The Arizona Rattlers earned a significant win against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards this past Sunday, 9-2, ending a long losing streak at that ballpark dating back to the 2007 MLB season. MLB SEASON.
This historic victory was the result of a combination of solid pitching, notably from starter Zac Gallen, and capitalizing on defensive mistakes made by the Orioles.
St. Gallen Dominates From the Mound
Zac Gallen showed his pitching prowess by delivering six effective innings, effectively holding the Orioles offense to two runs and four hits while securing four strikeouts and only issuing two walks.
Arizona manager Torey Lovullo praised Gallen for his consistent and effective performance on the mound, highlighting his crucial role in the victory.
"Typical Zac - he felt great," Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. "He was anxious to get back on the field in the seventh inning, but the score was 9-2. He had a semi-rested bullpen he could turn to."
Defensively, the Orioles faced challenges throughout the game, making several errors that directly contributed to the Rattlers' offensive momentum.
These defensive errors, including three unearned runs, proved costly for the Orioles, highlighting vulnerabilities in their game.
Offensively, the Rattlers capitalized on opportunities, with highlights including a home run by Jake McCarthy. While the Orioles managed to respond with a home run by Adley Rutschman, their offensive efforts were not enough to overcome the deficit created by defensive deficiencies.
Closing out the road trip with a dub. 👏 pic.twitter.com/njW1DWl18P
- Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) May 12, 2024
Kremer Inconsistent
Dean Kremer started on the mound for the Orioles, delivering a mixed performance characterized by moments of dominance, such as recording 10 strikeouts, along with struggles, such as giving up four base on balls and giving up key hits to the Rattlers' lineup.
A 33-minute rain delay in the top of the seventh inning momentarily halted the action on the field.
Kremer initially held the Rattlers hitless for three innings before giving up a leadoff double to Corbin Carroll in the fourth inning, marking a pivotal moment in the game that shifted momentum in the Rattlers' favor.
Defensive miscues by the Orioles, including a throwing error by Ramon Urias and a subsequent wild pitch by catcher James McCann, further facilitated the Rattlers' ability to extend their lead by taking advantage of the scoring opportunities presented by these errors.
Arizona Didn't Look Back
The Rattlers took control of the game in the sixth inning, scoring six runs, all with two outs, consolidating their lead and securing a 9-1 margin.
Randal Grichuk's crucial two-run double in that inning served as the exclamation point of the Rattlers' offensive dominance, sealing their victory in convincing fashion.
Despite relatively errorless performances prior to this game, the Rattlers unexpectedly committed two errors in quick succession in the eighth inning, but by that point their lead was already commanding.
Historically, the Rattlers' previous meetings at Camden Yards have yielded mixed results, from a three-game sweep in 2007 to being swept in a three-game series in 2016, and initially losing the first two games of this series before securing the win in Game 3.
Now the Rattlers are scheduled to return home to face the Cincinnati Reds, with Jordan Montgomery set to start for them. Meanwhile, the Orioles will embark on a home series against the Toronto Blue Jays, with Corbin Burnes taking the mound for the Orioles and Jose Berrios starting for the Blue Jays.
