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Thursday night Orioles game thread: vs Dodgers, 7:15

A well-rested Dylan Bundy faces off against the rehabbing veteran Rich Hill as the Orioles try to take two of three from Los Angeles.

By Andrea SK
MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers at Baltimore Orioles
Austin Hays is fast.
Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

So that was a fun day of baseball. On Wednesday night, the Orioles made quick work of the Dodgers (quick in all things, that is, except Mychal Givens’ ninth inning, but at least he got it done). John Means looked like he’s back to his All-Star form, and Jonathan Villar hit the MLB record-breaking 6,106th home run this season. And down in Double-A, the Bowie Baysox tied up their series against the New York Yankees—I mean, the Trenton Thunder—by jumping all over rehabbing starter and two-time All-Star Luis Severino.

Is it going to go as well tonight? Well, Bowie has lefty Alex Wells and his nifty 2.95 season ERA on the mound, but for the big-league team, the odds are a little longer. Dylan Bundy (6-13, 5.06 ERA) has been hit-or-miss this season, although he’s starting tonight’s game on an extra day of rest, which is good news: eighteen of his 27 starts this season have come on extra rest, and his ERA is a full run lower in those outings.

Your move, Dodgers. On the bump for LA is the veteran lefty Rich Hill (4-1, 2.55 ERA), making just his first start since straining his flexor tendon on June 19. The Dodgers are just stretching Hill out for the postseason, so he’ll probably go only a couple of innings.

Brandon Hyde has been getting extra creative with the lineup of late—last night we saw Stevie Wilkerson at second (his natural position) for the first time all season, Dwight Smith Jr. at DH (with considerable success in the role), and Austin Hays manning center. Outfielder Mason Williams is hitting .333 in his first seven games, but with the lefty Hill on the mound, the righty Hays is getting the start. Both Williams and Hays are playing with a proverbial fire under their asses since their call-ups, and it makes me very excited for next season. I don’t know about you, but an outfield of Santander in left, Hays in center, and Williams in right? Prettyyyyyy, prettyyy, pretty good, I’d say.

Orioles Lineup

1. Hanser Alberto 2B
2. Jonathan Villar SS
3. Trey Mancini 1B
4. Anthony Santander LF
5. Renato Núñez DH
6. Austin Hays CF
7. DJ Stewart RF
8. Pedro Severino C
9. Rio Ruiz 3B

RHP Dylan Bundy

Dodgers Lineup

1. Joc Pederson RF
2. Matt Beaty 3B
3. A.J. Pollock DH
4. Cody Bellinger 1B
5. Corey Seager SS
6. Chris Taylor LF
7. Gavin Lux 2B
8. Enrique Hernández CF
9. Russell Martin C

LHP Rich Hill

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