Everybody around the Orioles already understands the pattern, but Wednesday afternoon in Colorado made it impossible to ignore.
The O’s were a strike away from winning in two different innings, and both times the game slipped away anyway. In the ninth, Zac Veen - a name most fans had probably never heard before - tied it with a double off Andrew Kittredge, giving him his 10th career RBI. Then in the 11th, Brett Sullivan delivered the deciding two-run single off Grant Wolfram, pushing his on-base percentage this year to .290 and sending the Rockies to a win that had Coors Field sounding far bigger than the crowd looked on television.
That kind of finish turned a 6-3 road trip into something far less satisfying, especially with Thursday night’s homestand opener against the Boston Red Sox waiting next. A trip like that normally earns praise. Instead, it just fed the same old feeling that this club keeps finding ways not to cash in when the door opens.
Monday night set the tone. Without Colton Cowser’s miracle catch in the ninth, the Orioles would have been swept by a Rockies team that woke up the next morning with the worst record in Major League Baseball.
On Tuesday, the Orioles had to lean on rookie pitcher Luis De León for his major league debut in the seventh inning of a 2-2 game. They also managed only two runs for the second straight night against one of the worse pitching staffs, well, maybe ever.
Wednesday brought one more chance to finish the job. With runners at first and second and one out in the 11th, the Orioles had a chance to add to their rally. Instead, the man who was Monday’s hero ran his hitless streak to 13 straight at-bats, Jackson Holliday struck out, and Colorado answered with three runs in the bottom half.
It’s the kind of sequence that keeps hanging over this team: if only they had gotten one more run, if only they had done a little more earlier, if only the final strike had actually finished the inning.
Now the Orioles head home still looking for traction, and the schedule doesn’t exactly make things simple. The Red Sox are coming in with three left-handed starters expected over the weekend, and after that it’s the Cleveland Guardians, who currently own the final American League wild-card spot the Orioles were sniffing at just last week.
Then again, the Orioles have been strange enough all season that nothing seems fully predictable. They may frustrate you, but they also tend to play better against better teams. So maybe they can keep this thing going just a little longer.
In Other News...
Orioles Fans Are Mourning A Voice Camden Chat Knew For Years
Longtime Camden Chat commenters know how much a familiar voice can shape the daily rhythm around a team, and Jakubazookas was one of those presences for years. He was active in Orioles discussions, brought a clear passion for the club, and even shared a little of his life beyond baseball through a baking hobby that made him more than just another screen name to regulars.
His death last month, in what was described as an apparent act of random violence while he was walking to work, has left that community mourning a loss that feels deeply personal. His family has set up a GoFundMe to help his wife with expenses, a reminder that for all the online back-and-forth, the people behind those usernames are very real, and sometimes the sadness reaches far beyond the comment section. [Read more 🡒]
Playoff Power Bat Slipped Away For One Reason Padres Could Not Control
The Orioles have a chance to jump the line for a player who suddenly found himself available in the middle of the stretch run. The Mets placed outfielder Luis Robert Jr. on outright waivers, and Baltimore claimed him, giving the club a shot at adding a proven bat without having to wait for the usual trade-market wrangling. For a team still sorting out its late-season picture, that kind of waiver claim can carry real weight.
Baltimores path to Robert came with a bit of timing and a little luck, since the Padres were also in the mix but did not have the waiver priority to get it done. Even so, the move does not immediately change Roberts status with New York, because he remains eligible to keep playing for the Mets while the waiver process plays out. That leaves the Orioles watching a situation that is still unresolved, but one with plenty of implications if it lands their way. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Roster Churn Just Cost Them More Pitching Depth
The Orioles recent roster churn reached another pitching layer when the Mets claimed right-hander Cameron Weston off waivers and sent him to Triple-A Syracuse. Weston had been in Baltimores organization as another arm worth keeping around for depth, the kind of pitcher teams are reluctant to lose when the staff is already stretched thin, but the waiver process left the Orioles exposed.
Shawn Ross was the corresponding move on New Yorks side, with the catcher designated for assignment to clear a 40-man spot. Ross now goes on waivers and could be claimed again, or outrighted if he clears, while Baltimore is left sorting through yet another reminder that pitching depth can disappear quickly when roster spots start moving around. [Read more 🡒]