Indians 8, Orioles 2: Now it's time to panic

by Eat More Esskay on Apr 15, 2011 10:01 PM EDT in Post-Game

Tonight's game began full of hope and promise: a Zach Britton start looked like a great chance for the Orioles to break out of the funk that's settled on the team since the middle of the Texas series. Unfortunately, the Cleveland Indians had other plans, getting to Britton with a flurry of hits in the third inning as Indians starter Justin Masterson effectively shut down the Orioles hitters on the way to an 8-2 victory.

Britton lasted six innings, and in only one inning was more than a single run scored. A Matt LaPorta triple started the fireworks. This was a frustrating play to watch as (in this blogger's opinion) left fielder Luke Scott made a poor play off the wall and then a weak throw in to third base and LaPorta should have been either out, or even encouraged to stay at second base. Sometimes that play matters. In this case it did not, because the next five hitters all singled and plenty of other damage was done. They were all ground balls that were hit sharply, just not at a place where the fielders could get to them. Britton did give up a solo home run to Travis Hafner in the sixth: a no-doubter to right center on a night where the wind was blowing in. A week ago those balls were finding gloves and now they aren't. That's the difference between a 6-1 record and a 6-6 record.

After only 83 pitches, Britton was removed from the game. Perhaps it seemed like the ideal situation to find innings for Josh Rupe. He sucked, allowing five of the six batters he faced to reach base, three of whom scored. Rubbing salt in the wounds of Orioles fans reeling after last night's loss was a garbage time appearance to get work for Koji Uehara, whom you may recall warmed up but never pitched in last night's game. Who knows why?

As for the Orioles offense, there wasn't much to speak of. Masterson had good movement on the fastball and kept Orioles hitters from ever really making solid contact. The O's got four hits off him in seven innings, and eight total in the game, none of which were for extra bases. Cesar Izturis batted with the bases loaded and ended the game. I think that says it all right there. Jake Fox had just pinch-hit for Matt Wieters and was hit by a pitch. Why is Fox hitting for Wieters and then Izturis hitting for himself? The world may never know.

I've noted in a past recap post that all of the wins this year have felt like 2011 wins, but all of the losses have felt like 2010 losses. This game had the feel of a Diamond Dave Trembley-era game, as has every one of the previous five and it sucks to have our early excitement drained away so thoroughly.

The Orioles will look to end the losing streak in a 1:05pm game tomorrow. Jeremy Guthrie, hopefully fully recovered from Bieber Fever, will try to be the stopper for the Orioles. He'll be opposed by the Indians' Josh Tomlin. Guts will probably need to throw a complete game shutout, because the offense isn't doing much and I don't want to see the bullpen.

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Comments

Well, the Caps won!

Just because you know how to read, doesn't mean you'll like the book.

by arlingtonOsFan on Apr 15, 2011 10:25 PM EDT reply actions

It sure was nice being over .500

I don’t feel confident we’ll see that again this year.

by Holymittens on Apr 15, 2011 11:06 PM EDT reply actions

or for many years to come.

by BrianS on Apr 16, 2011 12:05 AM EDT up reply actions

we'll always have April.

"Initially thought I had BieberFever but turns out I have pneumonia."
-Guts

by Steve. on Apr 16, 2011 9:54 AM EDT up reply actions

The first half of April, anyway.

"You can always tell Yankees fans by the total vacancy which occupies the space where most other people have faces." - J. K. O'Toole (paraphrased)

by Eat More Esskay on Apr 16, 2011 11:28 AM EDT up reply actions

Why the hell did Fox PH for Wieters?

I’d really love to hear the explanation for that.

"Might as well just win this game." - Adam Jones, 4/17/2008

Adam Jones is the tits.

by KenDixonFanClub on Apr 15, 2011 11:13 PM EDT reply actions

plus one

Maybe Buck doesn’t care any more.

If you look at those UZR ratings or whatever

by dfa on Apr 16, 2011 1:38 AM EDT up reply actions

Andino and Fox came in for Roberts and Wieters in the previous inning

I guess to give them the rest of the night off. There was no PH.

by Redford on Apr 16, 2011 2:22 AM EDT up reply actions

its all my fault man...

somehow

The stock market will never recover, our armies will never again be #1, and our children will drink filthy water for the rest of their lives - HST

by the fix is in on Apr 16, 2011 12:08 AM EDT reply actions

Panic?

No. We are O’s fans. We are used to this.

Also, side note. I was in on the defense of Vlad last week. I starting to side on benching him in the belief that our defense would be that much better with Scott as DH and Pie in the field.

Back on the Sweed train. Choo Choo!
"It’s easy to lie with statistics, but it’s easier to lie without them." -Fred Mosteller

by John Stephens on Apr 16, 2011 12:13 AM EDT reply actions

A-a-a-a-and we're back. Titov here with the Moscow Mop-up. Just like old times, ain't it?

So, we went quietly again, this time to the 2010 egg-sucking and 2011 Cy-channeling Bat Masterson at the sorta-Jake. No bang, much whimper.

Highlights: hey, good thing we got Koji in there— just in time! What…? Oh yeah. Anyway, he pitched a great shutout inning!

And now it’s up to Guts again, for the umpty-third time, to pull us out of a nose dive. You recall that his last outing was another in a string of now-trademark performances: Guts QS, O’s lose. I’ve literally lost track of where my count of those left off last year.

The good news, I guess, is that it’s an SGT contest. All weekend games everywhere should start at the Sane Game Time, of course: 1:05 pm. And at least ONE per team during the week (the getaway game is usually a good fit). But when this happens nowadays, the normal and logical seems like a happy accident — as though the curious phenomenon of “day baseball” had snuck out of the basement for a Retro Day appearance, like round caps and high socks. Everybody oohs and aahs at the novelty of it all, then it’s back to the cellar where you belong, day games! Next thing you know, they’ll want to play on a grass field!!

Gimme an Uglydome (closed, of course) and a crazy-bounce, pool table field, please, so those singles over the SS’s head can roll to the wall, the way Abner Doubleday intended them— oh, and an 8:00 or 8:30 pm start (anybody for 9:00?), if it can be arranged, for maximum cold and bad-tempered, sleep-deprived children.

For today, I guess we’ll just have to put up with this Old Style bushwah. But somebody be sure to get ahold of the Pretend Commissioner’s office, please, before this kind of thing gets out of hand.

Anyway, see ya 2-nite…er, 2-day! Go O’s!

"Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." Churchill,1942-- a rebuilding year.

by Titov on Apr 16, 2011 12:57 AM EDT reply actions

Wtf

"I don’t have much tolerance for stupid. Or cheese on food that doesn’t need it." -duck

by tgraham3 on Apr 16, 2011 2:11 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

You lost me at W

"Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." Churchill,1942-- a rebuilding year.

by Titov on Apr 16, 2011 4:17 AM EDT up reply actions

whatchasaywhatcahsaywhatchasaywhat!

Rage Against the McPhail

Like a bad, suave dude. You know what I'm sayin'. COOL. SC 7/24/08

by 33 on Apr 16, 2011 11:05 AM EDT up reply actions

I turned on this game for about a second.

with the O’s behind 4-1, and runners on first and third with two outs, Adam Jones represented the tying run at the plate. In his previous AB, he had struck out on 4 pitches.

I watched as Adam swung weakly at the first pitch he saw, sending a dribbling grounder to third to end the inning and the threat.

I turned the game off.

"I put a pepper rub on the scallops so you have a little contrast. You have sweetness from the coconut oil and a little acidity from the splash of lemon." – Luke Scott

by zknower on Apr 16, 2011 2:44 AM EDT reply actions

He is REALLY not looking good at the dish.

"You can always tell Yankees fans by the total vacancy which occupies the space where most other people have faces." - J. K. O'Toole (paraphrased)

by Eat More Esskay on Apr 16, 2011 11:27 AM EDT up reply actions

If I told you...

‘Fuck yourselves, Orioles’, would you attribute it to my drunkenness or a high estimate of your athleticism?

/Deadwooded

Why the Buck not?!?

by PBR me ASAP! on Apr 16, 2011 2:45 AM EDT reply actions

what a load of

crapola, same ol’ crap different season. I knew the start we had in Tampa was just a simple fluke, and it’s looking like I’m right. No matter I will still watch them battle their way to the AL east cellar in 2011, then the departing of Buck for bigger and better shores like doing Budweiser commercials on ESPN, at least he won’t have to put up with a bunch of has beens like Vlad and Lee and reynolds, typical O’s buying use to be big name players to get us excited, CRAPOLA McPhail,,,,

by F4PhantomPhreak on Apr 16, 2011 2:57 AM EDT reply actions

Steady, everyone. Steady....

Way too early to dig the O’s grave after a 5-game losing streak. This is the same troup that swept Tampa and took 2-3 from Detroit, and were competitive in the Texas series. One pitch cost us the Yankee game the other night.

Keep it together, people…

by Jasphil on Apr 16, 2011 11:29 AM EDT reply actions