The O’s impressively bounced back from Wednesday’s nightmare with a hard-fought win over the Rays.
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
The first stop of the Orioles’ two-city AL East road trip is complete, and all in all it went…fine, actually. The Birds managed a series split in Tampa Bay, a result that I’m sure most O’s fans would have been happy with if you’d told them about it ahead of time. It just was a bit of an emotional roller coaster to get there.
I have to admit that, after Wednesday’s epic meltdown, I thought the Orioles’ chances of coming away with a win in the finale were slim to none. I mean, blowing an 8-0 lead behind a complete self-destruction of the pitching staff (and a total disappearance of the offense after the second inning) is the kind of bitter defeat that could linger for days or even weeks. Had it happened to me, I would have run away to a remote island, never to return again.
Turns out that baseball players are a bit stronger willed than I am. The O’s brushed off the loss with ease, bouncing back for an impressive 4-1 victory last night. Colton Cowser played the hero with a two-out, two-strike, go-ahead, three-run homer in the sixth inning, and most impressively, the Orioles’ pitching showed out. Charlie Morton delivered another fine outing, and the O’s bullpen, while working itself into a couple of messes, made big pitches at pivotal moments to avert another collapse. Mark Brown recapped the hard-fought win.
The Orioles now have a bit of momentum again as they head to Yankee Stadium for the first time this year, taking on a slumping New York team that had lost six games in a row until yesterday, including three straight shutouts. While the O’s won’t be favored in the series, it’s not unreasonable to hope for two wins out of three, which would give them a winning road trip overall.
The O’s are a flawed team, but at least they’re playing a more entertaining type of baseball these last few weeks than they did for most of the first two months. Making the playoffs might be a pipe dream, but I’d at least like the Orioles to continue to be a team that’s worth watching for the next few months. Let’s hope they can deliver.
Links
Orioles bounce back to beat Rays, 4-1, behind clutch start – The Baltimore Sun
Charlie Morton put the team on his back with a clutch pitching performance. Just like we all predicted a month ago.
Orioles-Ray: Hunter Bigge carted off field after foul ball strikes him in dugout – The Baltimore Banner
What a scary moment this was. Thank goodness it looks like Bigge managed to avoid serious injury after being hit in the face with a 105-mph foul ball.
How are Orioles’ recent draft choices doing? | MAILBAG – BaltimoreBaseball.com
Vance Honeycutt fans, avert your eyes.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! There are a whopping eight players in O’s history with June 20 birthdays, including Félix Bautista, who turns 30 today. The Mountain is enjoying a mostly successful return in 2025 after missing the 2024 season due to Tommy John surgery. Bautista is 15 for 16 in save opportunities and his velocity has been gradually ticking upward, even hitting 100 mph recently. Enjoy your day, Félix! Hopefully you’ll celebrate with a save against the Yankees.
Former Orioles born on this date include right-handers Thomas Eshelman (31), Kevin Gregg (47), Phil Huffman (67), and Tony Chevez (72); infielder Juan Castro (53); and catchers Paul Bako (53) and the late, great Andy Etchebarren (b. 1943, d. 2019).
On this date in 1970, Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson notched his 2,000th career hit, which — fittingly enough for his manager, Earl Weaver — was a three-run homer. The blast off of Washington’s Joe Coleman snapped a two-all tie in the seventh to lead the Orioles to a 5-4 win. Brooks would eventually add another 848 hits to his total before calling it a career in 1977.
Random Orioles game of the day
On June 20, 1994, the Orioles lost to the Brewers, 6-5, in front of 47,262 at Camden Yards. (Remember when the O’s would draw 47,000+ fans for a Monday night game against the Brewers? Those were the days.) Despite the best efforts of Brady Anderson and Harold Baines, who combined for five hits and each homered, the Orioles couldn’t overcome a rough start by Jamie Moyer, who gave up six runs and 10 hits in 4.1 innings. That inflated the 31-year-old Moyer’s season ERA to 5.84, so I assume his baseball career didn’t last much longer. (checks Baseball Reference) Ah, quick correction, he pitched for EIGHTEEN MORE YEARS.