The Baltimore Orioles have already had as many off days in July — one — as they did in all of June.
Regardless of shedding three pitchers (John Means, Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells) to season-ending surgical procedures and enduring a season-worst, five-game skid, the Orioles completed June with a 17-12 report and tied with the New York Yankees atop the American League East.
The Orioles will open their July slate with a three-game highway sequence in opposition to the AL West-leading Seattle Mariners on Tuesday.
“We had a little bit robust stretch in there — that is arduous to not have whenever you’re taking part in that a lot baseball in opposition to the groups we have performed in opposition to,” Orioles supervisor Brandon Hyde stated of the previous month. “I believe we have completed actually, rather well. I believe we have dealt with it properly.
“We have had some pitching accidents and a few issues. We have needed to have guys step up. We have needed to play via nagging accidents. We have had a variety of issues occur this month. Our guys have competed each evening. … We have to maintain our foot on the fuel. However the way in which our guys grinded via that month, I am actually happy with these guys.”
The Orioles posted sequence victories in opposition to the Tampa Bay Rays, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies and Yankees and capped the month by taking three of 4 video games in opposition to the defending World Sequence champion Texas Rangers, who swept them in an AL Division Sequence final fall.
“It has been a tricky stretch,” Baltimore shortstop Gunnar Henderson stated. “Clearly, it did not finish the way in which we wished to (an 11-2 loss Sunday in opposition to the Rangers), however I felt like we did rather well for the circumstances that we had, one off-day. I felt like we put ourselves in a great place to set us up for the final half.”
The Mariners have faltered of late, shedding every of their previous 4 sequence to see their division lead shrink to 3 video games getting into play Tuesday.
That they had received 9 straight house sequence, which matched the second-longest streak in franchise historical past, earlier than dropping two of three to visiting Minnesota over the weekend. The Twins prevailed 5-3 on Sunday after Seattle had rallied from a three-run deficit.
“Well timed hitting is the frequent thread,” Mariners supervisor Scott Servais stated. “Once we’re rolling and we’re profitable all of the sequence — actually at house, we have been actually good — it is as a result of we’ve got been very well timed with our hitting.”
The Mariners went simply 4-for-34 with runners in scoring place in opposition to the Twins, together with 4-for-18 on Sunday.
“Our well timed hitting has been atrocious, to be trustworthy,” stated Mariners outfielder Luke Raley, who went 3-for-5 on Sunday. “It is simply not going the way in which we would like it to proper now.”
The Monday sequence opener is scheduled to characteristic a matchup of right-handers, Baltimore’s Grayson Rodriguez (9-3, 3.72 ERA) and Seattle’s George Kirby (7-5, 3.35).
Rodriguez confronted the Mariners for the primary time on Could 18 in Baltimore, getting a no-decision in a 4-3 loss regardless of permitting only one hit over six scoreless innings. He walked three and struck out seven.
Kirby is 1-3 with a 4.02 ERA in 5 profession begins in opposition to the Orioles. He took a 6-3 loss Could 19 in Baltimore when he allowed 5 runs on 9 hits over six innings. He struck out three and walked none.
–Subject Degree Media