The Nationals Beat the O’s 7-0 - Yikes

Mitchell Parker Delivers a Career Best Performance

There weren’t many Orioles highlights in this one.  Mitchell Parker delivered 8 innings (career best) of 1 hit baseball.  The Orioles are still looking for any sort of spark on offense.  An off day reset after getting demolished by the Reds it's pretty disappointing to see the team put up another dismal performance at the plate.

We need to give Parker his flowers.  You don’t pitch a gem like he did by accident.  Parker worked a pretty effective gameplan with his fastball to set up his splitter against righties, and his slider against lefties.  Only throwing 99 pitches Parker was able to fool the Orioles into weak contact all day.  And not being able to chase the starter means a fresh bullpen for games 2 and 3.

Cedric Mullins seems to be the only vocal leader in the clubhouse currently, and one of the only players playing with any fire got the only hit on the day.  The team has to be disappointed by another disastrous performance, and players have 1,000 yard stares.

The Orioles Pitching Staff and Dean Kremer Look for Answers

Dean Kremer got absolutely shelled in this one.  And he didn’t help himself either.

From the very first inning the Nationals were on Dean with a double and a HR to lead off the game.  The pitchers can’t feel confident with the way the offense is playing, but playing from behind cannot feel good either.  James Wood started the day with an aggressive at bat where he fouled off two pitches before a screaming double.  Nathaniel Lowe took Kremer deep on a pitch right down the middle.

In the second inning José Tena frustrated Kremer with a 8 pitch at bat where he golfed a curveball in the dirt for a triple.  Kremer would spike a ball in the dirt for a wild pitch to allow Tena to score.

The Orioles defensively looked sorry.  They were throwing the ball all around like a little league team.  And that starts with the intensity of the pitcher.  Kremer at this point is a veteran starter.  He’s started a playoff game, and has been in the league multiple years.  It’s disappointing to see a guy regress as much as he has, even if he’s been historically average.  But he seems so far in his head that it's affecting his ability to execute his pitches.  Kremer has great stuff, but he throws way too many meatballs over the middle of the plate. His confidence is clearly in the gutter, but it's tough to see as the unit could use a guy like Dean to step up.

Next Up: Tomoyuki Sugano vs Trevor Williams

The Orioles need to come to the park with a new mindset.  They are in a funk, and they need to take it one pitch at a time.  Sugano may be an MLB rookie at 35 years of age, but he won the MVP in Japan just last year.  He’s still learning to adjust to the new game, but a steady hand on the mound could be just what the Os need.  They are in desperate need of a stopper, someone to end this dreaded streak of baseball.  Tomoyuki can spin it - and we need him to give a solid outing.

On the other side the Orioles stoppable force meets Trevor Williams moveable object… who will win?  The Orioles need to bring a gameplan into this one as this is a very winnable game.  Lacking results is one thing, but lacking effort from this group is inexcusable.  Trevor Williams represents a prime opportunity for a struggling offense to move the line, and get extra in game batting practice.

The Orioles need a spark, and that needs to come from a guy on the field.  Expect fireworks in Washington DC, but if there’s not… get ready for very disgruntled Orioles fans.  We’re optimistic, and the chemistry will take time to gel in the clubhouse.  But they need to figure it out, one game at a time.  Expectations are heavy, and our boys' shoulders are still broadening.

Our Beltway Series Preview is not looking too hot right now, but the Birds still have 2 games left against their cross town foes.