After a 14-run explosion last night, can the O’s offense keep it going against a guy who shut them down last weekend?
The Orioles’ offense has been a well-oiled machine since Colton Cowser was called up to the majors two days ago, including a 20-hit, 14-run assault on the Yankees last night. Now the O’s will face a tougher test, a rematch against a Twins pitching staff that utterly stymied them in Baltimore last weekend.
Twins starters Pablo López, Bailey Ober, and Sonny Gray combined to allow just one run in 19 innings against the Orioles as Minnesota took two of three. The Orioles will face the latter two pitchers again in this series, including Ober tonight. Last Saturday, Ober completely dominated them, working seven shutout innings, striking out eight, and giving up just two hits. Will the Orioles carry over any of their offensive success from last night, or will Bailey prove to be too much for them to Ober-come?
The O’s will counter with Cole Irvin, who will be facing the Twins for the second straight start. On Sunday, Irvin held Minnesota to one run in five innings, which proved crucial when the O’s scored two runs in the eighth to win. Can’t say I’m especially confident in Irvin replicating that success tonight, but I suppose stranger things have happened.
Austin Hays, newly christened as an All-Star starter, is out of the lineup for the fifth straight game after injuring his hip in a collision Sunday, and Aaron Hicks will miss his second straight with a sore Achilles. Adley Rutschman and Adam Frazier are also getting the night off. So the bench will consist entirely of guys with “A” names.
Tonight’s game will air exclusively on Apple TV+, but you can tune in on the Orioles Radio Network if you don’t have a subscription.
Orioles lineup:
3B Gunnar Henderson
RF Anthony Santander
DH Ryan O’Hearn
CF Cedric Mullins
2B Jordan Westburg
LF Colton Cowser
1B Ramón Urías
C James McCann
SS Jorge Mateo
LHP Cole Irvin
Twins lineup:
SS Carlos Correa
1B Donovan Solano
DH Byron Buxton
2B Kyle Farmer
LF Willi Castro
3B Jose Miranda
C Christian Vázquez
RF Max Kepler
CF Michael A. Taylor
RHP Bailey Ober