The Orioles skid continued this week as they got swept by the Angels in a quick two game series that took place this afternoon and on Tuedsay night.
A few hours ago, the Orioles lost 3-2 as Koji Uehara looked strong, but took the loss; however, he may may be out a few days as he was a victim in a real scary incident. After giving up a pair of home runs to Kendry Morales and Torii Hunter in the seventh inning, he was hit hard in the chest thanks to a Gary Matthews line drive. There was no sign of internal damage; however, he did a have a bruised sternum, but in hindsight, he may have dodged a serious bullet. The Angels scored their first run in the fourth inning as Kendry Morales had an RBI triple.
Baltimore scored in the first off Los Angeles starter Shane Loux — who won on the afternoon — however, didn’t score again until the eighth inning when Nick Markakis (who, by the way continued his hitting streak, now at 15 games.)
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On Tuesday, the Orioles yet lost another game where they had a lead; however, it was not without controversy as they lost, 7-5. They had a 4-2 advantage before the fourth inning, and then the Angels went on the attack against Adam Eaton — who well, looked like the Eaton of old — by hitting the ball square off him in the middle portion of the game where they scored three runs to take a 5-4 lead.
In the seventh inning, Baltimore trailed by a run, but the deficit would grow by two after a series of unfortunate events. After Trembley gave Eaton the hook, Chone Figgins started off the frame by doubling, and in the course of trying to stretch it into a triple, he got thrown out at third by Adam Jones. Thereafter, Cesar Izturis reached base and seemed to be picked off by Jamie Walker — however, home plate umpire Angel Hernandez begged to differ and charged the lefty with a balk. Instead of getting the second out of the frame, the inning got extended as two more runs came in after Walker was replaced by Chris Ray.
After Walker was ejected, Dave Trembley protested the call and in emphatic fashion worth an Emmy, but found himself ejected. Adam Jones homered in the ninth inning, but the Angels got away with the win as Brian Fuentes got the save.
Well, after the game, the Orioles — mainly Dave Trembley and especially Jamie Walker — had some words for the umpiring in the fateful seventh inning.
Here’s Trembley giving his opinion on home plate Angel Hernandez:
“I’ve seen it; I see it in my mind. I don’t need to see it on the TV,” said Trembley, who got his money’s worth in his seventh career ejection. “It was a pivotal part of the game. It was the difference of two runs being scored or two runs not being scored, and obviously the way the game is, there’s differences of opinion.
“Umpires aren’t always right; managers and coaches aren’t always right. I know what the rules are; the rules are distance and direction. That set me off. Angel didn’t see it. He didn’t think he stepped good enough towards first base.”
Meanwhile, in more colorful terms, Walker was not too pleased with Hernandez:
“No way in hell did I balk on that pitch,” Walker said. “I don’t know if the guy has something against me or what, but no way in hell did I balk. It changed the whole damn game. I may get screwed in the long run, but that’s just unacceptable at this level. … I don’t know if he had money betting on the game or what, but that’s a horses- – call. I don’t even have a damn pickoff move. I think that might be my first career balk.
I love the use of the word horse****, but seriously, that call should have never been made, and although I could not tell in person what happened, seeing the replays online made me think that Hernandez was wrong. I have no idea why he’d make the call aside from believing he was right in his mind, but that moment perhaps sealed Baltimore’s fate in the seventh inning as they could have gotten a critical second out, but instead things got worse for the Orioles.
Obviously, everyone had their emotions in check this afternoon and put the episode behind them; however, that call last night — if not made — could have ended Baltimore’s recent skid and add a “w” into the win column if everything had gone right.
