The Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals were finally able to baseball in Baltimore. Following rainouts on both Friday and Saturday, the teams met for a traditional double-header on Sunday with KC winning the first game 6-4 and the Birds winning the nightcap 4-2. What began at 1:35 pm resulted in a game one the Orioles “gave away” to the Royals and ended at around 8:30pm with a “quality” win by the Orioles. Seven hours of baseball; any mother who stayed the entire time deserves more than just one day a year.
In game 1 the Orioles committed three errors which led to four unearned runs. A two-out Rougned Odor error in the ninth was costly as it opened the door for the Royals: Kansas City scored two runs following the error that were the difference in the outcome.
Starter Jordan Lyles gave the Orioles a chance. He lasted 7.1 innings and allowed 4 runs, 2 earned, on 7 hits while walking 1 and striking out 5. Jorge Lopez (3-2) took the loss, the victim of 2 unearned runs; he allowed 2 hits and walked 1 in 1.1 innings.
Austin Hays went 4 for 4 with 2 runs scored and a walk. Ryan Mountcastle went 4 for 5 with a double, 1 run scored and 1 RBI. Cedric Mullins went 2 for 5 with a double and 1 RBI. It was his second inning ground-rule double that produced the highlight of the day; a mom in the front row of the bleachers made a bare-hander catch of that ball.
Game 2 belonged to starter and winning pitcher Bruce Zimmermann. The southpaw allowed 2 runs on 5 hits and struck out 5 in 6.0 innings of work. Keegan Akin (2.0 IP) and Dillon Tate (1.0 IP) combined to finish what Zimmermann started and each gave up 1 hit while striking out 2.
Austin Hays went 1 for 3 with a double, 1 run scored and a walk. Cedric Mullins went 1 for 5 with 1 run scored and a stolen base.
Ryan Mountcastle (1 for 4, 1 RBI, 1 SB) gave all of Birdland a scare in the first inning when his ankle twisted akwardly on his steal of secon base. Fortunately, he was able to walk it off and finish the game.
2022 Record: 11-17
