 | ||
 |
 |
 |
Hernandez, Jones hit 2-run shots as O's beat Jays, 8-3
STATS: By Inning | Box | Matchup | O's Stats | Jays Stats
Steve Melewski's Minor League Notes:
Snyder is a top prospect once again [link]
Melvin Mora's two-run single in the fifth broke a 3-3 tie and Adam Jones and Ramon Hernandez added two-run homers as the Orioles beat Toronto, 8-3 Monday in the opener of a four-game series.
Winning pitcher Radhames Liz, 4-2, allowed three runs and five hits over 5 2/3. Liz had an ERA of 18.00 over his two previous starts.
Losing pitcher Jesse Litsch, 8-7, gave up six runs over 4 2/3 innings. Toronto fell to 4-14 in its last 18 road games.
The Orioles, who ended a four-game losing streak vs. the Jays, are now 3-2 on the homestand and 28-18 at home this year.
Hernandez hit a two-run homer to center in the 8th as the O's lead grew to 8-3. His 10th homer of the year traveled 400 feet and Hernandez now needs five hits for 1,000 in his career.
Mora came up with a clutch, two-out, two-run single in the fifth to give the O's a 5-3 lead. His shot to center scored Brian Roberts who doubled and Jones, who had reached on an infield single. After Brandon League replaced starter Jesse Litsch, Luke Scott ripped an RBI single to right to make it a 6-3 O's lead.
The Jays scored twice in the fifth to tie the game, 3-3. An Alex Rios RBI double pulled Toronto within a run and a sac fly by Rod Barajas made it a 3-3 game.
The O's scored three in the last of the third to take a 3-1 lead. Jones' two-run homer to right, his 6th of the year, broke a 1-1 tie. Kevin Millar led off the frame with a single, advanced to third on a Ramon Hernandez double and scored on Brandon Fahey's groundout.
Toronto scored first and took a 1-0 lead in the second. Lyle Overbay drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on a Barajas single. He scored on Scott Rolen's single to center for the 1-0 edge. It's Rolen's 30th RBI.
Tor 3-7-0
Balt 8-9-0
Postgame Notes
Melvin's Hot Bat
Melvin Mora came up with one of the biggest hits of the night. After Toronto scored two in the top of the 5th to tie the game at 3, his clutch two-run single with two out in the last of the 5th, put the O's back ahead, 5-3. Mora went 2-4 on the night and is 8-19 on this homestand with 3 homers and 9 RBI in five games. Mora has 15 RBI over his last 10 games and has 7 multi-RBI games in his last 10 contests.
Liz For The Win
After giving up 12 earned runs and four homers in just six innings in his last two starts, Radames Liz needed a better outing. He got it tonight. While he still walked six, he gave up only one run in the first four innings before he gave up a two-run fifth. He missed his second quality start of the season by one out. He was also helped by some nice work at third by Mora. He improves to 4-2, 7.19. Despite the high ERA, the team is 6-3 when he starts this season.
Final Notes
Adam Jones has six homers on the season, four have come against Toronto......Jones is batting .372-2-15 his last 20 games.....Jones has reached base in 20 straight games.......Ramon Hernandez's two-run homer was his 10th of the year, giving the Orioles six players with at least 10 HR......Hernandez had 9 homers all of last season....Toronto has lost 9 of Jesse Litsch's last 10 starts........Toronto went 2-9 with runners in scoring position and left 11 on base.....the O's went 5-12 with RISP.......Luke Scott went 1-4 with an RBI single and is batting .471 (8-17) during a five-game batting streak.....He has 7 RBI over the five games.......The O's are now 4-5 on the year vs. the Jays, 7-10 in July and 17-25 vs. AL East teams.....after the game, Toronto optioned RHP Brian Wolfe to Syracuse and activated RHP Shaun Marcum to make Tuesday's start.
Dave Trembley Said:
"Liz stayed away from the big inning and kept the ball in the ballpark.....I thought he was gassed in the fifth but we needed another inning out of him.....Our situational hitting was good......Jones was determined to play, he has a good mindset."
Cito Gaston Said
"We didn't pitch well tonight; we hit ok.....It was a team loss tonight.......I really pull for Jesse (Litsch) because he's a good kid. I know he's trying hard. Too hard? I don't know. He's just got to make the pitches."
Steve Melewski's Live GameBlog From Camden Yards
Bradford Solid....Again
Chad Bradford, somewhat quietly, is having a solid season. He pitched a scoreless seventh tonight, getting the Jays 1-2-3 on 11 pitches. Melvin Mora made a nice play on Barajas to help him, but Bradford is really throwing well, with an ERA of 2.02 in June and 1.50 in July.
Doubling Up
Brian Roberts' double in the 5th was his AL-leading 37th and his 18th in his last 34 games. That's quite a roll he is on in cranking out two-baggers. He remains on pace to break the club record of 50 doubles in a season, which he co-holds with Miguel Tejada. Roberts had 50 in 2004, Tejada a year later.
Both Starters Out
Radhames Liz has been replaced by Dennis Sarfate and Brandon League came in for Jess Litsch.
Liz tonight: 5 2/3IP, 5H, 3R-ER, 6BB, 4K........89 pitches
Litsch tonight: 4 2/3IP, 7H, 6R-ER, 2B, 1K......80 pitches.
Tonight was a much improved outing from Liz compared to his last two, and he just missed a quality start. The O's got three in the 5th putting him in line for his 4th win, but he certainly needs to cut down on the walks which up the pitch count.
Taking It Out On Toronto
A solid piece of hitting by Adam Jones on his two-run homer in the third. He took a Jesse Litsch curve or slider out to right-field. He hit it where it was pitched and drove his 6th homer of the year 375 feet over the wall. Of Jones' 6 homers this year, 4 have come vs. Toronto.
Jones vs. Jays: 4 homers in 28 at bats
Jones vs. rest of MLB: 2 homers in 316 at bats
Draft Pick Signing
The Orioles today announced the signing of their 14th-round pick, high school pitcher Jesse Beal, a right-hander, from Lorton, Virginia. He was the 416th overall pick. The O's have now signed 30 of their 50 selections from the June First-Year Player Draft. Beal will soon head to Sarasota and then be assigned to the O's Gulf Coast League team.
Game One Underway
The first game of this O's-Jays series is underway. It's another steambath at Camden Yards. First pitch was at 7:08 p.m. and it's 97 degrees at gametime. Check back during tonight's game for news and updates live from the Yard.
Starting Lineups
Blue Jays
RF Joe Inglett
2B Marco Scutaro
CF Alex Rios
1B Lyle Overbay
C Rod Barajas
DH Matt Stairs
3B Scott Rolen
LF Adam Lind
SS David Eckstein
P Jesse Litsch
Orioles
2B Brian Roberts
CF Adam Jones
RF Nick Markakis
DH Aubrey Huff
3B Melvin Mora
LF Luke Scott
1B Kevin Millar
C Ramon Hernandez
SS Brandon Fahey
P Radhames Liz
Adam Jones says his right ankle is fine and he is back in the lineup after missing Sunday's game. The first lineup posted had Millar batting 8th and Hernandez 7th, and about 90 minutes before game time they were switched with Millar now 7th.
Luke Scott has been named the latest American League player of the week for the week ending yesterday, July 21. He went 6-13 with three homers and 6 RBI vs. Detroit.
After getting just three hits Sunday, the O's are now 0-15 on the year when getting five or fewer hits. Six of the eight games this year between the O's and Jays have been decided by one run, including the last four, all won by Toronto.
The Jays are 13-11 since Cito Gaston took over as manager on June 21. Toronto's team ERA of 3.65 is third best in the AL and Toronto's ERA of 3.63 since last year's All-Star break is the best in the Majors in that time.
Jones Says He's Ready
After missing Sunday's game with an ankle injury, Adam Jones is back in the lineup tonight in center field and batting second.
"I'm fine," Jones said. "We iced it; now I'm ready to play."
Jones hurt his right ankle when he hit the first base bag in an awkward manner early in Saturday's game with Detroit.
"Yesterday I felt it more. But I got treatment, the trainers took care of it and I'm fine. I just ran and it doesn't bother me one bit."
Jones has hit safely in 16 of his last 19 games at a .365 clip with two doubles, three triples, one homer and 13 RBI.
Trembley's Talk
O's manager Dave Trembley spent most of today's pregame session with reporters talking about Radhames Liz, who has struggled his last two starts.
"He starts out trying to pitch to both sides of the plate and then gets behind and throws the ball then down the middle," Trembley said of Liz, who is 0-2 with an ERA of 18.00 over his last two starts.
"Hitters at this level don't chase pitches early in the count. He's needs to establish the strike zone early in the count, then expand the zone. He is a high-ball pitcher which can be a problem when you are behind in the count. I expect him to pitch down more tonight."
Trembley was asked if the future for Liz could be in the bullpen.
"That discussion is ongoing. It gives us an option. Alan Dunn, who was with the Cubs compares him to Marmol. There is not a consensus of opinion yet about which direction to go with Liz. But sometimes the longer he pitches the more trouble he has keeping his delivery compact. But he has pitched in some of the toughest venues in baseball like Boston and Wrigley Field."
Trembley said the O's need to make sure Liz's confidence remains unshaken.
"He's not immune, like any young guy, he can get rattled. But he has the support of a lot of people and I keep running him out there--that ought to tell him something. You have to know the makeup of your guys and you don't want to crush them confidence-wise. I think Liz is a pretty strong kid."
Trembley said Alex Cintron, coming back from a hamstring injury, would take batting practice today. Jamie Walker will pitch a simulated game here tomorrow and hopes to be activated not long after that.
Big Day Tomorrow for Walker
Lefty Jamie Walker, out since June 26th with left elbow inflammation, will pitch a simulated game here on Tuesday and, if all goes well, could be activated off the DL not long after that.
"I can deal with some pain or whatever, I want to get back and help the
team and finish strong. I hate just sitting in the dugout, I'd rather be out there competing. Tomorrow, it's game on for me. I'm going to let it go and hopefully be activated the next day or Thursday."
Walker said the inflammation is gone from the elbow, but he won't be sure the pain is gone until he throws. Is he concerned that if the pain comes back he might need surgery?
"No, I don't worry about that. I'll go out there and throw and that won't be in the back of my mind. All I'm worried about is one pitch. I'll go out and give it all I've got."
Manager Dave Trembley said Walker would probably throw no more than 30 pitches when he faces live hitters Tuesday.
Game Preview
Toronto (48-50) at Orioles (47-50)
After splitting four games with Detroit, the O's longest homestand of the season continues tonight when they host Toronto to begin another four-game set.
Justin Verlander three-hit the Birds over 8 2/3 as the Orioles lost for the 15th straight Sunday. After winning 11-10 on 17 hits Saturday night, the O's had just three hits in Sunday's 5-1 loss.
The Orioles have lost four and tied two series without winning any of their last six series, since taking 2 of 3 at Wrigley Field in late June.
The Orioles, who are 16-25 vs. AL East foes, have lost 9 of 12 and 13 of the past 20 games.
Toronto beat Tampa 9-4 Sunday to avoid a sweep in that series. Marco Scutaro hit a three-run homer and Alex Rios added a two-run shot. Toronto ended a 7-game losing streak in Tampa.
The Jays have won 6 of their last 9 games, but are just 4-13 over their past 17 road contests.
The O's are 3-5 vs. Toronto on the season, after losing three straight by one run about two weeks ago in Canada by 7-6, 9-8 and 6-5 scores.
Pitching Match-Up
RHP Radhames Liz (3-2, 7.57) tonight makes his 9th start of 2008, his 4th at home and his second this year vs. the Toronto Blue Jays.
Liz has lost back-to-back starts and been hit hard in both. In losses vs. Texas and Boston, he is 0-2, 18.00. In just six innings, he has allowed 13 hits, 12 earned runs, 8 walks and four homers. His ERA went up from 5.46 to 7.57.
Liz, recalled from Triple-A on June 2nd, gives up an average of .286 vs. left-handed hitters, .282 vs. righties and an average of .357 with runners in scoring position.
Liz has pitched six innings or more in just two of eight starts and has made just one quality start. In three home starts, he is 1-1, 6.19.
Despite his high ERA and two straight losses, the Orioles are 5-3 when Liz starts this season.
Liz did not get a decision when he faced the Jays on June 8th. He allowed four hits and two runs over five innings. He made two relief appearances in 2007 vs. the Jays and did not give up an earned run over six frames. In three career games against Toronto, he is 0-0, 1.64.
RHP Jesse Litsch (8-6, 4.16) tonight will make his 19th start of the season, his 10th on the road and his first of the year vs. Baltimore.
Litsch has lost his last two starts, going 0-2, 10.13. In three starts in July, his ERA is 6.59.
The 23-year-old has given up 127 hits in 110 1/3 innings on the year, with an excellent strikeout-to-walks ratio of 58 to 17. The Jays are 8-10 when he starts.
Litsch, a 24th-round draft pick of Toronto in 2004, pitched a seven-hit shutout on May 24th vs. Kansas City.
He gives up an average of .261 to right-handed batters, .308 vs. lefties and .300 with runners in scoring position. In nine road starts, he is 4-4, 4.83.
Litsch has made three career starts vs. the Orioles, all coming last season, when he went 1-2, 3.57 in 17 2/3 against Baltimore.
In two seasons with the Blue Jays, Litsch is 15-15, 3.98 in 38 starts.
O's Hitters, 2008 vs. Toronto
Fahey: 1-8, 2B, RBI
Hernandez: 2-24, 2 RBI
Huff: 7-24, 3 2B, HR, 3 RBI
Jones: 8-27, 3 HR, 7 rbi
Markakis: 15-33, 4 2B, 2 HR, 8 R, 6 RBI
Millar: 7-33, 2 HR, 6 RBI
Mora: 9-26, 2 HR, 8 RBI
Payton: 5-17, 6 RBI
Quiroz: 1-7, RBI
Roberts: 11-31, RBI
Scott: 9-26, 2 HR, 3 RBI
O's Pitching Struggling
O's starters in the Detroit series: 7.25 ERA
O's starters the last 14 games: 7.12
O's pitchers have allowed 94 runs the last 14 games, 6.7 per game
Leave a comment