BALTIMORE – Despite a valiant pitching effort, the Orioles stumbled again this season against the Detroit Tigers in a series-opening 4-1 loss, in a game which featured the ejection of starter Bud Norris, and a benches-clearing incident in the 8th.
Perhaps a tight duel should have been expected for a battle between two smoking-hot division leaders, though not necessarily a pitching duel, considering that each team has one of the best lineups in all of baseball, but only the Tigers have had the pitching to consistently match.
But Monday’s contest was indeed a pitcher’s duel between Baltimore’s Norris and Detroit’s Rick Porcello who, despite a number of taut innings where it appeared either might crack, both battled and delivered very impressive performances till Norris came undone in the 8th in more ways than one.
With Detroit’s lead just 2-1 heading into the inning, the right-hander walked catcher Alex Avila and gave up a two-out, two-run homer to 2B Ian Kinsler, before hitting next batter Torii Hunter with a 94 MPH fastball and being ejected from the game in the process.
The incident caused benches to empty, with players pouring out of each bullpen, but order was quickly restored despite Hunter and Norris continuing to jaw at each other as Norris left the ballpark.
“He hit Torii with a pitch, the umpire judged he had intent, and threw him out of the game,” said Showalter. “There’s no instant replay to judge intent.”
Norris, on a staff that has had trouble this season getting pitchers deep into games, pitched into the 8th Monday, going 7 2/3 innings allowing five hits and four runs on 113 pitches while the Tigers’ Porcello pitched 6 innings, allowing just one run on 83 pitches, but 60 for strikes, before yielding to Detroit’s bullpen.
“He had a really good outing,” said Buck Showalter of Norris. “Unfortunately, Porcello had a little better.”
Baltimore lost two of three earlier in the season in Detroit, with both losses disheartening affairs, despite Baltimore salvaging the series’ third game. Yet Porcello was in no mood to stop that trend, entering the contest – incredibly – as Detroit’s hottest pitcher despite being on a staff that includes Cy Young Award-winners Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander. Porcello had gone 5-1 on the season.
“It was a challenge. You know it’s tough. You know what the hitter’s gonna do when their coming in,” said Showalter.
The Orioles constantly attacked Porcello, but the righty had strong stuff, inducing ground balls to get out of jams and throwing with good velocity to keep the O’s off balance.
“They have the type of pitchers you know what they’re gonna do coming in,” Showalter said of Porcello. “Worked both sides of the plate… throwing more of a little cut slider than he had before, couple breaking balls, not as many change-ups but you’re not going to see that with as many right-hand hitters as we have in the lineup.”
The Orioles struck first, in the second inning for their only run. J.J, Hardy singled to left, followed by a double that floated just into the left-field corner by hot-hitting backup catcher Steve Clevenger to score the streaking Hardy. The Orioles got another man aboard on an error in the same inning but could not produce another run as Porcello induced a ground-out to escape a second-and-third, two-out jam.
In the Tigers’ fourth, Kinsler walked and stole second, then was driven home by Miguel Cabrera who singled, followed by a double by Victor Martinez. Cabrera scored the Tigers’ second run on deep sac fly to center by Austin Jackson.
The Orioles battled, but in losing to the Tigers, there can be little shame considering Detroit’s balance and excellence on both sides of the ball.
Yet, the Orioles – who still cling to a slight American League East lead despite the loss, will need to improve against teams like the Tigers to show they are truly ready for late-season baseball once again.
NOTES:
Miguel Cabrera was robbed of a hit in the Tigers’ sixth by a diving, full body-extended dive by Hardy which was definitely the play of the game.
