Orioles 9, Twins 4: Circus Baseball

The Twins were neither lucky nor good today (at least in the field). Dylan Bundy had his second straight disappointing start, giving up an ugly NINE earned runs in just under four innings of work. Bad luck played a role, but bad gloves and poor pitches played a bigger role.

The O’s got the scoring started by hanging a crooked number in the bottom of the third inning. Following a Texas-leaguer bloop double, Cedric Mullins (a.k.a. the only good player on the Orioles) homered to right field, bringing in the first two, and then Bundy proceeded to bounce back by walking the next two batters. An Austin Hays single brought in the third run. After Bundy got a double-play, a Rougned Odor single brought the fourth run in from third, and then the second two-run home run of the inning expanded the Baltimore lead to 6.

The Twins offense, not to be out-done, hung their own crooked number in the top of the fourth. Minnesota tagged Orioles starter Kyle Bradish for four runs of their own on a Carlos Correa two-run home run, a Nick Gordon single, and a Gio Urshela sac fly. Unfortunately, Gilberto Celestino lined a would-be RBI single that made a bee-line for base”runner” Gary Sanchez. Sanchez, who had reached by a HBP, was HBBB (hit by batted ball) between first and second, and was thus called out.

Bundy and the defense took all of the momentum from that inning and said “Take it back!” to the Orioles, ceding three runs in the bottom of the fourth. One-and-a-half errors were involved, as Jose Miranda made a nice diving stop but then flipped the ball behind Bundy (who was covering first), allowing both runners to move up. Nick Gordon came up just short on a looping fly ball to left, which allowed a runner to score. The second run of the inning then scored on a sac fly. And then the Twins got unlucky. Ryan Mountcastle doubled to left, but Nick Gordon got the ball in quickly and Carlos Correa looked to have Anthony Santander, trying to score from first, dead to rights on the relay at home. Unfortunately, Correa’s almost-perfect throw took a brutal rightward hop and Gary Sanchez was unable to make the play at home. After Danny Coulombe came in to get the last out and the dust had all settled, the Orioles had scored three runs on one error, one lucky bounce, two sub 80-mph exit velocity singles, and two hard-hit balls.

Literally nothing happened for the rest of the game.

Coulombe performed admirably today, taking the ball from Bundy and mopping up for 2.1 innings while only giving up 1 hit and 0 runs. Additionally, Jovani Moran in his season debut pitched 2.0 scoreless, not allowing a runner to reach base and striking out four.

Oh, and also the Twins grounded into FIVE double plays.

STUDS

The ‘Pen: 4.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K

DUDS

Dylan Bundy: 4.2 IP, 11 H, 9 ER, 2 BB, 3 K

Jose Miranda: 0-4, 1 costly error

COTG