In a year that has been the Baltimore Orioles do the improbable, they earned another win over the struggling Red Sox last night to start their three game series at Camden Yards, 7-1.
The Baltimore offense led the team to victory with a five-run sixth inning that finished off Boston, and Mark Reynolds – whose struggles need little mentioning in ’12 – blasted two homers. They have won their 63rd game of the season, and are only four victories away from matching their total of last season.
Omar Quintanilla, who has been clutch for the Orioles since he was acquired from the Mets, hit a solo homer in the first inning to give Baltimore an early 1-0 lead; Chris Davis had two hits and Matt Wieters drove in a run. The Orioles have owned the Red Sox in ’12, as they have won seven out of ten games against them. Even though many experts, especially if you check this sportsbook review doubted the Orioles, they have proven everyone wrong.
Instead of the Red Sox owning the Orioles, it is the other way around – for now. Seriously, based on what we’ve all read about the Red Sox and their internal strife, along with the players’ issues with Bobby Valentine, the Orioles may be the least of their problems.
Wei-Yin Chen (11-7) pitched another great game, as he six innings, gave up only a run; however, he allowed nine hits to earn the win. The Baltimore bullpen – Darren O’Day, the newly acquired J.C. Romero and Matt Lindstrom – kept Boston off the scoreboard for the rest of the game.
If this were 2011, I would have been a little anxious about seeing the bullpen come into game for the Orioles against the Red Sox – even with a six-run lead heading into the seventh inning. Then again, this is a new year and with the way the Orioles are looking, fans should very confident with the bullpen in the latter innings of the game.
Boston’s Josh Beckett (5-10) looked good for five innings, but Baltimore got to him and that was it.
Of course, his outing on the mound is pretty much a microcosm of the Red Sox this season – disappointing and the results were so far below his (or their) talent level, it’s not even funny.
The story of the game for Baltimore has to be Mark Reynolds. He’s been a sore spot for many fans considering his numbers so far, the lack of homers, the poor batting average and awful fielding at the hot corner (before being moved to third).
Reynolds drove in four runs – with his two homers – on Tuesday and at least showed a glimpse of the type of player he could be. That is, if he can still produce.
It’s fairly obvious Reynolds will not be an Oriole next year, and who could blame the front office. However, it seems that Buck Showalter has been loyal and patient with Reynolds and has given him many opportunities to bust out of his long slump.
Perhaps Tuesday night is a new beginning for Reynolds. Or maybe not.
