Game 126: Orioles 8, Twins 1
The Good:
This was the best O's game I've seen in quite a while. It's only two games, but the Birds are making a case for not actually being the worst team in the AL this year.
Some notes on Wieters' 4 walks:
- Shutdown Sauce! Alfredo Simon looked great, missing bats with the slider, the splitter, and especially the fastball (something like a 30% whiff rate between the two and four seamers combined). Final line; 8 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 8 K, 1 HR.
- JJ Hardy went 3-5, which wasn't one of the best offensive nights for an Oriole.
- Vlad had 3 hits as well, but his included a double.
- Matt Wieters doubled as his only hit, but he did walk 4 times. And threw a runner out trying to steal.
- Mark Reynolds went 3-5 with a triple.
- Nolan Reimold only had one hit, but it was a three-run homer.
- Adam Jones left the game early due to illness. Hope he's OK.
This was the best O's game I've seen in quite a while. It's only two games, but the Birds are making a case for not actually being the worst team in the AL this year.
Some notes on Wieters' 4 walks:
- It was the second time this year and Orioles walked four times (Luke Scott).
- First time since 2007 that an O's catcher did it (the immortal Paul Bako), and the 5th time a catcher has done it (Bako, Chris Hoiles, and Elrod Hendricks twice).
- The 46th player in franchise history to do it - the 64th time overall (Brady Anderson holds the record with 4 such games).
- Only the 5th time in franchise history that a batter walked four times and had an extra-base hit. Nick Markakis had an identical line (1-1, double, 4 BB, 2 R, 1 RBI) in 2008.
