The Chicago Cubs are stuck in a rebuild. As fans of the Baltimore Orioles know, there are some tough times ahead, but the light does grow brighter.
For the Orioles, their rebuild is finally starting to show signs of what kind of team is being built. Those signs are taking Major League Baseball by storm, as they have won 10 games in a row and have swept their last three series.
Orioles righty Jordan Lyles set the stage for the series. Coming into the game, Lyles had pitched six plus innings in four straight games, and he did not disappoint, going seven innings and allowing only two earned runs to place him at 105 innings on the season.
Lyles is now 2-0 in three games in the month of July with an ERA of 1.86. What is impressive is Lyles has walked only four across those three games, while holding batters to a .222 average.
Ramón Urías and Jorge Mateo became the unsung heros of game one. Urías would have three hits, including a home run and three RBIs, while Mateo would have two hits, including a homer, an RBI and his AL-leading 22nd stolen base.
Game two would see Spenser Watkins pitch five innings, his fourth start of at least five innings and without a loss. Picking up his third win (3-1), Watkins lowered his ERA to 1.42 for the month and 3.93 on the season.
Austin Hays broke out of a slump, going 4-for-5 in the game, while Anthony Santander led the way with two RBIs in the 7-1 victory.
The Baltimore Battery ❌-FACTOR going into this short series was the Orioles bullpen. They showed up big once again, proving why they are one of the top bullpens in all of baseball.
Pitching six innings across both games, they would allow no runs. All-Star closer Jorge López would pick up a save in game one, once again being the lock-down arm that earned him the honors.
One player quietly overlooked is Cionel Pérez, who appeared in both games. Pitching two innings without a hit or run allowed, Pérez would lower his season ERA to 0.90. Just another piece in a bullpen that is surprising the baseball world.
In the six innings tossed by the bullpen, just two hits were allowed, two singles, while Cubs batters struck out six times against the Oriole ‘pen.
Here are your Oriole player stats for the 10-game winning streak.
The Orioles look to continue their dominant play as the All-Star break approaches. They have the day off Thursday before traveling to Tampa Bay for a three-game series to end the first half.
The excitement continues for Baltimore as Orioles Magic has returned!
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