vs. ROYALS, 4/24

Baltimore Orioles (11-5, 1st +3.5) @ Kansas City Royals (11-6, 2nd -0.5)

Streak / L10

BAL: +1, Won 3 of 4 / L10: 5-5

KCR: -1, Won 3 of 5 / L10: 6-4

Game 3 (2:15)

(QS=1)Mike Wright (1-1) 5.73 (1.36/.268), 8/4 (1HR)

vs.

(QS=1)Yordano Ventura (1-0) 2.81 (1.50/.200), 17/12 (1HR)

Mike Wright: Well, it wasn't pretty, but Wright eeked out a quality start against Toronto in his last start allowing three runs on six hits and three walks in six innings; nine baserunners. So far, lefties are absolutely destroying Wright and he has not done well with runners on base. His only start against KC wasn't good; four runs (2HR) in five innings, but both home runs were solos and both came off the bat of Lorenzo Cain. Wright's FB/GB ratio is 21/12.

Splits & Sits

19 vs. left: .333/.474/.474, HR

28 vs. right: .231/.286/.286

Bases Empty: .250

RISP: .333

RISP w/2 outs: .500

Men on w/2 outs: .500

Man on 3rd, < 2 outs: .000

Career @ Kauffman Stadium (0 starts)

First time!

Career vs. KC (1 start)

(0-0) 5 IP, 4H, 4ER, 2HR, 2/2

vs. Batter

Lorenzo Cain 2/3, 2 S-HR

Alex Gordon 0/3

Alcides Escobar 1/2, 2B, RBI

Kendrys Morales 1/2, 2B

Mike Moustakas 0/2

Eric Hosmer 0/1, BB

Salvador Perez 0/1, BB

Yordano Ventura: The Royals have won all three games Ventura has started so far this season. He has one quality start against Houston of six innings with one run, four hits and three walks allowed with six strikeouts. The other two were five innings with two runs allowed in each. The troubling part by far is that he has walked 12 batters in those 16 innings including six in his first start of the year and three in each of the other two. Ventura has thrown 295 pitches; 98 twice and 99 in the other.

He has respectable numbers at Kauffman stadium in just under 200 innings and is even better against the Orioles in four starts, but 10 walks in 26 innings. Ventura has allowed only 11 home runs career at Kauffman stadium which could spell trouble for the Orioles. On the other hand, he is a flyball pitcher with a 28/15 ratio.

Splits & Sits

26 vs. left: .158/.385/.115

46 vs. right: .220/.304/.326, HR

Bases Empty: .226

RISP: .200

RISP w/2 outs: .143

Men on w/2 outs: .143

Man on 3rd < 2 outs: .000

Career @ Kauffman Stadium (33 starts, 1 relief)

(14-12) 3.45 (1.26/.237), 11HR in 190.2 IP

Career vs Baltimore (4 starts)

(3-1) 2.08 (1.31/.242), 2HR, 10BB in 26 IP

vs. Batter

Adam Jones (10 AB) .200, 2B, 2BB

Matt Wieters (10 AB) .300

Jonathan Schoop 1/9

Ryan Flaherty 2/8

J.J. Hardy 4/8, 2B, 2BB

Manny Machado 3/7, 2BB

Chris Davis 0/7, 3BB

Mark Trumbo 2/6

Nolan Reimold 1/4

Caleb Joseph 0/2

The Orioles come out on top of a defensive circus of a game which mostly featured KC and due to Medlen giving up seven earned runs in 3.2 innings and the Royals were not able to recover from that. Wilson looked pretty good and was efficient through five innings and the Orioles bullpen shut down the KC offense on rout to an 8-3 win in game two. It was also good to see Kim get the start and another two hits including his first RBI. He is making the case to get more face time out there in very limited opportunities.

So, Ventura has pitched very well against the Orioles and has been pretty good in 190.2 career innings at home while Wright has never pitched in this ballpark and his only start against the Royals was not a good one and he has been shaky at best so far this season. He is coming off a quality start, so he will get a chance to build on that in the finale as the Orioles look to take the series from the defending WS champs.

The Orioles get their 3.5 game lead back as Boston lost today while Toronto won with both tied for second. The Yankees are still four games back, but have won two in a row while Tampa Bay is 4.5 back on a two game skid.

We shall win today. May have to miss the game today. Tons of yard work.

Pedro bomb coming today

So if Flash is above average at Shortstop why move Manny over when JJ gets a day off?

So if Flash is above average at Shortstop why move Manny over when JJ gets a day off?

He's not above average - I think he's merely capable there. I also think there is a bit of long game to playing Manny at SS. Undoubtedly he still wants to be a SS so it gives us a little more credibility in extension negotiations to be able to say that we'll move him there once Hardy moves on.

We shall win today. May have to miss the game today. Tons of yard work.

[video=youtube;f932wPPqKOQ]

Flaherty's best position is second base though he wasn't great last year. In 1394.1 innings at second base, he is above average.

RngR: 2.0

ErrR: 3.8

UZR: 8.2

UZR/150: 7.5

He is average at 3B and below average at SS.

3B

RngR: 0.2

ErrR: -0.5

UZR: 0.4

UZR/150: 0.0

SS

RngR: -2.2

ErrR: 0.0

UZR: -2.1

UZR/150: -10.3

Nice walk by Machado. Make Ventura throw strikes.

A couple of good discerning at bats so far.

Most runs allowed, AL.

We might get no-hit today. Ventura has incredible stuff.

We might get no-hit today. Ventura has incredible stuff.

You're welcome.

We might get no-hit today. Ventura has incredible stuff.

No hitter, avoided.

22 pitches in the first for Ventura and a chance to make Wright comfortable with some early run support.