Friday afternoon saw the Baltimore Orioles fall 7-2 to the Tampa Bay Rays in Port Charlotte, FL. Baltimore was well represented at the game with both Clancy “The Beer Man” and Brian form B’More Around Town in attendance. During the telecast I also heard some “I’m fired up! You fired up?” chants.
Orioles pitching was not quite a sharp today. Dean Kremer started and struggled with his command early, pitching with traffic on the bases and hitting a batter in each of the first two innings before retiring the side in order in the third and fourth innings. Kremer faced 18 batters in 4.1 innings, allowing 1 run on 2 hits, walking 1, striking out 3 and hitting 2 batters.
Albert Suarez (1-1) relieved Kremer and was on the mound when the wheels fell off the cart in the seventh inning. The Rays scored 6 runs in that inning using 6 hits, including 2 doubles, and a walk to do so. Tampa Bay was also aided by a Heston Kjerstad (0 for 4) throwing error that missed the cut-off man and allowed a run to score. Suarez allowed 5 runs on 6 hits, walked 1 and struck out 3 over 2.1 innings and took the loss.
Ryan Watson (0.1 IP, 1 R, 2 H) finished off the seventh for the Orioles.
Houston Roth walked three and struck out 1 in the eighth inning.
Kolten Wong (1 for 3, 3B, R) tripled in the fourth and scored on Ryan McKenna (0 for 2, RBI) sac fly.
Coby Mayo (0 for 1, RBI) hit into a fielder’s choice the allowed Connor Norby (0 for 2, R, BB) to score in the eighth inning.
Jordan Westburg went 2 for 4 with a double.
In total, Baltimore batters were held to four hits and two walks in the game.
