O's game blog: Looking for a series victory over the Yankees

After recording their fifth walk-off win of the year last night and their second 1-0 victory of the 2023 season, the Orioles (63-40) host the New York Yankees (54-49) again tonight at Oriole Park. One more win in this series will give the O’s their 20^th series win of the season.

Anthony Santander’s solo homer in the last of the ninth with one out ended the game early this morning. A game that started two hours and 32 minutes late due to rain. It was Santander’s third career walk-off plate appearance and second homer to end and win a game. He hit his first also versus the Yankees, a three-run shot on May 19, 2022.

Last night he blasted a Tommy Kahnle 2-0 changeup for the game winner. He hit the ball 108 mph off the bat and it went 425 feet to break the scoreless tie.

The Orioles went 3-1 in one-run games on their recent road trip and are now 20-10 on the year in those games.

Right-hander Grayson Rodriguez pitched a career high 6 1/3 innings allowing three hits with two walks and four strikeouts. He threw 97 pitches and gave the Orioles their 41^st quality start. They are 31-10 in those games.

Baltimore starting pitchers have allowed two earned runs or less in five of their past seven games with a rotation ERA of 3.21 in that span.

Despite getting the win the Orioles offense produced just the one run. The Orioles have scored only 11 runs in the past four games and 22 in the last seven.

This series is the first time ever that the Orioles franchise is in first place in their division or league and facing a last place Yankees franchise in July or later.

The O’s held their lead of 1.5 games over Tampa Bay Friday night as both clubs won. Toronto is in third in the division at 5.5 games out with Boston next at seven games behind and New York nine back in the AL East.

Right-hander Tyler Wells (7-5, 3.65 ERA), coming off two back-to-back poor outings, will make his 20^th start tonight. The Orioles are 11-8 in the first 19.

But in his past two games versus the Dodgers and Rays, Wells has thrown 6 1/3 innings allowing seven hits and eight earned runs for an ERA of 11.37 and OPS against of .941 in those outings.

In his previous eight games before these last two starts, his ERA was 2.83, he allowing a .213 batting average and .692 OPS.

In three games against New York in 2023, Wells is 0-1 with a 5.82 ERA. In 13 career games (seven starts) versus the Yankees, he is 0-4 with a 4.95 ERA and 1.099 OPS.

Right-hander Clarke Schmidt (6-6, 4.33 ERA) gets the start for the Yankees, his 21st. They are 8-12 in his games this season.

In four July starts, Schmidt has a 4.15 ERA, allowing a .200 batting average and .723 OPS. In three games this year versus Baltimore, he is 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA. 

With last night's win, the Orioles have now gone 73 consecutive series without being swept. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that is the most consecutive series of at least two decisions (no ties) without getting swept in Orioles history, ahead of 46 consecutive sweepless series from 1971-72. It is the sixth-longest such streak in MLB history.

124 series - 1942-44 St. Louis Cardinals

115 series - 1906-09 Chicago Cubs

105 series - 1903-05 New York Giants

83 series - 1922-24 New York Yankees

74 series - 1904-1906 Philadelphia Athletics