Play Ball - O's @ Rays 4/7/10
James Shields just took the mound at The Trop. Brian Roberts digs in... Opening Day has officially begun for the 2010 Orioles!
Lets Play Ball ....
Click MORE for the play by play-
TOP FIRST
Roberts flies out to left.
Adam Jones launches a double to center over BJ Upton's head... that's the power we hope to see all season from Jones.
Nick Markakis grounds out to first and moves Jones to third but Miguel Tejada leaves him stranded by ending the inning with a pop up to second.
Looking forward to seeing Kevin Millwood...
BOTTOM FIRST
The Vet Kevin Millwood, in his seventh Opening Day start, retires Bartlett and Crawford but Ben Zobrist, who Joe Maddon has high hope for this season, doubles to right on a 1-2 pitch. Millwood fell behind and Zobrist got good wood on it. Problem is... Evan Longoria is up next. He hit .275 at home last season and you DO NOT want anyone on base when he is up. Lets see what Millwood can do here with Zobrist on second.
Millwood strikes out Longoria swinging on a high fastball. Not the way Longoria imagined his first at-bat of 2010 but that's exactly what Millwood was brought to Baltimore for. And I'm sure Dave Trembley is smiling in the dugout.
TOP SECOND
Luke Scott takes the walk from Shields...
With one on, Matt Weiters, who has a .417 career batting average at the Trop, was just robbed by BJ Upton, who was playing a shallow center and proved why... because of his ability to make a Willie Mays bucket catch... which he does once again succesfully at the 404 sign in center.
Felix Pie strikes out swinging... And Garrett Atkins, making his first at bat as as an Oriole, is called out on strikes.
The O's have now left two in scoring position.
BOTTOM SECOND
Millwood just struck out Carlos Pena on three pitches and has now K'd the Rays' top two hitters, Longoria and Pena. And might I add... is it me or is the music played in The Trop the WORST in all of baseball. The music is even more annoying than the cow bells!
Upton grounds out and Millwool strikes out Pat Burrell. That's three K's for Millwood -- Longoria, Pena and Burrell. Millwood is loooookin good.
TOP THIRD
Izturis called out on strikes. BRob K's on a foul tip and Adam Jones, who had a double in the first, HOMERS ON A 3-2 PITCH TO RIGHT. Great at-bat by Jones who gets the 2010 season off on the right foot. 1-0 Orioles. Food for thought... Adam Jones has the only two hits for the Orioles and the only RBI. Shields gave up 29 home runs last season.
Markakis walked and Tejada flies to center.... but thanks to Jones the O's have the 1-0 lead.
BOTTOM THIRD
I like the pitch count with Millwood... 38 pitches vs. Shields' 57. Millwood has been efficient and effective and Shields looked like he labored through that last inning. The O's offense is making him work.
I spoke too soon... Millwood allows back to back hits to catcher Dioner Navarro and Jason Bartlett. Crawford flies out for the first out but here comes Zobrist... Millwood needs an out here with two already on and Longoria and Pena up next.
GREAT PLAYS by both Markakis in right and Matt Weiters ... Zobrist flies to right and Markakis hits his target in Weiters who doesn't let Navarro near the plate. Third out. Inning over.
TOP FOURTH
James Shield cannot believe the BOMB Luke Scott just hit to right-center. First homer of the season for Scott and its a 2-0 lead for the Orioles. Shields seems rattled and his pitch count is gonna get up there if he doesn't settle down and keep the ball down...
Weiters singles, Pie doubles... Joe Maddon DOES NOT want to go to his bullpen this early but it'll be a good test for the Rays who's bullpen was the team's achilles heel last season. Izturis moves the runners over... runners on second and third to leadoff hitter Brian Roberts. Shields is at the 66-pitch mark.
... And the O's leave two more in scoring position with BRob's fly out to center.
I'm really liking what I'm seeing from the offense who have recorded five hits (including two home runs) and have drawn two walks off Shields. They're showing patience and making Shields work... but have missed a few opportunities by leaving runners in scoring position. Millwood will now take the mound with a two-run lead.
BOTTOM FOURTH
1-2-3 inning for Millwood... Longoria, Pena, Upton. Solid.
TOP FIFTH
Markakis was left in scoring position (second) after his one-out double. Tejada and Scott grounded out for the final two outs. Thus far, this is the only negative I can pull from this game... leaving runners in scoring positiong. However the Orioles look determined and the fact that they're hitting for power, playing good defense and pitching well (Millwood) against their Division rival Rays on the road makes it even better.
BOTTOM FIFTH
Millwood's pitch count is still manageable... DH Pat Burrell starts the inning off with a double.
Sean Rodriguez strikes out on a foul tip and Navarro flies to left for the second out. But Bartlett singles to left and Pie reaches Weiters but ... the throw is off by about a foot, Weiters can't hang onto it and Burrell scores. 2-1 O's.
The Rays are now making Millwood work... Bartlett is on second and Crawford steps in.
Crawford walks. Good news is... he can't steal second. Two on, two outs. Lets see if Millwood can get out of this jam. FYI, Matt Albers is warming up. Millwood needs to start making quality pitches ... and he does. Zobrist flies to left.
Is Millwood done? If so, here is his line: 5IP, 6H, 1ER, 1BB, 5K ... 92 pitches/58 strikes. He'd leave the game and start the season with a 1.80 ERA. O's fans... you really can't ask for more than that.
TOP SIXTH
Matt Weiters starts off the inning works a full count and homers to right... the third home run of the game for the Orioles. And who said this team needs a power hitter??? I admit, I did. Maybe I was wrong. 3-1 Orioles. I'm sure Trembley is liking this lead and would feel confident handing the ball over to the bullpen. That's eight hits and three homers for the O's.
BOTTOM SIXTH
Millwood returns. Not sure about this move. But let's see...
Yup... Evan Longoria may have just hit the longest and highest home run I've ever seen hit at The Trop. 3-2 Orioles. FYI, Longoria led the league in home runs last year with 33.
Carlos Pena follows with a bunt single to third and pitching coach Rick Kranitz heads to the mound to talk to Millwood. Upton responds with a single to center.
Here come the Rays. Pull him, Trembley.
I don't think Millwood, at 92 pitches and a two-run lead should have started the sixth. Not with Longoria, Pena and Upton up... and he paid. But other than that, he had a good first outing against a tough lineup in an intimidating atmosphere. It was definitely a good sign of things to come for this ballclub and Millwood's ability to stabilize the rotation. FINAL LINE ON MILLWOOD: 5IP, 9H, 2ER, 1BB, 5K and ONE ridiculous home run from Longoria.
Matt Albers enters the game with Pena on second and Upton on first. And Albers does his job! Albers gets Pat Burrell to hit into a double play and gets Sean Rodriguez swinging. Nice work from the guy who almost didn't make the team. O's need to give the pen some run support here. Due up: Jones, Markakis and Scott.
TOP SEVENTH
Adam Jones records his third hit of the night and James Shields is sent to the showers. FINAL LINE ON SHIELDS: 6IP, 9H, 3ER, 2BB, 6K, 3HR.
Let the battle of the bullpens begin...
Left-hander Randy Choate will face Markakis. Choate held left-handed hitters to .141 last year while righties had more success with .321.
The numbers don't lie... Markakis strikes out swinging. One out. And Jones still hangin out on first. Tejada hits into a double play. Inning over.
BOTTOM SEVENTH
Albers comes back out... Navarro singles to right then gets Jason Bartlett looking. And that'll be all for Albers who looked sharp in his first outing of 2010. The lefty Will Olham will come in to face Crawford with one out.
Ohman falls behind 1-2 but Crawford lines out to Izturis. Two outs. O's bullpen lookin good so far!
Zobrist grounds out to Tejada who once again shows great range at third. Inning over.
TOP EIGHTH
Randy Choate got Luke Scott to ground out and Maddon takes out his lefty and will turn the ball over to Lance Cormier who will face Matt Weiters... who grounds out to second. Two down here in the 8th and Felix Pie will try to help Millwood earn his first "W" of the season.
But... no suck luck. Groundout. Bottom eight here we come...
BOTTOM EIGHTH
Enter Jim Johnson and exit Evan Longoria. Down on strikes. I'll say it again... O's pen looks SOLID.
Pena can follow Longoria to the dugout... ground out to first. Johnson facing the heart of the Rays' order here and looking good. He's been agressive, not afraid to throw strikes and has gotten ahead of both Longoria and Pena, 1-2. Good stuff.
And what a play by Tejada at third to get Upton at first. Inning over. O's are six outs away from their first win of the season. Tejada has been quite impressive at third tonight... any doubts I had about him switching positions, are gone.
TOP NINTH
O's could use an insurance run here... and the Rays' new closer from Atlanta Rafael Soriano takes the mound. The Rays are looking for big things from Soriano this year, finally getting the closer they've been longing for. Lets see if the O's offense can spoil his night.
Garrett Atkins earns his first hit as an Oriole... a double to right. Izturis singles to right moving Atkins to third... first and third nobody out. Not a good start for Soriano... and here comes Joe Maddon to settle down his closer. O's really need to capitalize here... sac fly to right does it.
Oooh Roberts grounds to Longoria at third who is able to get Atkins at home. Runners on first and second and one out for Adam Jones who is HOT tonight.
What a play! Sean Rodriguez fields and tosses the ball behind his back to Bartlett to get Roberts at second. Izturis hangin on third ... Markakis up.
Nick walks and bases are loaded for Tejada. Rays fans cannot be happy with their new closer. It's lookin a lot like 2009 for Tampa. Tejada should be patient, wait for his pitch or draw a walk for the insurance run...
Line drive to Crawford in left. Three outs away... 3-2 O's. We're about to get our first look at Baltimore's new closer Mike Gonzalez who was Soriano's teammate last year in Atlanta. Soriano wasn't very sharp... lets hope Gonzalez looks better.
BOTTOM NINTH
Burrell, Rodriguez and Navarro due up.
Burrell strikes out swinging. Rodriguez singles to left... the tying run is now on first. Vet catcher Kelly Shoppach will hit for Navarro.
Shoppach launches one to center... it may be out... if so, game over. If not, runners on second and third and one out. Not good for the O's. Joe Maddon will argue this call ... but it's ruled a double. They should walk Bartlett here to load the bases.
And they do... Crawford steps in. He's 0-for-3 tonight.
But he connects for a two-run single to right sealing the Rays' 4-3 win over the Orioles. This was certainly not the way Mike Gonzalez wanted his O's debut to go. He hands the win to his ex-teammate Rafael Soriano and he takes the loss.
RECAP
Ok... Not good. I know. In fact, heartbreaking. But let's look on the bright side... there were SO MANY positives to pull from this game. For one, the bullpen -- Albers, Ohman and Johnson were great -- they allowed just one hit combined over three innings. In addition, Adam Jones had a tremendous night offensively (3-for-5 with a home run), the O's played clean ball defensively (Tejada looked sharp at third), Kevin Millwood set the tone in terms of starting pitching, three home runs were hit off the Ray's No. 1 starter... and most important, the O's held the lead throughout the entire game up until the ninth.
I've said this all along and I don't want to eat my words... I think the O's have a chance to play .500 ball this year and if that was the last we saw of Gonzalez' struggles.... they'll do just that.
