In case you missed it, the Orioles tonight selected Dylan Bundy with the fourth overall pick in the 2011 draft. Bundy is a high school pitcher who apparently throws 100 miles per hour. Fancy!
Brian Matusz made his second start of the season tonight, and while he didn't get too deep in the game and his velocity isn't up to his norm, he still had a pretty good night. The offense, meanwhile, managed to score a few runs by pecking Gio Gonzalez to death with singles. I miss extra-base hits, but since they won I won't harp on it.
The O's got on the board first for a change with a single run in the first. Robert Andino started the inning with a single, then Nick Markakis reached on an error by shortstop Cliff Pennington. Pennington couldn't get a hold on the ball and then tried to throw to second to get Andino, but was just a hair late. Adam Jones grounded into a double play that would have ended the inning, so when Vladimir Guerrero knocked in Andino to make the score 1-0, the run was unearned. Hey, earned or unearned, that's a first inning lead!
They added three more in the second inning, and they were all of the earned variety. Derrek Lee singled with no outs, then took off for second base. Silky D, stealing a base? It worked, as Kurt Suzuki sailed the ball into center field and Lee hustled into third. He scored on a single by Matt Wieters, and J.J Hardy followed Wieters with a single of his own. That prompted a visit from the pitching coach, but it didn't help Gonzalez as he then threw a wild pitch and walked Mark Reynolds. With the bases loaded and no outs, Nolan Reimold lifted a fly ball to deep right field. Wieters scored on the sacrifice fly, making the score 2-0.
Then, well, something ugly happened. With two on and no outs, Andino bizarrely decided to bunt. It was absolutely terrible and resulted in a pop up that the first baseman caught in foul territory. What the heck, Robert? That brought Nick Markakis to the plate, and Nick hit an opposite field single to score Hardy. Way to go, Nicky!
Wieters and Hardy both singled again in the third inning, but the Orioles wouldn't score again. Heck, they'd barely get on base again. Andino singled in the fourth and the Orioles did not have another baserunner.
On the other side of the ball, Brian Matusz turned in 5.1 innings. He allowed two singles in the first inning but was bailed out when Conor Jackson tried to stretch a single and was thrown out by Adam Jones. It looked like Jackson got his hand in before the tag, so give an assist to the umpire.
Matusz walked Suzuki in the second, the first of two walks to the A's catcher on the day. This one didn't hurt him as he retired the next three batters on fly balls. The second time he walked Suzuki, in the fourth, did hurt him, as it resulted in a runner on base for Adam Rosales' home run. That cut the lead two just two runs.
With one out in the sixth inning, Matusz looked very tired and sweaty. He allowed two singles and was pulled for Jim Johnson. Jim Johnson, in case you forgot, is awesome. He induced a double play with his third pitch to Rosales, then pitched a perfect seventh. He was followed by Koji Uehara, who pitched a perfect eighth inning, and Kevin Gregg, who had a surprisingly easy 1-2-3 ninth.
O's win! Tomorrow they send Chris Jakubauskas to the mound. Seriously.