Orioles Bats Come Up Small Again, Waste Bradish's Gem In 3-2 Loss

Craig Albernaz, being the naive rookie skipper that he is, perhaps still is not totally familiar with how the MLB standings work, or some basic statistics that can easily be found online.

And one can only wonder about the limitless analytic drivel his silly front office surely overloads him with on a daily basis.

That’s the only explanation for Albernaz acting incredulously as he did Saturday night; rolling his eyes and smirking at the suggestion, after multiple Orioles bats finally contributed to an offensive outburst, that his team has had to grind for runs lately. He scoffed and paused before launching into his typically protective messaging about “our at-bat quality has been outstanding pretty much the whole season.” The scene was reminiscent of what he pulled 10 days ago when the O’s scratched by the Nats, 3-1, and Albernaz quipped that all you need to do is cross home plate one more time than the other guys.

Well, Samuel Basallo wasn’t in the starting lineup Sunday, and the bats were sleepy and listless and the Orioles crossed home plate just twice and lost, 3-2, to the Reds at Great American Ballpark to spoil a tour de force from starter Kyle Bradish. Even a modicum of offensive production would have carried them to a sweep of struggling Cincy, but that was not to be (6-14 in one-run games; failed yet again to win four straight games this season). That’s nothing new, despite what the manager would try to have you believe.

Albernaz has a knack for stuffing his custom Nike Air Force ones in his mouth, and blanching about a production question for a team that is bottom 10 in MLB in runs scored on the road, and that sports a pathetic 42-49 record was another weak gaslighting attempt. The lineup has been erratic all season and the Orioles have been held to three runs or less 29 times since May 1 (also bottom 10 in MLB!) and they are 5-24 in those games.

The Orioles ranked 16th in runs scored in June and 22nd in OPS and 23rd in SLG, but Craig knows best. Nothing about that is problematic! Their lone All Star is a guy who really doesn’t even need a glove at this point he catches so infrequently and one regular has an OPS over .800, but this a machine. Just trust the skipper.

(Hey Craig, “since your three-runs is enough” stunt, you have scored three runs or less in six of nine games – including that game - and four or less in seven of nine. You aren’t fooling anyone.)

But don’t you dare question Albernaz’s sluggers … Except for Basallo, having the greatest age 21 power season of any catcher in MLB history; Albernaz likes to call him out in front of the media to toughen him up.

It’s a shame the lineup that was supposed to be the Orioles’ greatest power can’t get it done consistently.

They never applied any pressure on Reds starter Nick Lodolo Sunday, with Taylor Ward and Blaze Alexander (three more hits and leading MLB in batting average since April 28 having strong at bats and Coby Mayo plating Ward with a single. Jeremiah Jackson struck out with the bases loaded in the sixth and Gunnar Henderson drove in a run with a sac fly with the bases loaded in the ninth and Adley Rutschman lined out to end the game.

Bradish Bullied

Bradish deserved much better. He nearly finished the eighth inning, and Albernaz once again came out to pull a starter only to be convinced otherwise, telling reporters Bradish "earned the right" to keep going though he seemed at the end. This has often backfired and did again as Bradish gave up a run-scoring double to top rookie Sal Stewart; his lone prior miscue was a two-run homer by Spencer Steer.

Bradish was perfect into the fifth inning, when he had that blemish, and once again subjugated his fastball and used his curve quite well. He walked just one, throwing 73 strikes on 103 pitches, and used his breaking stuff to get 11 ground-ball outs.

Sadly for him, the Reds crossed home plate one more time that his team could muster.

Subscribe On YouTube For The Best Orioles Coverage:

Add us as a preferred source on Google