Orioles 10, White Sox 2: Return of Guts?

by Stacey on Jul 19, 2009 6:36 PM EDT in Post-Game Comment 27 comments

Baltimore Orioles' Gregg Zaun, right, celebrates with Luke Scott after hitting a three-run home run against the Chicago White Sox during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Sunday, July 19, 2009. The Orioles won 10-2. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

4 months ago: Baltimore Orioles' Gregg Zaun, right, celebrates with Luke Scott after hitting a three-run home run against the Chicago White Sox during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Sunday, July 19, 2009. The Orioles won 10-2. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

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Jeremy Guthrie returned to the mound today for the first time since July 7th when he had to leave in the third inning with an illness. He missed one start due to the virus and got a few days off for the All Star break, and it looks like the rest did him good. It was one of his strongest outings of the season and the first time he's looked dominant in weeks. He pitched 8 innings allowing just 3 hits, walking 1 and striking out 5. He IS Jeremy Guthrie, after all, so two of those three hits were home runs. That won't help his 1.8 HR/9 rate this season, but overall that is pretty much the only bad thing you can say about Guthrie today.

The O's offense made up for a lackluster day yesterday by putting up 10 runs on 11 hits and a lot of help from the White Sox pitching and defense. In the first inning Brian Roberts singled, stole second, went to third when catcher Ramon Castro threw the ball into center field, and scored on a wild pitch. Then in the fifth inning, the Orioles loaded the bases on an Adam Jones single, a Nick Markakis walk, and an Aubrey Huff single. White Sox starter Jose Contreras threw his second wild pitch of the day to bring in Adam Jones, and then hit Melvin Mora to load the bases again.

That'd be the end of the line for Contreras, who was relieved by Aaron Poreda. Poreda walked in two runs and was replaced by DJ Carrasco. With the score 4-1, Gregg Zaun singled into left field to score Melvin Mora, making the Orioles 5th run of the game the first to be knocked in by a hit. With one out and the bases loaded, Cesar Izturis hit a ground ball to second. Chris Getz made to tag Zaun in the basepath, but Zaun stopped in his tracks forcing him to throw to first to get Izturis. The White Sox would tag Zaun for the third out but not before Luke Scott scored the 6th run of the game.

It wasn't until the 9th inning that the Orioles decided to score a few runs the traditional way. After retiring Markakis for the first out, Tony Pena gave up three straight hits to Aubrey Huff, Melvin Mora, and Luke Scott. Huff scored on Luke's double, and then Gregg Zaun topped off his great day by popping a three run HR to right field.

Tomorrow the Orioles will be in New York where they'll attempt to get their first win at New Yankee Stadium. David Hernandez pitches game one against Andy Pettitte (who's having a mediocre year but who is 25-6 in his career against the Orioles). Game two is Rich Hill vs. Sergio Mitre (making his Yankee debut). Rich Hill vs the Yankees will probably be pretty awful. Game three on Wednesday will be Jason Berken vs. AJ Burnett.

Poll

Who was today's Most Birdland Player (MBP)?

Jeremy Guthrie (8.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 5 K)

176 votes

ZAUN (3-4, BB, HR, 4 RBI, 1 R, heads up base running)

115 votes

Aubrey Huff (2-5, 2 R)

5 votes

296 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Jason Berken vs. the Yankees

could also be pretty awful.

by Timmy L. on Jul 19, 2009 7:28 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I’m just glad Guts is not pitching at Home Run Park at Yankees Stadium.

by Johnny_S on Jul 20, 2009 8:28 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

not that hernandez and hill are going to be any better

at least we’re facing sergio mitre one day. that could help us out a bit…..

by twistedlogic on Jul 20, 2009 9:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Am I the only one

Who doesn’t think Hernandez and Berken are that bad? I mean they aren’t going to go 7-8 innings with 3 or less ERs, but I think they can generally give us a chance to win if our bats are swinging.

That and I suppose I am not really afraid of the Yanks pitching.

by Johnny_S on Jul 20, 2009 9:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't think Hernandez is that bad

Jason Berken has been pretty bad, especially right around the 5th inning. He can usually hold his own until then.

I will lead these Peoples to the promised land, also known as "Slightly Ahead of the Blue Jays." ~WietersRunDry

by Stacey on Jul 20, 2009 9:53 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i dont think either have been bad at all

…okay berken has sucked at some points. i meant that they are likely overmatched by the yankees lineup. they are young tho and have much to learn…they aren’t jedi yet!

by twistedlogic on Jul 20, 2009 9:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ok

I thought I was taking crazy pills here.

They have much to learn for sure, but I think down the line both have spots on the team. Hernandez maybe as a 5th starter and Berken as a middle-relief.

by Johnny_S on Jul 20, 2009 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

i think both are going to the pen

berken seems to explode in the 5th inning and hernandez doesnt really have the variety of pitches needed to start

by twistedlogic on Jul 20, 2009 11:00 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't think Hernandez is at all bad.

I don’t wanna say Berken is bad, per se, but he definitely needs more work than Hernandez does.

"He's a gazelle." -Adam Jones on Nolan Reimold.

by LenaO on Jul 20, 2009 9:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah I agree

I guess I am just saying I do not think it would be out of this realm if either or threw a good game against the Yankees. Then again, I guess its not out of this realm for either or to throw a horrid game.

by Johnny_S on Jul 20, 2009 10:35 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah it could

I didn’t have the heart to talk about how awful this entire series is probably going to be. I think today’s game is the only decent shot to win.

I will lead these Peoples to the promised land, also known as "Slightly Ahead of the Blue Jays." ~WietersRunDry

by Stacey on Jul 20, 2009 8:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Guts!

First time I’ve called him that without quotations marks around it in a while. Feels good.

Was something wrong with the radar gun today? It looked like Guts was throwing hard and guys were late on the fastball, but it looked like he was mostly 88-91. Maybe he’s better at that speed then 95-96 like he was throwing earlier in the year…

by O'sFan21 on Jul 19, 2009 7:35 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Palmer said post-game...

that Guts pitches better at 91 than he does at 94.

"We're not the other teams' farm system." - Andy MacPhail

by duck on Jul 20, 2009 10:04 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

GUTS!

I wanted to vote him so badly. I really did. Ive remained a Guts supporter this whole year as I think anything we get from him is icing and he’s already done a ton for the organization both on and off the field. However, on sheer Birdlandness, I had to go ZAUN. 3 run jack, the awesome heads up baserunning, and just the overall unexpected greatness that was he today. Today, Birdland was ZAUNBIE NATION!

Matt Wieters can get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop in under one lick.

by daveh873 on Jul 19, 2009 8:36 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Mmmm, hmmm.

Guts was good, but Zaunie—no doubt in my book.

by fishoutawata on Jul 20, 2009 12:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

ZAUN

Is 14 for his last 29. Dag, yo. In general, he’s been much better since Wieters was promoted. Do you think he was pressing when he was the starter, and that now that Wieters is here he’s not looking over his shoulder waiting for the inevitable? I’m just spitballing here.

"The United States is the New York Yankees of countries...powerful and respected until the year 2000." - Homer J. Simpson

by Brotz13 on Jul 19, 2009 8:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

The pressure may be off Zaun

Simply because Wieters didn’t come in and immediately set the world afire. Matt still has some rookie edges and has to do better with men in scoring position. Maybe Zaun has simply relaxed because of that. I still don’t get the Salazar trade, though. A reliable bat off the bench for a pitcher that can’t get anyone out.

by Fred Sanford on Jul 19, 2009 8:53 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

So...

are we gonna chalk this next series up to an 0-3… I mean, Pettitte (4 T’s, really?!? Whose name has FOUR T’s in it. Might as well be Mississippi) owns us and Hernandez isn’t exactly Mike Mussina… hell, he’s not even Ben McDonald! Mitre? Well we know how the O’s make ALL debuters look like Cy Young, Sandy Koufax, and Trevor Hoffman all rolled into one. At least he’s right handed… we got that going for us. And even when we get to Burnett we manage to cough it up. Not mention the Berken5 will inevitable jump out and bite us in the ass.

Jioe Flaacco, Hon!!! "He’s like a live JUGS machine."

by dayzd toe on Jul 19, 2009 9:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs