If You Don’t Pitch Well Or Hit….
The Baltimore Orioles found themselves in a familiar position Saturday night in Anaheim, trailing after the first inning. The LA Angels opened their half of the first inning with three consecutive singles and followed that with a sacrafice fly to jump ouy to a 2-0 lead when all was said and done.
Starter Kyle Gibson (0-2) was the victim of that quick first inning attack and before he left the game he loaded the bases in the fifth inning by giving up a single and allowing two walks without recording an out. One of those runners would eventually score in what would become a 5-2 loss for the Orioles.
Gibson did look decent pitching clean innings in the second and third. An ugly fouth put two more Angels runs on the board; Gibson surrendered a homerun, a single and a triple, all with two outs.
The final line for Gibson was 4.0 innings pitched, 5 runs, 7 hits, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts, 79 pitches (46 strikes), LOSS.
Colin Selby (1.2 IP, BB, K) allowed the inherited runner to score in the fifth but otherwise the bullpen held the Angels in check. Cionel Perez (0.1 IP, 2 BB, K) bent but didn’t break and Charlie Morton struck out two in a two inning appearance.
Limited to just two singles through five innings, the Orioles broke through in the sixth. Gunnar Henderson (1 for 4, R) singled with two outs and scored on Ryan Mountcastle‘s (2 for 4, 2B, RBI) double.
Emmanuel Rivera (1 for 4) singled in the seventh and Ramon Laureano led off the ninth with a pinch-hit homerun, his 5th homer of the season.
It must be noted that, to this writer at least, that Manager Brandon Hyde‘s tone during his post-game comments shows that the pressure may be getting to him; he seemed somber and really couldn’t sugar coat things.
2025 Record: 14-24
Next Game: Sun. 5/11 @ 4:07 pm vs. Angels in Anaheim