MIAMI - The Orioles lost a game tonight in 13 innings. They tried their hardest not to collectively lose their cool after returning to the clubhouse.
It's obvious that the team is incensed that Marlins manager Dan Jennings asked umpires to check reliever Brian Matusz's right arm with two outs in the bottom of the 12th inning of a scoreless game. Matusz was ejected for having an illegal substance on his arm and could be facing a suspension.
Matusz declined to talk about it, saying he would address the topic at a later date. Emotions were running high.
The Orioles may need to rush another pitcher to Miami for Sunday's 1:10 p.m. game.
As for postgame quotes, I'll start with the explanation from crew chief Paul Emmel following the Orioles' 1-0 loss:
"The protocol is that the manager has to come out and make us aware of something like that and ask us if we want to go check the opposing pitcher and he did. And so I went out there and told the pitcher I was going to touch his right forearm, because that's where he was touching before he went to the ball. And yes, I detected a foreign substance, so the pitcher was ejected and we went from there."
Jennings: "We saw a substance. We saw something shining on his arm. So we watched him a couple of pitches to see how many times he went to it. So I went out and I asked home umpire Jordan (Baker) to check it. Crew chief Paul Emmel asked me if I wanted to check. I said, 'Yes.' So he checked, and by their opinion there was something there, a foreign substance, and they made their decision.
"This was a situation that we saw. The game is tough enough to play. We didn't want to create an unfair advantage to our hitters, so that's why I went out and asked them to check it."
Matusz, who's never been ejected from a game before tonight: "We're not going to address the issue right now. Obviously, I have my own personal opinions about the issue, but right now with emotions running high we're going to let this settle and address questions at a later time."
Matusz on why he didn't argue: "The decision was made and that was it."
Matus on whether he's concerned about what happens next: "I'm not sure what's going to happen from here. We'll let this play out and we'll address it then."
Matusz on what he's feeling: "We just lost a ballgame. That's really what matters. Obviously, we come on the field day in and day out to win games. We didn't win tonight, so our focus is to come back tomorrow and win the series."
Orioles manager Buck Showalter on what caused Matusz's ejection: "He (Emmel) just thought he had a sticky substance on his arm."
Showalter on whether he thinks Matusz could be suspended: "I don't know. Obviously, we've got some personal feelings about all of it. You all know how I feel about the root of the problem. But we'll see. A rule's a rule, but at the same time, at some point you've got to get to the crux of what's causing people to want to do that."
Showalter on his reaction when umpires summoned him to the mound: "You usually know what it's about. I've been through stuff like that before."
Showalter on n Mike Wright (seven scoreless innings) and Oliver Drake (three): "We're really proud of the way our two young pitchers pitched tonight. I tell you what, both (Wright) and Drake were pretty special to watch. That was a lot of fun to watch. Those guys pitched well."
More Showalter on what he was feeling: "You reflect on it. You're usually emotional after a game like that. You kind of take it in. Make sure you don't say something you'll regret. But we all have personal feelings on everything, so I'm gonna make sure I get the whole story."
Showalter on having to rush T.J. McFarland into the game: "He was warmed up. Nothing tough. That was Matusz's last hitter anyway. Had he gotten him out in that inning, he wouldn't have pitched the next inning anyway. So we like Mac about as much as him. Didn't really affect much."
Showalter on Drake's major league debut: "Aw geez. Grif (Triple-A Norfolk pitching coach Mike Griffin) said he could go 45, he'd been two-plus this year, I think. Thinking about all the circumstances of him pitching. Tie game on the road, basically his major league debut, If you can't pull something out of that. You think about the journey Drake's been on, Ollie's been on a long journey to get to here. I'm very fortunate to get to watch that. Same thing with Mike. You can't ask for two young guys to pitch better than they pitched."
Showalter on Wright not allowing a run in his first 14 1/3 major league innings: "It's special. He got his first base hit tonight. He'll probably like that more. So proud of him and Oliver. I know you all get tired of me talking about those guys, what's going on down there, but we're getting to see a reflection of it. We were short in the bullpen and those guys gave us meaningful (innings). ... To think we were going to get that out of them. Sleep fast and see if we've got enough people to get through tomorrow."
Showalter on not asking for a challenge after Travis Snider was called out at the plate in the sixth: "Our guys felt like it was one that wouldn't be overturned. If it was close at all, we'd give it a shot."
McFarland on being rushed into the game: "I got brought in in a similar situation a couple years ago. The starter got ejected and I had to come in and warm up on the mound. It's different, but it's just part of the game."
McFarland, who loaded the bases in the 13th and give up Martin Prado's single, on a tough loss: "It's horrible. For me, it kills me because I know everybody out there did everything they could to win today and we played one hell of a game. That's the worst part for me. It hurts that I wasn't able to come through for the team. But we've got a game tomorrow and we can finish out the series with a win and put this one past us. But, yeah, this is a tough one."
McFarland on reaction to Matusz's ejection: "I know we've been seeing it happening around the league a little bit, but yeah, it took me by surprise. We kind of just have to deal with it."
McFarland on whether he had been warming up: "I hadn't. We saw what was going on and we were like, 'OK, well let's get something going,' and I started tossing it. But by then I think the umps were like, 'OK, let's have him warm up on the field.'"
Drake on his debut at 28: "It was exciting. I was glad I was able to go out there and keep some runs off the board and keep us in the game."
Drake on going three innings: "I felt good. I felt real good. The adrenaline was really kicking. I felt great. It had been a while since I had gone that far, but I came in. After the second, they asked me how I felt. I said I was good."
Drake on tagging Adeiny Hechavarria at the plate to end the 10th: "Yeah, that was awesome. It was kind of a blur. I just kind of saw the ball in the dirt. Caleb (Joseph) is great. You have 100 percent faith in him when you're throwing a splitter down. Blocked it, kept it close and also saw the guy taking off from third, and I knew I had to get to the plate and got the tag on it."
More Drake on his debut: "It was awesome. I've been dreaming of getting in these games ever since I was a little kid and I was thrilled when they told me get going and I was in the game. I just went out there and did what I had to do to get them out and put up a zero."
Drake on when he could pitch again: "We'll see. I've been able to bounce back pretty quick. Ever since my surgery, I've been impressed last year how quickly I was able to bounce back. I've gone back-to-back a handful of times, and I always feel great, so I wouldn't be surprised tomorrow if I felt fine."
Wright on how he felt compared to his first start on Sunday: "It was pretty similar. I felt really good. My slider felt a little bit better today. Altogether, the excitement was still the same. The adrenaline was still the same. I felt pretty good."
Wright on tossing 14 1/3 scoreless innings: "That's what everybody's striving for, so for me to get that really big. I wish we could have pulled out with a win. That's the most important thing regardless of me going scoreless or not."
Wright on his first major league hit: "Yeah, that was big. I was pretty excited running down to first. I felt for sure we were going to score, and unluckily, he made a really good throw, and they made a really good play to block him from scoring."
Wright on whether he could believe everything that transpired: "Baseball's a crazy game. I think everyone is going for a shutout every time. I would believe that part. Drake's got really, really good stuff, so I definitely believe that part. It sucks what happens to Matusz. I didn't see much. It sucks that it happened and he got ejected, but we'll come back out tomorrow and try to be better."
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