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After an era of darkness lasting a thousand years, the Orioles finally won a game yesterday. They even gained back a game in the standings since they beat the first place Yankees. That's nice. But if they don't win today, then that game they won back yesterday will vanish into thin air. If they don't win either today or tomorrow, they will have suffered yet another series defeat. One win does not solve any one of their problems. That's going to take a whole lot more wins.
Some of those problems may be on display tonight. The higgledy-piggledy (tm Assistant Principal Lamar Bone) outfield alignment continues. Though Adam Jones was initially in the starting lineup, he was a late scratch, about an hour before first pitch, due to what the beat writers insisted is merely "caution over the wet conditions." It's definitely wet in the Baltimore area, so that much cannot be denied.
That will be the outfield behind Chris Tillman, who hasn't looked very good in his first four starts and has a 4.43 ERA, trending in the wrong direction, to match it. Oh, and Orioles hitters will only have to best the greatest of this year's Yankees starters, at least by ERA to date: Luis Severino, whose 3.11 ERA in nine starts leads that staff. Severino has struck out 61 batters in 55 innings and has only walked 14.
Those same wet conditions are probably not very conducive to hitting home runs, but they have been a problem for Severino all the same, as he's allowed seven this season.