Tuesday Bird Droppings: Where the Orioles finally won a game

Good morning, Camden Chatters.

For the first time in more than a week, you’re waking up to an Orioles team that just put one in the win column. The O’s snapped their eight-game losing streak with a 7-0 shutout of the Blue Jays last night, buoyed by David Hess’s pitching, Trey Mancini’s power, and Jonathan Villar’s speed. Check out my game recap for the lovely totals.

Can the Orioles make it two in a row over the Blue Jays after winning just one of their previous 13 matchups with Toronto? Tonight’s game will be worth watching for the MLB debut of lefty Josh Rogers, one of the pitchers the O’s acquired from the Yankees in the Zach Britton trade. Rogers had been tearing up Triple-A Norfolk with a 2.08 ERA in five starts. Good luck, Josh!

Links

Rogers coming up, O's acquire Zoellner, Maríñez stays on DL - School of Roch
Remember when we were excited because the Orioles were acquiring international signing bonus slot money? Well, now they’ve gone back to trading it away for no particular reason, this time for a 23-year-old in the Gulf Coast League.

Buck Showalter says trades might still occur - MLB.com
I mean, technically, they could. But what veterans are on the roster that have any trade value right now?

Race to the bottom: Do the Orioles have any chance of avoiding MLB’s worst record? - BaltimoreBaseball.com
Will the Royals manage to out-stink the Orioles down the stretch and claim MLB’s worst record? This devilishly good-looking writer breaks down the remaining schedules for both teams to predict how things might play out.

Trey Mancini goes old school on ‘Players Weekend’ — paying tribute to teachers, including the one who scared him – The Athletic
This story includes both a charming account of Trey Mancini’s friendship with his third-grade teacher and an adorable picture of young Trey.

Ryan Meisinger is among the latest young arms to get bullpen chance - Steve Melewski
Maryland native Ryan Meisinger is among the many new faces in the Orioles’ young bullpen. If you’ve been patiently waiting to read an interview with him, here you go.

Orioles birthdays and history

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have two Orioles birthday buddies. Righty Mike Torrez (72) came to the Birds in the Dave McNally trade, had a 20-win season in his only year with the O’s, and then was sent packing in the Reggie Jackson deal. Lou Piniella (75) had one plate appearance to start his career with the Orioles before playing 17 years elsewhere, followed by 23 years as a manager.

On this day in 1960, the Orioles’ Milt Pappas seemingly gave up a go-ahead three-run homer to Chicago’s Ted Kluszewski in the eighth, only for umpire Ed Hurley to wipe it off the board because he called time out before the pitch was thrown. Given another chance, Pappas retired Kluszewski and the O’s won, 3-1. The White Sox protested the game, to no avail.

With the Royals having the night off, the Orioles’ win pushes them ever so closer, 2.5 games worse than Kansas City. The Royals start a two-game series with the Tigers tonight while the O’s play two more against the Jays, and then the showdown begins: the Orioles-Royals three-game set in Kansas City, starting Friday. It’ll be a barnburner.

At the 132-game mark, the ‘62 Mets beat the Phillies behind a three-hit shutout by Al Jackson. The ‘03 Tigers were thumped by Cleveland, 8-3. The ‘16 Athletics lost the first game of a doubleheader to the Yankees (they lost the second game, too). And the ‘35 Braves stretched their losing streak to 12 in a row with a 15-3 embarrassment against the Cubs in which they allowed 19 hits and committed four errors.