WHITE SOX 8, INDIANS 1 Todd Frazier and Carlos Sanchez each drove in two runs in a seven-run sixth inning, and Chicago handed visiting Cleveland, the Central Division leader, its second consecutive lopsided loss.
Advertisement
Matt Wisler (6-12) got the loss. The Orioles put up five runs in the second inning on Tuesday on the strength of the home run ball and went onto a 6-3 victory, which pushed them into a tie with the Toronto Blue Jays for the two wild card spots in the AL – two games ahead of the chasing New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers. But it will be their performance head-to-head against the Red Sox that likely will decide whether they still have a real chance at the division title when they head out for their season-ending six-game road trip to Toronto and NY.
“I thought he came out, even with the added days of rest, with increased power”, Farrell said.
The righty hit 97 miles per hour as late as the 7th inning, but had great movement on his two-seam fastball, too – sprinkling in his splitter and slider periodically.
Pomeranz looked just fine at first, retiring the first three Orioles in order, but in the second he began throwing unimpressive pitches while having difficulty finding the strike zone, or at least home plate umpire Alfonso Marquez’ strike zone. Kole Calhoun ended Walker’s no-hit bid with a leadoff single in the seventh inning.
Trumbo belted the first pitch of the second inning out to left, easily clearing the Green Monster for his career-high 100th RBI.
Boston slugged three home runs in its 12-2, series-opening win on Monday and added another on Tuesday, but it was not enough to overcome Baltimore’s three blasts.
However as I said, Bundy started to struggle (with control problems) in the second inning.
“The lack of consistent command was the difference in this one”, Boston manager John Farrell said.
“It’s pretty frustrating”, Pomeranz said. We’re trying to beat this team and beat teams in our division. Though not predicted to make much of a run all season long, the Orioles, led by the bats of Adam Jones and Manny Machado, and the surprising season performance from Chris Tillman, have been steady all season long. The Orioles will need to take full advantage of this well-placed 11-game homestand and send all those irritating Red Sox fans home without their supper next week. Didi Gregorious and Jacoby Ellsbury both started the night on the bench for Joe Girardi’s Yankees and both came off the pine to hit home runs, along with Gary “who-is-this-guy?” In addition to surrendering a single and double, he walked three batters including two with the bases loaded. The Orioles weren’t done yet with Pomeranz, who walked Drew Stubbs after Hardy’s home run and Reimold followed with a line drive home run to left.
The Orioles wound up being stymied by an impressive effort from the Sox bullpen, which held them scoreless for six innings. They kind of like when people sell them short. Bogaerts said. “Yeah, this is the weird thing about baseball”.
Advertisement
“Once we scored one, in the back of my mind I kept telling myself, that’s all we needed”. Like why can’t it be four? In an automatic elimination game, being the first wild card means you play that game at home. With a strong finish, it’s not out of the question for Price to emerge as a potential Cy Young candidate, proving he’s been every bit the ace we expected following a troubling start to his Red Sox career.
