Day off? Check
Mental reset: Check
Offensive reboot: Check
The Orioles’ nine-game road trip ended with a series sweep of the Oakland Athletics, the Birds’ eighth sweep of the year, as they ended the West Coast stretch 6-3, playing nine games in 10 days.
The Orioles took advantage of their off day on Thursday to beat up on the lowly Athletics. The O’s offense score 28 runs across the series, while the pitching and defense permitted a total of seven runs, four in the first game.
The Orioles will have another day off before embarking on a nine-game home stand. Over the final 38 games, the Orioles will have three days off, including tomorrow.
Let’s see how the series unfolded.
GAME 1: O’s 9, A’s 4
In the first series the Orioles played against the A’s, the Birds had to come from behind in each game. In this game, the Orioles made sure that would not happen.
Behind an RBI single from Ryan Mountcastle and a two-run double from Cedric Mullins in the first, followed by a two-run home run from Gunnar Henderson (19) in the second, the Orioles jumped out to a 5-2 lead after two innings.
Kyle Gibson (W, 12-7) labored through five innings, allowing nine hits (four for extra bases) while allowing four runs and tallying six strikeouts.
Mike Baumann, Cionel Pérez, Jacob Webb and Yennier Canó all pitched a scoreless inning each as they held the Athletics to just three hits the rest of the way.
The Orioles score two more times in the fourth and fifth to close the scoring out. Adley Rutschman (3), Gunnar Henderson (3), Ryan O’Hearn (2) and Austin Hays (2) all had multiple hits, as 10 Oriole batters registered a hit in this one.
Henderson (3), Mullins (2), Jordan Westburg (2), Ryan Mountcastle and Adam Frazier picked up RBIs, as the Orioles pounded out 16 total hits in the 9-4 victory.
GAME 2: O’s 7, A’s 2 – 10 INNINGS
For the first nine innings of the game, it was a pitchers duel. The A’s jumped out to a 1-0 lead on an Alemdys Díaz home run, one of his two, in the first. In the fourth, home runs by Austin Hays (12) and James McCann (4) put the Orioles up 2-1.
Cole Irvin kept the A’s off balance as he completed five innings, allowing four hits and one run. He did give up a walk and also hit two batters, but he struck out three as well.
Shintaro Fujinami (BS, 3) allowed the tying home run before ending his inning. Canó and Pérez completed the seventh and eighth innings before giving way to Félix Bautista (W, 8-2) and Jacob Webb, who completed the last two innings, preserving the win for the Birds.
In the top of the 10th, after a wild pitch moved Frazier to third and a Rutschman walk, Mountcastle would lace a single for the Orioles to take the lead and open a rally. Westburg, Hays and McCann picked up RBIs in the inning, as the Orioles scored five times to take a 7-2 lead and ultimately win the game and the series.
Hays, McCann and Ryan McKenna each had two hits, while McCann (3), Hays (2), Mountcastle (1) and Westburg (1) all collected RBIs.
GAME 3: O’s 12, A’s 1
The offense set the tone in the first two games, but it was Kyle Bradish who stole the show from the offense in game three.
The Orioles quickly gave Bradish a 1-0 lead to work with. Rutschman and Mountcastle (extended on-base streak to 26 games, longest in majors) singled, and Hays walked to load the bases. Ramón Urías then grounded into a fielder’s choice to pick up an RBI.
Bradish would strike out seven of the first nine batters he faced before allowing a hit in the fourth inning. He would finish with eight strikeouts over six innings of work, allowing just two hits. Bradish (8-6) would hold Oakland scoreless, as he lowered his ERA to 3.03, third best in the majors.
Henderson went 4-for-5, all extra-base hits, including his 20th home run to lead the offense that had six players collect multiple hits.
Mountcastle (3), Henderson (2), Hays (2) and Urías (2) picked up multiple RBIs as the offense picked up eight extra-base hits, including a Jorge Mateo inside the park home run (7), the 26th in Orioles history.
Nick Vespi allowed a Brent Rooker home run in his two innings of work, and Fujinami pitched a scoreless inning to close out the victory and the sweep.
The Orioles move to 30 games over .500 for the first time since ending 2014 with a 96-66 record. It was also the Orioles’ 41st road win, best in the majors, and moved them three games ahead of Tampa Bay in the AL East. The win officially eliminated Oakland from AL West contention.
BATTERY ❌-FACTOR
The resurgence of Ryan Mountcastle has been something to watch since he returned from the IL with vertigo. Because of the tear he has been on, he was dubbed the BATTERY ❌-FACTOR.
Not only did Mountcastle extend his on-base streak to 26 games, the longest mark in the majors, but he continued to be a juggernaut for the offense.
Over the series, Mountcastle hit .385, including hitting his 17th home run and picking up five RBIs. In August, he is slashing .403/.474/.612 with four home runs and 14 RBIs. Mounty has also picked up 10 walks, which is just five less than he had the previous four months combined.
The Orioles will enjoy the day off on Monday as they return home to get ready for the stretch run. They will host the Toronto Blue Jays to open a nine-game homestand.
What do you think of this series sweep of the Athletics? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, Twitter and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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