Orioles go for sweep of Red Sox with Gausman on mound (Apr 23, 2017)
BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Orioles need help from Kevin Gausman with No. 1 starter Chris Tillman (shoulder bursitis) on the disabled list, and the right-hander is hoping to improve when he takes the mound for the series finale with the Boston Red Sox on Sunday.
Gausman gave up eight runs and eight hits in 2 2/3 innings when the Orioles lost to the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday. He is now 1-1 with a 7.23 ERA but hopes for better as Baltimore (12-4) tries to sweep the weekend series and win its fifth straight game.
The right-hander (3-4, 4.34 ERA in his career vs. Boston) also has struggled with control issues, something unusual for him. He has struck out 13 but walked 12, which has hurt him at times.
Boston counters with Eduardo Rodriguez (0-1, 5.23). The Red Sox acquired him from the Orioles in exchange for Andrew Miller as Baltimore was trying to bolster its bullpen down the stretch in 2014 en route to a division title.
Rodriguez (2-3, 4.04 ERA in his career against Baltimore) has given up seven runs and nine hits in 10 1/3 innings in his two starts. Add in a scoreless relief performance and the left-hander has struck out 15 with seven walks so far this season.
The Red Sox are really hoping that they can get second baseman Dustin Pedroia back into the lineup for the series finale on Sunday.
He missed the Saturday game after getting hurt late in the series opener on Friday when Manny Machado slid into him at second base. Pedroia injured his left knee and ankle on the play and needed to be helped off the field. He said Saturday that he'll be checked out Sunday.
"I don't know, we'll just play it by ear," Pedroia said. "My knee's sore, and then my ankle's a little sore, but I'll be all right."
The Orioles have gotten a better combination of starting pitching and power so far this season. They are winning close, low-scoring games, something that did not always happen in 2016.
Baltimore scored just six runs in the first two games of this series but held Boston to two while both starters went at least six innings.
What could be interesting for the Orioles -- now with the top record in the major leagues, but not so fun for the other teams -- is when their offense really opens up.
Baltimore is still scoring a lot of runs with power -- three of the four in Saturday's win came on homers (a two-run blast from Trey Mancini and a solo shot from Jonathan Schoop, back-to-back) -- but it has not really taken off yet.
The team has just a .243 average overall this year. By comparison, the Red Sox are at .272. But Baltimore scored all four runs in one inning and kept Boston at bay the rest of the night.
"That's the beauty of this team," Mancini said. "We have a couple of slow offensive games, then all of a sudden, in one inning, the tides can turn. It seems to be contagious, too, which is great to be a part of."
Boston, meanwhile, went just 1-for-16 with runners in scoring position in the first two games, something that caused a lot of problems. The Red Sox have had their chances but keep missing on them.
They will hope to do better on Sunday.
