Make It A Double
The Baltimore Orioles were swept by the Toronto Blue Jays (87-62) on Sunday, ending the three game series as well as the season series between the two teams. Totonto did not just pull out the broom, they bludgeoned the Orioles with the broom, winning by a score of 11-2.
Seven of Toronto’s fourteen hits were doubles and for good measure, the Blue Jays also had a homerun. Eight of the fourteen hits were for extra bases.
Toronto’s George Springer proved to be the nemesis of Orioles pitching on this day, going 3 for 5 with a homerun, a pair of doubles, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI.
The Orioles actually had a 1-0 lead going into the bottom of the third inning on Coby Mayo‘s ninth homerun of the season in the second inning. It was Mayo’s second homerun in as many days and travelled 412 ft. to centerfield.
The Blue Jays went on to score five unanswered runs over the third through sixth innings combined. Colton Cowser‘s fourteenth homerun of the season in the seventh actually gave the Orioles some hope as it made the score 5-2.
The wheels came off in the bottom of the seventh, when the Blue Jays scored 6 runs and it could have been more if they didn’t hold a few runners at third base. The sacrificial lamb today was newly promoted Carson Ragsdale who was called up to take Shawn Dubin‘s spot on the roster when the former was placed on the 15 day IL with right elbow discomfort. Ragsdale entered the game in the fifth inning and immediately surrendered Springer’s homerun. He allowed a run in the sixth on a Joey Loperfido RBI double.
The seventh inning is one Ragsdale would surely like to forget. Toronto scored five runs before a single out was recorded in the inning and the sixth run crossed the plate on a forceout. Ragsdale finishe the day by allowing 8 runs on 9 hits (HR) with a walk and 2 strikeouts over 3.0 innings but he didn’t take the loss.
Grant Wolfram (3-1) took the loss for his two run, 3 hit, one strikeout 4th inning in relief of starter Albert Suarez. Suarez allowed a run on 2 hits with a walk and 5 strikeouts over 3.0 innings of work.
Luis Vazquez, the position player pitcher, retired the three batters he faced in the eighth inning.
Catcher Alex Jackson went 2 for 3 on the day, the only Orioles hitter with multiple hits.
In typical Interim Manager Tony Mansolino style he downplayed the loss after the game, saying, “I think the best way to kind of think about it is with such a young group, an inexperienced group, there’s going to be volatility. So you see a young, inexperienced group for a week play their butts off, man. Play great, play great defense, throw the ball good, the bullpen does well, big hits. And then you see a young group that can be volatile for three days. Not play good defense, not get the big hit, the one shot you got to win a game, the bullpen melts down a little bit … We’ll bounce back tomorrow.”
Let’s hope so Tony.
2025 Record: 69-80
Next Game: Mon. 9/15 @ 7:40 pm vs. White Sox in Chicago