Matusz on the mound (with updates)

By Steve Melewski

Orioles

April 13, 2010, 3:51pm

Comments

It sure is a joy to watch Brian Matusz pitch. He is making just his 10th Major League start tonight but has the look of someone with much more experience. He works fast, changes speeds and throws strikes. Somewhere, Ray Miller is smiling. He has held the Rays scoreless with just one baserunner (a walk) through three innings. He threw 10 pitches in the first, 19 in the second and just eight, getting three pop ups, in the third. He struck out Evan Longoria on a great changeup in the second. He went back-to-back with it. Longoria somehow took a very close change to make the count 3-2 and then whiffed on the second one. There just seems to be a confident feeling already when he is on the mound. The O's starters began today 1st in the AL in strikeouts with 36 and are 7th in the AL and 11th in the Majors in ERA at 3.89. Matusz and Wieters working together. Could be a fun night for a change. Update: Matusz has a two-hitter through seven with seven strikeouts. He has 85 pitches through seven. Neither hit made it out of the infield. The Rays are 2 for 23 vs. him so far. Matusz's seven innings matches his career best and the Rays have not gotten a runner to second base against him. Matusz pitches by inning: 1st - 10 2nd - 19 3rd - 8 4th - 12 5th 12 6th - 12 7th - 12 Ty Wigginton's two-run homer in the 6th gives Matusz a 3-0 lead and more breathing room.