Giving Longoria a free pass (updated)

By Roch Kubatko

Orioles

May 08, 2011, 9:48am

Comments

Orioles manager Buck Showalter ordered an intentional walk to Evan Longoria with a runner on third base and two outs in the first inning. I guess it's never too early. Showalter didn't care that a left-handed batter, Matt Joyce, stood on deck. Joyce lined to first baseman Derrek Lee, stranding Sam Fuld at third base. You'll recall that Jeremy Guthrie pitched to Longoria yesterday with runners on second and third and two outs in the third inning. Longoria hit a three-run homer. Longoria is 4-for-10 in this series, with two doubles, a homer, four RBIs, a walk and two runs scored. Longoria is 2-for-7 with a homer lifetime against Bergesen. Joyce is 1-for-6. Update: Brad Bergesen threw 21 pitches in the first inning, but only six in the second. The Orioles were 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position yesterday. Cesar Izturis struck out to end the second inning today with runners on first and second. Luke Scott came to the plate in the first inning with runners on first and second and two outs, but he didn't get to bat because Brian Roberts broke too soon for third base and was an easy out.