Saturday’s 5-2 win over the Tigers was closer than the score would indicate. The Orioles entered the bottom of the ninth inning with a 5-1 lead and Tanner Scott on the mound. A walk, hit batter and a walk later, the bases were loaded with no outs and Scott (0.0 IP, 1 R, 2 BB) was replaced by Cole Sulser.
Sulser (1.0 IP, 2 K ) allowed an inherited runner to score on a groundout and then struck out the final two batters to preserve the win.
Sulser’s grit made a winner out of starter John Means. Means did what the top of the rotation pitcher should do; he gave the Orioles a chance to win with a quality start. He allowed an Eric Haase 4th inning homerun, scattered three more hits, walked 1 and struck out 6 over 6.0 innings pitched. The win improved Means record to 5-3.
The Orioles bats backed up Means effort. Maikel Franko (1 for 4, 1 R, 1 RBI) homered in the 5th inning, Cedric Mullins (2 for 4, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 SB) had a solid night at the plate and Pat Valaika went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI.
Ryan Mountcastle had a big game, going 3 for 4 a run scored and 1 RBI.
Ramon Urias continued to impress, going 2 for 4 with a run scored and a walk.
The collective effort produced the win even though it could have turned ugly in the end.
2021 Record: 37-66
Next Game: Sun. Aug. 1 @ 1:10pm
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