Game 2: Minnesota Twins @
Baltimore Orioles
Location: Oriole Park
Attendance: 29,513 (66% Full)
Weather: 71 degree, Partly Cloudy
Scheduled First Pitch: 7:05pm
Orioles Bounce Back With Offensive Outburst
Putting the Opening Day lost behind them, Baltimore’s offense nearly doubled its run output from game one. It was evident from the beginning that The Orioles sluggers weren’t leaving the pitching staff to shoulder the load (as if they needed it). The O’s plated 9 runs on 12 hits, including 3 big flies from Machado, Jones and Alvarez.
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Every Orioles batter contributed at least 1 hit; except JJ Hardy.
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Dozier, Mauer and Sano followed their big game 1 with an abysmal game 2. The trio went a combined 1-12 after going 8-14 on Opening Day.
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After going 0-3 in game 1, Rule 5 Draft Pick Joey Rickard collected his first major league hit on a single in the 3rd and followed that up with his first double in the 7th for his first career multi hit game.
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The Twins failed to collect double digit hits as they were limited to 8 hits as a team following their 17 hit outburst in the first game of the series.
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Adam Jones led the way with 4 runs driven in. Machado and Pedro Alvarez each drove in two with Matt Weiters plating a run for the second consecutive game.
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As a result of Baltimore’s offensive onslaught,
Minnesota Twins starter
Kyle Gibson only lasted 3 innings. The Twins bullpen couldn’t stop the bleeding as they allowed 4 runs of their own; 3 by way of
Michael Tonkin.
Yovani Gallardo made his Orioles debut in front of 29,513 and sent Orioles faithful home happy with a win. The Mexican born right hander gave Baltimore 6 innings of 1 run ball against four hits while striking out 2. He issued no free passes, giving way to
Dylan Bundy. Bundy pitching in Baltimore for the first time in 44 months (3 1/2 years) picked up where Gallardo left off as the rookie yielded 2 hits in 2 innings of work while recording the first two strikeouts of his career.
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Baltimore only used 3 pitchers to complete the 9-2 victory. (Gallardo, Bundy, McFarland)
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Minnesota’s defense was at fault early on committing a costly error allowing Baltimore two additional runs to cross home plate.
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This was The O’s first win against Minnesota in over a year, dating back to the 2014 season (O’s lost all 7 games to The Twins in 2015).
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The Twins pitchers left too many pitches up in the zone for Orioles hitters to drive. Something you have to be weary of when playing at Oriole Park.
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Baltimore and Minnesota complete the opening 3 game set tomorrow with scheduled starters Ubaldo Jimenez (Baltimore) set to square off against Phil Hughes (Minnesota).
