Every thing is pleasing for the Baltimore Orioles in the meanwhile regardless of their last-place place within the American League East.
They’ve been in a superb groove for greater than every week, largely due to thrilling finishes — together with 4 walk-off victories up to now 5 video games.
Baltimore will go for a three-game sweep of the Nationwide League Central-worst Pittsburgh Pirates to wrap up a homestand on Thursday afternoon.
“It is essentially the most enjoyable I’ve ever had enjoying ball,” Baltimore rookie outfielder Dylan Beavers mentioned. “So hold it going. Successful’s enjoyable.”
The Orioles (68-77) gained in 11 innings and 10 innings within the first two video games of the sequence, with the 2-1 end result on Wednesday sealed by Beavers’ game-ending single.
The Pirates (64-82) have dropped 5 consecutive video games since a sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Pittsburgh has had two longer shedding skids this yr, each of these previous to the All-Star break.
Beavers has performed in 20 main leagues video games since getting referred to as as much as the Orioles final month. He has skilled a fair proportion of important sport conditions.
“I attempt to management my breath, and I really feel like that is the important thing for me,” mentioned Beavers, who’s batting .305. “It doesn’t matter what I am interested by, if I am respiratory and my coronary heart charge’s down, I can exit and carry out.”
That is what Orioles interim supervisor Tony Mansolino likes seeing up and down the lineup as newcomers modify to this stage. Whereas there may be not the stress of a pennant race, there are alternatives to make progress.
“Our guys are hanging in there,” Mansolino mentioned. “They’re battling, they’re enjoying protection, they’re taking good care of the ball proper now, holding us within the sport, getting the large hit once we want it.”
Pirates supervisor Don Kelly is hoping that middle fielder Oneil Cruz can put collectively a robust ending stretch. Cruz is batting .130 (3-for-23) this month with out a house run. He has 19 homers this season.
“That is what I wish to see, the liberty and the enjoyment of competing,” Kelly mentioned. “While you undergo these struggles, it is robust. These guys, they really feel it each day.
Baltimore will flip to Cade Povich (3-7, 5.16 ERA) as its beginning pitcher on Thursday. The left-hander will probably be trying to notch victories in back-to-back begins for the primary time after beating the San Diego Padres 7-5 on Sept. 3. He had a shutout by 5 innings however was charged with 4 runs with out recording an out within the sixth.
That end result was the primary time the Orioles gained in one among Povich’s begins since June 15. He will probably be going through the Pirates for the primary time.
Baltimore’s pitching ought to be in fine condition by way of availability regardless of the consecutive extra-inning video games. The Orioles’ starters went into the seventh inning in each video games of this sequence.
Pirates right-hander Johan Oviedo (2-0, 2.70) is about for his sixth begin of the season after lacking all of final yr following Tommy John surgical procedure. He threw 5 innings in every of his previous two begins, permitting just one unearned run and one hit on Friday in a no-decision towards the Milwaukee Brewers.
Oviedo has made only one look towards the Orioles in his profession, when he allowed one run in five-plus innings in a no-decision on Might 12, 2023.
–Discipline Stage Media
