Keith Allison- Flickr
Steve Pearce notched his tenth long-ball of the season and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Texas Rangers 8-3 Tuesday night. T.J. McFarland got his first career win as a starter; he went five strong innings, allowing only two earned runs on seven hits. He was coming off a hot June as a reliever so manager Buck Showalter gave him the chance for the spot start. Although T.J. made it to five innings with only a 68 pitch count, Buck pulled him from the game and used a different reliever each inning from then on.
Nelson Cruz put himself in a tie for first place in home runs, with his 26 of the season off Texas starter Nick Martinez. It was a tough night for Martinez, as he was hit with the loss after allowing six runs on seven hits in five innings. He was roughed up from the start as the Orioles scored two runs in each of the first two innings. Pearce’s Home run in the first inning was almost hauled in by left-fielder Shin-Soo Choo, but the ball popped out of his glove and over the fence at the foul pole mark. The umpires would review it, but only seconds after the headset was put on, home plate umpire Laz Diaz confirmed the homer.
It seemed like Martinez may have found a groove after getting the O’s out in order, but he was then hit for four runs in the fourth. He actually made a great pitch to get out of the inning in the fourth, when Martinez got O’s catcher Caleb Joseph to hit a ground ball that could have ended the inning with a double play; however, Ranger’s shortstop Elvis Andrus misplayed the ball. Nick Markakis would then drive in two, with a double to right field and the Orioles scored all they needed to win the game.
McFarland did exactly what a spot starter needed to do; he gave the O’s the chance to win and a chance for the rotation to get some rest. After getting through the first without any trouble, T.J. served up a ball to Adam Rosales of the Rangers that scored two runs and tied the game in the second. That would be the last time the Rangers would get anything off McFarland, as he would go three more innings without allowing a run.
The Rangers and Orioles both had chances to put up more runs, but both teams were unable to do so. The Rangers went 1-9 in the game with RISP, and the Orioles were not much better at 1-7. Despite only the three runs, the Rangers actually outhit the O’s 10 to 8. It was another disappointing game by an offense that is missing a key member and just simply not hitting on all cylinders. The Orioles came into the game leading the Majors in the percentage of runs coming from the long ball, and the Rangers were coming in at last place in that category.
The Orioles will look to take the series win, as they will send Chris Tillman to the mound to face right-hander Miles Mikolas in game three of this four game set. Tillman has had great outings his last two starts and Mikolas will be making his first career Major League Start.
A.J. Risser is a writer for Couch Rider Report, follow us on Twitter or Facebook.
