You’ve probably heard by that the Orioles lost 12-3 to the Texas Rangers last night, as Tommy Hunter and Kevin Gregg set off the fireworks for them – in a historically bad way.
Tommy Hunter, in a typical Hunter start, gave up three homers; however, was terrible on Wednesday night.
Adrian Beltre, who can be one hell of a hitter, slammed three home runs – including doing two in a nine-run fourth inning – to send Texas to an easy victory. Tommy Hunter gave up two of them to Beltre and Kevin Gregg gave up the other. Mitch Moreland also had a grand slam homer off Hunter in the fateful fourth inning.
It was just not good for Baltimore at all last night. The only bright side for the Birds was that Nick Markakis drove in three runs and had three hits. Well, the rest of the team frankly didn’t do much at the plate.
Derek Holland (8-6), who started for Texas, earned the win and pitched seven innings for the victory. He gave up three runs.
According to the Baltimore Sun, Hunter has given up 32 HOMERS this season. That’s just awful. Considering he spent some time in the minors, that feat is even far more amazing to fathom.
Hunter just could not get the pitches over the plate, and when he did, they were high. Of course, Texas’s powerful hitters made him pay big-time. The fourth inning was horrendous and for one night brought flashbacks of the past with this team.
Perhaps Hunter should pitch out of the bullpen for bit; however, Baltimore needs arms right now in the rotation, and he may be better than the options left in the system.
Despite yesterday’s awful loss, the Orioles did finish up 3-3 (or .500) on their road trip against some very tough competition. I think they are in good shape heading into the weekend against Toronto to kick off a week-long homestand; however, after the Jays leave town, they have the tough White Sox to contend with.
However, the Oakland Athletics now have the second wild card spot as due to Baltimore’s loss. They have a ½ game lead on the Birds now.
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Finally, if you’re a season ticket holder – you’ll have the first dibs on playoff tickets, if the Orioles make it.
Here’s info from the Baltimore Sun:
Holders of all three season plans — full plans, 29-game and 13-game plans — will have the opportunity to buy tickets to each round, based on the number of tickets in their respective plans. (Full plan holders can buy additional tickets as well.)
The tickets will be sold in packages: 10 potential games (including three World Series) for full-plan holders; five potential games, including one World Series, for 29-game holders and three potential, including one World Series game, for 13-game holders.
Prices for the first three potential rounds — the wild-card playoff, American League Division Series and the American League Championship Series — will remain roughly the same as the cost for premium game seats during the season ($50, for instance, for lower left-field box seats). Prices will roughly triple for World Series tickets — those left-field lower box seats will be $175 per seat, and field box tickets will increase from $99 to $305.
Full-plan and 29-game-plan holders will receive discounted prices for all postseason games. Invoices must be returned to Camden Yards by Sept. 7.
In mid-September, if the Orioles are still in the pennant race, the club hopes to make tickets available to the general public. Details on that sale have not yet been finalized, Bader said.
