Who stood out in the Orioles’ 5-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays in the opener of Saturday’s doubleheader?
In the spirit of hockey’s “three stars” system with the addition of home plate for honorable mentions and other notes, we go around the bases after the 73rd game of the 2016 season.
1st — Kevin Gausman downplayed whether it was wearing on him that he had yet to secure a win in 2016 and that pitcher statistic has certainly been marginalized in recent years, but the 25-year-old needed a strong outing to not only boost his confidence in a rough month of June but to also keep the Orioles bullpen intact for the nightcap of Saturday’s doubleheader. Gausman tossed 7 2/3 scoreless innings and allowed only two hits until eclipsing the 100-pitch mark and allowing two singles in the eighth. His fastball command was much better than it’s been in recent starts as he effectively used his sinker to induce grounders and his four-seamer to miss bats and finish off hitters. Gausman was the beneficiary of some fine defensive plays, but retiring 19 of 20 at one point and striking out seven without walking a batter will typically put you in line for a win and that’s exactly what the young pitcher received on Saturday.
2nd — Jonathan Schoop started two scoring rallies with a leadoff double in the bottom of the second and a one-out single in the sixth to elevate his average to .287. The 24-year-old has hit .337 with a .953 on-base plus slugging percentage in the month of June. In addition to scoring two runs in the victory, the second baseman played terrific defense highlighted by a backhand play and terrific throw from shallow center to throw out Tim Beckham to end the top of the seventh.
3rd — Pedro Alvarez entered the day just 2-for-19 against left-handed pitching in 2016, but the designated hitter delivered a two-run single off Tampa Bay lefty Enny Romero in the bottom of the seventh to give the Orioles a five-run cushion that they wouldn’t relinquish. Alvarez walked and scored in Baltimore’s two-run second inning and is now hitting .236 after a rough start to the year.
Home — J.J. Hardy delivered the first run of the afternoon with an RBI single up the middle in the second. The veteran shortstop added another single in the sixth and is 8-for-27 with two doubles and three RBIs since returning from the disabled list last week. … Adam Jones singled twice and drove in a run to raise his season average to .250, the first time he’s concluded a game at that mark since May 18. … Matching their 2016 high-water mark of 13 games above .500 in the Saturday afternoon win, the Orioles improved to 6-1 at Camden Yards this season in games in which they’ve failed to homer. … Saturday marked Gausman’s first win since Sept. 30, 2015 when he beat Toronto in the second game of a twin bill. … The Rays suffered their ninth consecutive loss on Saturday afternoon.
