The Orioles try to make it seven wins in a row – and two sweeps in a row – as they face Atlanta this afternoon.
On their way to winning 101 games a year ago, the Orioles had two different streaks where they won seven games in a row and another one where they won eight. Racking up some long winning streaks this season would be a nice way to move towards repeating that feat. They’re now at a season-high six wins in a row after the four-game mop in Tampa was followed by winning the first two against Atlanta.
If they can add a second consecutive sweep, it’ll become a season-high seven wins in a row. This would be an impressive beginning to the three straight series against strong 2024 contending teams that has been looming on the calendar all year. Or it may turn out that a faltering Braves team doesn’t actually belong in the same grouping of dangerous opponents as the next two teams, the Phillies and Yankees. That’s a problem starting tomorrow. Today, the only thing the O’s have to worry about is beating Atlanta.
In the event that the Orioles do the thing and win the game today, you could probably not have to stretch to hard to spin a narrative that an already-snakebit Braves team was just wiped right out from the three-run home run that wasn’t due to Walltimore from Tuesday’s game. Atlanta fans whose tweets crossed my timeline certainly took that “homer in 29/30 parks but not in Camden Yards” warning track fly ball as evidence of some kind of currently-operating curse.
It’s not that easy, since curses aren’t real. Even teams that are bad, or playing badly, can pull it together over a game or two and win. The Braves are 16-23 since the start of May, which is certainly not a good record, but there are still 16 wins in there. They’re 9-13 against teams above .500, also not a good record, but there are still nine wins in there. Today, their offense may only have to click just a little bit in order to win, thanks to their sub-2 ERA starter Reynaldo López being in action.
Orioles lineup
- Gunnar Henderson – SS
- Adley Rutschman – C
- Ryan O’Hearn – 1B
- Anthony Santander – RF
- Jordan Westburg – 3B
- Colton Cowser – LF
- Cedric Mullins – CF
- Kyle Stowers – DH
- Jorge Mateo – 2B
That’s the lineup in support of Cole Irvin, who will be looking to keep the Atlanta offense down in the dumps it’s been in since around the start of May. It’s a regular day off for Ryan Mountcastle. It’s a surprising day game after a night game for Rutschman.
Braves lineup
- Michael Harris II – CF
- Ozzie Albies – 2B
- Marcell Ozuna – DH
- Matt Olson – 1B
- Austin Riley – 3B
- Travis d’Arnaud – C
- Adam Duvall – RF
- Jarred Kelenic – LF
- Orlando Arcia – SS
On the mound for Atlanta to begin the finale is Reynaldo López, who’s simply been great up to this point of the season. He brings a 1.85 ERA from 11 starts into this outing, and a WHIP of 1.089. López has perhaps been on the lucky side, with a FIP of 3.01 and an xERA of 3.85. Or maybe he’s just been great. Orioles hitters have done some ERA inflating against good pitchers this year and at times they’ve been dominated by those guys.