Camden Chat - Game 23: Orioles (13-9) @ Athletics (13-10), 10:05Put a bird on it!https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48285/camden-fave.png2013-04-27T00:58:40-04:00http://www.camdenchat.com/rss/stream/40375172013-04-27T00:58:40-04:002013-04-27T00:58:40-04:00Friday Night West Coast Victory GIF Party
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<p>It is Friday night. The Orioles have defeated the Oakland Athletics by a 3-0 score behind the first seven-inning-plus effort from a starting pitcher. Wei-Yin Chen went eight innings and combined with Jim Johnson's ninth save for the shutout.</p>
<p><b>YOU KNOW WHAT MUST BE DONE.</b></p>
https://www.camdenchat.com/2013/4/27/4273486/friday-night-west-coast-victory-gif-partyMark Brown2013-04-26T21:30:04-04:002013-04-26T21:30:04-04:00O's @ A's. Chen vs. Milone in Oakland thread.
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<figcaption>Rob Carr</figcaption>
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<p>The Orioles will look to secure at least a series split on Friday night. Wei-Yin Chen for the Orioles faces off against Tommy Milone of the Athletics.</p> <p>It's got to feel pretty good to light up the scoreboard for ten runs on a night where two errors (and one misplay scored a double) led to two runs being scored. That was the <a href="https://www.camdenchat.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Orioles</a> last night. No resting on their laurels, because it's a new challenge to face today. Still the same <a href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Athletics</a> team in the mausoleum that is the Oakland stadium, but everything is reset for the new day.</p>
<p>Last year's rookie sensation, <span>Tommy Milone</span> (maybe calling him a sensation is a stretch), takes the mound for the Athletics tonight. He had a 1.71 BB/9 rate last season. Kind of wish that Orioles pitchers would throw strikes like that. Of course, it helps when you pitch half your games in Oakland. There's not as much to fear in throwing the ball. In 2012, Milone had a 2.74 ERA at home and a 4.83 ERA away, and he surrendered twice as many home runs on the road as at home. Unfortunately for the Orioles, they'll face Milone within the macabre confines tonight.</p>
<p>Perhaps there is an advantage to be had, in that Orioles starter <span>Wei-Yin Chen</span> is also the sort of pitcher who could thrive in a cavernous expanse, at least when the ball isn't hit to his center fielder who occasionally displays a complete lack of range, his right fielder who's mysteriously lost range and arm, and his left fielder whose body is made of papier-mache. I promise I was trying to be cheerful at one time when I began the previous sentence.</p>
<p>It is the case for a second consecutive night that this game is between the two highest-scoring teams in the American League, with the O's having pulled the gap a little closer last night. And speaking of scoring runs, for all that we wrestled with that nefarious Pythagorean beast last season, at this moment, the Orioles sport a 13-9 record and are expected to have a 13-9 record.</p>
<p>Here's an interesting stat for you: we talk a bit about BABIP (batting average on balls in play), and Orioles starters collectively have the lowest BABIP (.252) among all teams in MLB. Due to regress? Maybe that's the effect of having <span>Manny Machado</span> and <span>J.J. Hardy</span> in the field. Whatever it is, we'll probably have to live with it. Unfortunately, the O's starters have among the lowest K/9 rates, the highest BB/9 rates, and one of the highest HR/9 rates as well.</p>
<p>None of which are good signs against this Oakland team that has seen more pitches than any other team this season. Not much of a recipe to break the streak of starters who have yet to make it seven innings.</p>
<p>The red-hot <span>Nate McLouth</span> is on the bench tonight against the lefty Milone. Brace yourselves for this unfortunate combination:</p>
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<div class="pane sports_data_widget lineup clearfix"><div class="lineup"><table class="zebra" cellspacing="0"> <thead> <tr> <th align="left">BALTIMORE ORIOLES</th> <th align="left">OAKLAND ATHLETICS</th> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr> <td class="td-last td-name"> <span>Nick Markakis</span> - RF</td> <td class="td-first td-name"> <span>Coco Crisp</span> - DH</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="td-last td-name">Manny Machado - 3B</td> <td class="td-first td-name">Chris Young - CF</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="td-last td-name"> <span>Adam Jones</span> - CF</td> <td class="td-first td-name"> <span>Josh Reddick</span> - RF</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="td-last td-name"> <span>Chris Davis</span> - 1B</td> <td class="td-first td-name"> <span>Jed Lowrie</span> - 2B</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="td-last td-name"> <span>Matt Wieters</span> - C</td> <td class="td-first td-name"> <span>Josh Donaldson</span> - 3B</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="td-last td-name">J.J. Hardy - SS</td> <td class="td-first td-name">Derek Norris - C</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="td-last td-name"> <span>Nolan Reimold</span> - LF</td> <td class="td-first td-name"> <span>Nate Freiman</span> - 1B</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="td-last td-name"> <span>Steve Pearce</span> - DH</td> <td class="td-first td-name"> <span>Casper Wells</span> - LF</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="td-last td-name"> <span>Alexi Casilla</span> - 2B</td> <td class="td-first td-name"> <span>Adam Rosales</span> - SS</td> </tr> </tbody> </table></div></div>
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https://www.camdenchat.com/2013/4/26/4272392/game-23-orioles-13-9-athletics-13-10-10-05Mark Brown