As we like to say in Baltimore, “Don’t let Tony Taters get hot!”
The Chicago White Sox found out the hard way as they let Anthony Santander continue his torrid stretch that has catapulted the Orioles offense to averaging over 6.2 runs in their last 12 games (9-2).
Since August 18, Santander is slashing .407/.424/.884 with five home runs and 14 RBIs. He has easily been the catalyst of the offense. Against Chicago, he picked up nine RBIs and smashed two homers.
The defense shined, the bats exploded late in the game and the pitching was strong once again, as the Orioles took two of three from Chicago.
Let’s see how the series unfolded:
GAME 1: O’s 9, SOX 0
Rookie Grayson Rodriguez continues to show why he was touted as the top pitching prospect in baseball. After being sent back to the minors after a 10-start cup of coffee, Rodriguez has been on fire since his return to the bigs.
In his last eight starts, Rodriguez has given up three runs or less in seven of them, with five of those starts allowing only two runs or less. He has dropped his ERA 2.30 points since his return and has pitched six innings or more in four straight.
Against the White Sox, the 23-year-old would go six innings once again, allowing just one hit while striking out six batters and throwing 96 pitches (62 strikes). Rodriguez (W, 4-3) would improve to 2-1 with a 2.64 ERA and 0.91 WHIP while holding opponents to a .187 batting average in the month of August.
Jacob Webb, D.L. Hall and Shintaro Fujinami finished the game, combining for three innings of one-hit and no-run ball.
The Orioles opened the scoring with a two-run single by Ryan O’Hearn in the third. That was followed by Ryan McKenna scoring on a wild pitch and a Ryan Mountcastle RBI single in the fourth. It was all the Ryans contributing in this one.
With the game in the Orioles’ favor, McKenna would provide a two-run single before Anthony Santander sent an Earl Weaver Special onto Eutaw Street in the eighth.
The White Sox would not cross home plate, and the Orioles would pick up their 82nd win of the season with the 9-0 victory.
GAME 2: O’s 9, SOX 3
The score dictates a lopsided affair, which it ended up being, but the first six innings of the game were knotted in a 1-1 tie.
Dean Kremer would match Jesse Scholtens in stats as both allowed one run on six hits. The difference was Kremer lasted six innings, striking out five where Sholtens lasted 5.1 while striking out one.
Once the game got into the bullpens, it was a matter of time before the Orioles seized the game.
After a two-out single by McKenna and two walks loaded the bases, Anthony Santander came to bat and would clear the bases with a three-run double. This gave the Orioles a 4-1 lead heading into the eighth inning.
Danny Coulombe (W, 4-1) would pitch 1.2 innings to lead the bullpen and on a night where Yennier Canó (H, 29) only had to throw five pitches, it would be Fujinami who closed the game, despite allowing two earned runs.
McKenna would double home another run in the eighth ahead of RBI singles from Adley Rutschman and Santander to close the scoring out for the Birds.
Though the White Sox scored two in the ninth, Fuji was aided by a double play when Cedric Mullins caught a fly ball hit to right-center and doubled up Lenyn Sosa to end the game, giving the Birds a 9-3 victory.
The win, the Orioles’ 83rd, matches their 2022 win total and gives the Birds another series victory as they improved to 18-8 in August.
GAME 3: O’s 5, SOX 10
Game three got out to a quick start, as the Orioles plated four runs in the bottom of the first.
An RBI double by Santander, along with RBI singles by O’Hearn and Adam Frazier plus a sac-fly by Jordan Westburg, saw the Birds jump out to a quick 4-0 lead. Unfortunately, Kyle Gibson was unable to maintain the lead after that.
Gibson (L, 13-8) would last 4.1 innings, allowing nine hits (three home runs) and seven earned as the game fell apart quickly.
It didn’t get much better, as Austin Voth followed with 1.2 innings of work, allowing three hits and three runs. Fortunately, the rest of the bullpen, D.L. Hall, Cionel Pérez and Jacob Webb would follow with three innings of scoreless ball to stop the bleeding. They combined to allow just three hits the rest of the way.
Santander would add his 26th home run of the season to close the scoring out for the game. Santander, Frazier and Jorge Mateo all collected two hits a piece, but it wasn’t enough, as the Orioles would drop the game, 10-5.
BATTERY ❌-FACTOR
This series would be the first without closer Félix Bautista, putting Yennier Canó in the role at this time. Because of this increase in responsibility, Canó was designated our BATTERY ❌-FACTOR.
Canó would only appear in 0.1 innings for the series. Though he picked up his 29th hold, he was not much of a factor in the outcome of the game or the series. It was an offensive outburst the first two games of the series, and the White Sox put the game out of reach to close it.
Though Canó did his duty in his lone appearance, he will be well-rested for the upcoming Arizona series.
The Orioles end the month of August going 18-9 and completed their homestand 7-2. They are 83-50 overall, and at the time of this writing, they are 2.5 games ahead of the Rays.
The Orioles will have Thursday off before heading to Arizona for a three-game interleague series. This will be a head-to-head match-up of the former No. 1 (Gunnar Henderson) and No. 2 (Corbin Carroll) overall prospects from a year ago.
Will the Diamondbacks sink their teeth into the Birds’ division hopes, or will the Orioles sink their talons into the snakes? It all starts at 9:40 p.m. EST on Friday, the start of the final month of the season.
What do you think of this series win over Chicago? 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!
Represent The Baltimore Battery and show off your fandom with our official merchandise! Reasonably-priced attire made just for you! Visit our official shop site by clicking here!
Like Stephen’s content? Follow him on X – @SRJHeckman, and listen to the official podcast of The Baltimore Battery, The Final Strike, anywhere you get your podcasts!
THE BALTIMORE BATTERY 
Leave a comment