The Orioles went to the ninth tonight trailing 2-1. They lost 7-1 when the Toronto Blue Jays added five runs. Up to that point, right-hander Dylan Bundy seemed headed for a tough-luck loss.
Over seven innings, he allowed just two runs and both came on one swing. Former Oriole Steve Pearce got green-lighted and hit a 3-0 fastball 438 feet to left for a 2-0 lead in the top of the third.
"I really wasn't thinking he'd swing 3-0 and he did," Bundy said. "I left it right down the middle for him to hit over the fence. Just a mistake I made and a costly one. Learn from your mistakes."
But it was another overall solid outing for the Orioles' opening day starter. He allowed four hits over seven innings with two walks and 10 strikeouts. That is two shy of his career high and this was his fourth career game of 10 or more strikeouts.
"It was decent," Bundy said. "One mistake there. But I gave up more runs than we had so, that's baseball, I guess. Me and Caleb (Joseph) had a good game plan again tonight and tried to execute as best that we could."
Through three starts, Bundy has an ERA of 1.35 with 25 strikeouts over 20 innings. But he's 0-1.
"I don't look at my wins, I look more at the team wins," he said. "It's not a big deal if I win as long as the team wins. You can't look at it like that. You just have to try to give your team a chance to win every time you go out there."
And tonight he wanted to go deep in the game to give a tired bullpen some rest.
"Yeah, that's in the back of your head," he said. "Because you knew what happened in New York. Long games and extra innings, so definitely want to give the bullpen a rest as much as you can. But you know, for the most part, you are trying to attack the hitters the best you can and get outs."
In the ninth, Rule 5 pick Nestor Cortes Jr. inherited a two-out jam with the bases loaded and he issued a walk for a 3-1 lead before Josh Donaldson blasted his fourth career grand slam. Cortes also allowed a slam last Tuesday night in Houston.
"Everything wasn't working. I mean I don't have anything and wasn't executing pitches," Cortes said. "You can't come in there and give up a walk. Just what can I say? Can't do it."
The Orioles offense has produced just 38 runs and a .214 batting average during a 4-7 start. Tonight, the hitters went 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position with 11 left on base. They've scored three or fewer runs seven times to start the season.
Needing a fresh arm that could provide multiple innings, the Orioles made a surprise roster move before tonight's game. They called up their 2013 first-round draft pick, pitcher Hunter Harvey. He was scheduled to pitch at the Double-A level for the first time tonight. But this morning he found out he would not be in Bowie tonight, but rather Baltimore.
"I was actually really surprised," Harvey said. "I was supposed to make my first start in Double-A today, so to get that call from Brian Graham (director of player development) was kind of shocking."
Harvey was prepping for his first game above the Single-A Delmarva level and wound up at Camden Yards tonight.
"It's a little different," he said. "I wouldn't say I changed a whole lot though. It's the same game. Just different level with better hitters and better competition. Just come to the park and get ready to go."
A reporter asked him if he had even allowed himself to think a call to the majors could come this fast
"Uh, no. It was a big surprise, but a great feeling," Harvey said.
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