Kevin Gausman: "I feel good about what I've done" (plus Markakis and Young quotes)
If there are some rotation decisions coming for the Orioles, Kevin Gausman has certainly stated his case.
He has given up just two runs over 13 innings on this homestand, pitching the Orioles past two first-place clubs in Oakland and Toronto.
"I feel good about what I've done," Gausman said. "I feel comfortable right now. It's not my decision, so whatever happens will be for the club's best interest.
"Any time we win against the team that is leading the AL East, it's always good for us. We gained ground and that's good."
Gausman gave up five hits and one run over six innings tonight, getting the win as the Orioles beat Toronto 4-2 to start a key four-game series.
"Really had to grind through that one, but I felt good about it. The thing that was most frustrating was I'd get two quick outs and then walk a guy. Kind of extended my pitch count, something I don't want to do. Want to go seven or eight every time out there but that's not realistic.
"I threw a lot of fastballs in, especially to their big hitters in the middle of the lineup. That was something I wanted to do and did against the A's too. Tonight I felt like my circle change was better than my split."
Gausman is 2-0 with an ERA of 1.38 in these last two starts.
"Both really good teams," he said. "I don't think it was any more of a challenge (tonight). It helped that I faced them before, so I knew what they looked like in the box. Pitched well against them in relief last year so that kind of helped my confidence."
O's starters had given up just one run and 14 hits over 21 innings in the Boston series and Gausman kept the roll going tonight.
"I think we always try to one up each other so I wanted to go nine and pitch a shutout," he said.
Gausman was asked if things just feel different for him in the majors this time around compared to last year?
"A little bit," he said. "I felt like last year when I came up and started five games, I was still like with every stadium I went to, 'Wow, there are so many people here.' Now I feel kind of used to it. Being in the bullpen got me used to the every day grind of major league baseball."
Nick Markakis talked about Gausman.
"He looked good. He pounded the zone. He worked off his fastball which made his offspeed pitches better. When you throw that hard and locate your fastball, your second and third pitches are that much better.
"His last two outings have been probably the best in baseball. He's really come a long way since the first time he came up," he said.
The Orioles cut a game off Toronto's division lead tonight and moved to within 3 1/2 games of first.
"We knew coming in this whole homestand was big for us," Markakis said. "Finishing up a homestand with four games against the guys you are trailing. Every game from here on counts and we did a good job getting game one."
With two hits tonight, Markakis passed Brian Roberts and moved into seventh on the O's all time hits list with 1,453 hits. Ken Singleton is sixth with 1,455.
"Look at all the guys ahead of me. Pretty cool to be a part of. I don't look too much into it right now especially where we are at this point of the season. Just looking to do my job and if stuff like that happens, it happens.
Delmon Young got the O's offense started tonight with a two-run homer off Mark Buehrle in the last of the first. He went 2-for-4, producing his sixth multi-hit game.
"When I am out there I try to perform," Young said. "Got a ball up out over the plate. Was able to drive it into left field. We've seen Buehrle before. Had an idea of what we wanted to do. We did a good job of having good at-bats and laying off some pitches. When we got a pitch to drive we put some good swings on it."
With the win the O's moved to 14-14 at home. It is the first time the team is .500 at home since they were 9-9 on May 13.
The Orioles lead the majors with 17 homers in June. They are 28-15 when hit at least one longball.
"Any time we win against the team that is leading the AL East, it's always good for us. We gained ground and that's good."
Gausman gave up five hits and one run over six innings tonight, getting the win as the Orioles beat Toronto 4-2 to start a key four-game series.
"Really had to grind through that one, but I felt good about it. The thing that was most frustrating was I'd get two quick outs and then walk a guy. Kind of extended my pitch count, something I don't want to do. Want to go seven or eight every time out there but that's not realistic.
"I threw a lot of fastballs in, especially to their big hitters in the middle of the lineup. That was something I wanted to do and did against the A's too. Tonight I felt like my circle change was better than my split."
Gausman is 2-0 with an ERA of 1.38 in these last two starts.
"Both really good teams," he said. "I don't think it was any more of a challenge (tonight). It helped that I faced them before, so I knew what they looked like in the box. Pitched well against them in relief last year so that kind of helped my confidence."
O's starters had given up just one run and 14 hits over 21 innings in the Boston series and Gausman kept the roll going tonight.
"I think we always try to one up each other so I wanted to go nine and pitch a shutout," he said.
Gausman was asked if things just feel different for him in the majors this time around compared to last year?
"A little bit," he said. "I felt like last year when I came up and started five games, I was still like with every stadium I went to, 'Wow, there are so many people here.' Now I feel kind of used to it. Being in the bullpen got me used to the every day grind of major league baseball."
Nick Markakis talked about Gausman.
"He looked good. He pounded the zone. He worked off his fastball which made his offspeed pitches better. When you throw that hard and locate your fastball, your second and third pitches are that much better.
"His last two outings have been probably the best in baseball. He's really come a long way since the first time he came up," he said.
The Orioles cut a game off Toronto's division lead tonight and moved to within 3 1/2 games of first.
"We knew coming in this whole homestand was big for us," Markakis said. "Finishing up a homestand with four games against the guys you are trailing. Every game from here on counts and we did a good job getting game one."
With two hits tonight, Markakis passed Brian Roberts and moved into seventh on the O's all time hits list with 1,453 hits. Ken Singleton is sixth with 1,455.
"Look at all the guys ahead of me. Pretty cool to be a part of. I don't look too much into it right now especially where we are at this point of the season. Just looking to do my job and if stuff like that happens, it happens.
Delmon Young got the O's offense started tonight with a two-run homer off Mark Buehrle in the last of the first. He went 2-for-4, producing his sixth multi-hit game.
"When I am out there I try to perform," Young said. "Got a ball up out over the plate. Was able to drive it into left field. We've seen Buehrle before. Had an idea of what we wanted to do. We did a good job of having good at-bats and laying off some pitches. When we got a pitch to drive we put some good swings on it."
With the win the O's moved to 14-14 at home. It is the first time the team is .500 at home since they were 9-9 on May 13.
The Orioles lead the majors with 17 homers in June. They are 28-15 when hit at least one longball.
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