O's Sweep Jays in Crucial Early Series - N51_rob's Blog

N51_rob's Blog

O's Sweep Jays in Crucial Early Series

Posted on April 17, 2012 at 05:19 PM.

In an attempt to sync the blog with my actually progress I will present the entire Blue Jays series in one blog.

Game 1
Brandon Morrow and Jason Hammel put on a pitching clinic of sorts. Toronto took the lead in the 4th when Marcus Thames doubled and Jose Bautista hit a ground rule double to score him. Brandon Morrow mowed down Oriole hitters with his devastating fastball that Baltimore couldn't touch. Unfortunately Morrow tweaked his back and was pulled after just 6.2 innings of 1 hit ball, he had 8Ks at the time. Baltimore finally got on the score board in the 8th innings when 2B Robert Andino singled off Jason Frasor, and he scored when Nolan Riemold doubled into the gap to tie the game. Hammel was done after 7.2 innings allowing the 1 run on 5 hits he struck out 4 walking none, to lower his ERA to 3.55. Zach Phillips would vulture the win pitching the last out of the 8th. In the 9th Baltimore took the lead. Nick Markakis got things started with a single, he advance to 3rd on an Adam Jones double. Markakis would score on Matt Wieters' sac fly. Jim Johnson came on in the 9th and pitched a perfect 9th for his first save of the season.

Highlights

Game 2
With JJ Hardy nursing a sore shoulder and Ryan Flaherty struggling Robert Andino was bumped up in the line up. Andino would be the catalyst in the Top of the first. He singled and advanced to 2nd on a fielders choice before Adam Jones bought him home on an RBI triple to make it 1-0, Jones would score himself when Wieters doubled. It would be the start of a big day for Adam Jones, the Oriole CF went 3-4 driving in 4 runs and would be only a single short of hitting for the cycle. Starting Pitcher Tommy Hunter was masterful going 6 innings allowing 1 run (A Jose Bautista HR) on 6 hits. For the first time this season the Oriole bull pen did their job and Baltimore took game two 6-1.

Highlights

Game 3
Despite Baltimore hitting 4 home runs in the game and scoring 8 runs. The story would be Brian Matusz. Matusz who is attempting to regain his status as one of Baltimore's up and coming young arms, put on a virtuoso performance. He pitched a complete game shutout of the Blue Jays allowing only 4 hits in 9 innings, striking out only 4. "For me it was about getting them to swing at my pitching in my counts. I was able to do that and it worked out really well. Strikeouts are nice, but you can't work deep with 10 Ks in a game." Matusz was helped by the Oriole Power display. Mark Reynolds hit two homers, as was joined by Wilson Betemit and Chris Davis in leaving the yard. For the series Baltimore pitching limited Toronto to only 2 runs in 27 innings. Jose Bautista was 2-12 with 1 HR and 2 RBIs. Baltimore next head to Chicago for a 4 game set with the White Sox, before taking their first trip out west to play the Angels.

Highlights