The Orioles fell to 2-15 on Friday night as they lost the opening contest of a three game set to the Red Sox, 4-3.
Once again, the Orioles could not score with runners is scoring position, the defense was once again shaky – Miguel Tejada had two errors, and the bullpen inexplicably could not get the job done. You want to know why Baltimore lost — they left twelve on base and were 1-for-12 with men in scoring position.
Baltimore trailed 3-0 in the game, but the offense finally put something together to tie the at game three in Boston in the top of the eighth inning. However, in the bottom of the eighth, the Orioles managed to load the bases with two walks and a single before the damage was done. In that frame, Matt Albers got into a bit of trouble and Will Ohman could not throw a strike at all.
Then reliever Jim Johnson came into the game.
He walked Adrian Beltre for the winning run and the Orioles could not come back in the ninth inning. They had a runner at second bases, but Julio Lugo struck out to end the game. But then again, the Orioles could have done more in the frame, but Nick Markakis had an opposite field single off the Green Monster, but got nailed trying to stretch his hit to a double. If all had gone well, the Orioles could had perhaps had Nick Markakis as the tying run.
Silly mistake. Oh well.
The Oriole offense came together for a bit as Adam Jones finally showed some life at the plate with a two-run homer in the seventh and Luke Scott plated in a run with a groundout.
Sadly at this point, is it time to declare Garrett Atkins a bust? It’s only seventeen games in the season, but he’s not done much at whatsoever. He was 0-for-4 and ended rallied with the bases loaded — twice! The man was an offensive force in the thin air of Colorado for several seasons, but now … Garrett looks like he’s lost it.
Atkins should be given a chance – it’s been only seventeen games – but he looks like he’s close to being done as a player and certainly is suffering outside the National League.
Despite the sad losing these past few weeks, Matt Wieters has continued to hit with some consistency at the plate as he went 2-for-4 and upped his average to .311.
Jon Lester – who started the game for Boston – didn’t get the win, but once again dominated the Orioles, going 5 2/3 innings and not allowing a run. David Ortiz, mired in a season-long slump, hit his first homer (a solo shot) in the second inning. They got a sacrifice fly from J.D. Drew in the 3rd inning and Josh Reddick RBI-groundout in the fifth inning.
Jeremy Guthrie seemingly can’t win a game as he got the no-decision. He once again had a solid start, going six innings and giving up three runs.
I can’t remember a team with so much potential talent playing so bad — at the same time!
So what changes should happen? Is this season lost now?
