped the loss when the Keys scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh. He was credited with the win, his third on the season (doesn't 13 wins seem like a lot for a reliever in three seasons worth of work?).
Drake and Cooney Help Tame Intimidators
Oliver Drake treated the Delmarva Shorebirds to another stellar pitching performance, while Elvin Polanco's clutch hit sent the Shorebirds off with a 2-1 victory. Drake threw 5.2 scoreless innings, striking out four. He also became the third Shorebird pitcher to have an ERA under three on the season.
At the plate, Elvin Polanco provided all the drama, driving in two on a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the ninth. Outfielder Ronnie Welty and first baseman Joe Mahoney scored on the play. Closer Brandon Cooney got the easy earned victory after pitching a scoreless top of the ninth.
Hitter of the Night: OF Kraig Binick—2-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI, run scored, 1 BB
Pitcher of the Night: RHP Oliver Drake—ND, 5.2 IP, 4 H, 4 K, 1 BB
(Lucky) Goat of the Night: RHP Brian Parker- Blown save (4), W (3-0) 2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER
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