The Baltimore Orioles were such huge disappointments that Brandon Hyde was fired in mid-May despite winning 192 regular-season games over the previous two seasons.
But the managing change has sparked the Orioles. They will look for their eighth victory in the past nine games when they close a three-game series against the Athletics on Sunday afternoon in West Sacramento, Calif.
Baltimore was a meager 15-28 when Hyde was fired and things disintegrated further when the club lost six of its first seven games under interim manager Tony Mansolino.
But 10 wins in the past 13 games have changed the atmosphere. Even when the Athletics sent 10 batters to the plate in the first inning of Baltimore’s 7-4 victory on Saturday, nobody was panicking.
“The whole time it felt like we were going to win the game, even in the first inning when we gave up four (runs),” Mansolino said. “The way we have been playing, I don’t think anybody thought we were going to lose the game. When you have those feelings and that vibe and that energy, you give yourself a chance to come back and we did.”
Six Baltimore relievers combined for 6 2/3 innings of two-hit shutout ball and the Orioles recorded 14 strikeouts overall.
Offensively, Ramon Laureano went 3-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs and Colton Cowser hit a massive 455-foot blast. Gunnar Henderson did a little of everything by reaching base four times on three singles and a hit by pitch, saving a run with a fine relay throw, stealing a base, driving in a run and scoring a run on an exquisite slide.
The slide came on Laureano’s single to left in the seventh when Athletics left fielder JJ Bleday put the ball right on the money. Henderson went to the outside of the plate and beat the tag.
“He’s one of the better (sliders) in the league,” Mansolino said. “The guy actually made an accurate throw and put it right there and Gunnar just outran the ball and made an incredible slide.”
The Athletics had a two-game winning streak halted as they lost for the 21st time in the past 24 games.
Athletics rookie hit machine Jacob Wilson had two hits on Saturday for his fourth consecutive multi-hit outing and sixth in seven games. Wilson is 17-for-31 (.548) during the span.
Wilson has 91 hits in 62 games and his .370 batting average ranks second in the majors. Only Aaron Judge of the Yankees (92 hits, .390 average) has better marks.
Athletics rookie center fielder Denzel Clarke (left shoulder contusion) sat out Saturday and might not be available Sunday either. He was hurt during Friday’s 5-4 victory when he sprinted into the left center gap and made a spectacular catch while smashing into the wall.
“I’m like, ‘I can either go take it or play this off the wall,'” Clarke told reporters. “I decided to go make the play. I put my body on the line. I’m happy it held up for the win.”
Right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano (5-3, 3.04 ERA) will take the ball for the Orioles on Sunday.
Sugano, 35, defeated the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday when he gave up one run and five hits over seven innings.
Sugano has issued just three walks in 32 innings over his last five starts. Overall, he has walked 11 in 71 innings in 12 starts.
Left-hander Jacob Lopez (0-4, 7.20) will start for the Athletics.
Lopez, 27, followed an opener on Tuesday and struck out a career-high nine in 4 1/3 innings while losing to the Minnesota Twins. He served up three homers while allowing five runs and five hits.
He has struck out 26 batters in 20 innings but also has walked 10 and given up six homers.
–Field Level Media
