Photo Credit: Tommy Gilligan/USA TODAY Sports
It looked like the wild card race was really starting to heat up, especially right now with baseball season coming to a close very soon. Unfortunately for the Baltimore Orioles, it looks like they are starting to slip lower and lower.
After sweeping the Athletics in a 4-game series and tying with the Mets in their series, it looked like the O’s would continue along with this streak. However, the Minnesota Twins had other ideas and completely destroyed the O’s in their 4-game series.
Their first game against the Twins was absolutely brutal for more than one reason. The game was supposed to start at 7:05 but then was delayed for 2 and a half hours on an impending storm, but the real storm came once the game started. The O’s failed to score until the 8th inning, making 2 out of their 10 hits into runs along with one error. The Twins really made their impression on the Orioles and won the opening game, 15-2. After that disappointing start, it was hopeful that the Orioles would be able to regroup and come back stronger than ever.
The last three games, including the one from today, was not as bad as the initial one. The second and fourth game both ended with a score of 4-3 and then the third game ended up with a final score of 3-2. The first game was the only HUGE disappointment in the Orioles, but the last two games started off in the O’s favor before the Twins really got in gear. The past two games have really tested the O’s ability to command a lead and it looks like right now, that’s their problem. With only 10 runs in 4 games, the Orioles are slowly but surely slipping farther and farther away from their wild card position.
The Orioles are also suffering from the loss of JJ Hardy, a key player. Hardy played even though it has been reported that he has discomfort in his groin. With Hardy out for most of the game, Manny Machado took his spot at shortstop and let’s just say, Machado should stick to what he knows because he was the cause of an error along with Jimmy Paredes.
However, maybe a change of scenery is what the O’s need to come back together. August 14th marked their first home game and then the 23rd concluded their last until August 31st. Who knows what could happen between now and then for Baltimore though? Maybe Baltimore will sweep Kansas City on their own turf, but if key players keep making small mistakes, the Orioles will be in trouble for the postseason if they even get there.
