For the first time in a quite a while, Jeremy Guthrie looked like a stopper as he pitched seven solid innings, only giving up a run, as he & the Orioles finished off the Twins, 5-1. Overall, it was a solid effort by the team, and instead of finding themselves in an another close game that would end up in a loss, they put their opponents away early and for good.
Guthrie – the defacto ace and lone veteran in the starting rotation of the Baltimore Orioles – has struggled mightily this year with his command and the gofer ball; however, he was effective on the mound and focused. Minnesota scored only in the fourth inning off a Justin Morneau RBI-double; however, they were not able to do much more damage than that.
Baltimore jumped on Minnesota starter Nick Blackburn in the first inning as Nolan Reimold drove in a run with an infield single, and then they scored again thanks a throwing error by Orlando Cabrera to first base that plated Luke Scott.
Felix Pie – who was a goat in last night’s game – redeemed himself big time as he a hit a solo home run (his fifth) in the fourth inning to put the Orioles up 3-0.
Chad Moeller drove in a run in the sixth inning with a double, and drove in another in the eighth thanks a bases loaded walk. He was the offensive star of the game as he had a two-hit night and drove in two.
All things considered, the Orioles have played a lot better and went 4-5 on their road through Tampa-St. Petersburg, Chicago & Minnesota. They return home for a ten-game homestand against Cleveland, contenders New York and Boston before heading out on the road yet again.
