Jul 3, 2021; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Alex Cobb (38) throws against the Baltimore Orioles during the seventh inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Alex Cobb frustrated the Orioles during his three seasons with team. He frustrated them again in his first start since he was traded from the Orioles to the Los Angeles Angels last December.
Cobb (6-3) had an injury-prone three years after signing a four-year, $57 million contract, winning just seven games, none at home.
He limited the Orioles to a run on four hits in 7 2/3 innings, his longest outing since August 18, 2018, as the Angels beat the Orioles, 4-1, on Saturday night.
“I thought Cobb threw an outstanding game,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “I thought he had everything going … His command was excellent. He pitched ahead of us the entire game.”
Jorge López gave up three early runs. In the first, David Fletcher extended his hitting streak to 17 games with a single. Shohei Ohtani and Anthony Rendon walked to load the bases.
Jared Walsh’s infield single, a ball that shortstop Ramón Urías dropped while going to his left, scored Fletcher. Ohtani scored on Phil Gosselin’s forceout for a 2-0 lead.
“When I get ahead, I’m really good. When I get behind, that’s when I get hurt,” López said.
He thought that home plate umpire Jim Reynolds squeezed him on close pitches.
“An umpire isn’t perfect, I’m not perfect,” López said. “Nobody is perfect. We try to do the best we can. My emotions really showed. It’s something I’ve been working on, to keep my focus where it should be.”
In the second, Juan Lagares’ double scored another former Oriole, José Iglesias, as Los Angeles (41-41) took a 3-0 lead.
Pat Valaika’s force scored Domingo Leyba in the third for the Orioles’ run.
Gosselin’s RBI single scored Walsh in the fifth to put the Orioles behind, 4-1.
López (2-11) allowed four runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. He walked four and struck out four.
A night after Ohtaini hit two home runs and scored the winning run, López and Adam Plutko each walked Ohtani intentionally. In the Orioles’ first 82 games, they had issued just three intentional walks.
“Ohtani, right now is the best player in the league,” Hyde said. “I was trying to keep the score right there … Ohtani right now is playing a different game than the rest of us.”
The Orioles (27-56) threatened with two outs in the eighth when Urias singled against Cobb, and Valaika singled against Steve Cishek. Cedric Mullins struck out to end the eighth.
Raisel Iglesias pitched a spotless ninth for his 16th save.
Means in the minors: John Means, who has been on the 10-day injured list because a strained left shoulder since June 6th, will start for High-A Aberdeen on Sunday.
Hyde said that Means would pitch two or three innings, and he hopes he can return to the Orioles “right after the All-Star break.”
Notes: Bruce Zimmermann, who has been on the 10-day injured list because of left bicep tendinitis, is being held back. “He’s going to be pushed back a week or two, see how that goes,” Hyde said. … Reliever César Valdez, who has been on the 10-day injured list because of a lower-back strain, could return as soon as Sunday or early next week. … Thomas Eshelman (0-1, 6.57 ERA) will face Patrick Sandoval (2-2, 3.89) on Sunday at 4:07 p.m.
Bundy sees Orioles: Dylan Bundy, who was traded by the Orioles to the Angels in December 2019, saw his old team for the first time since the trade on Friday.
“It’s a different feeling, I guess,” Bundy said. “I wasn’t sure what to feel, being two years ago.”
Bundy looked over at the Orioles on Friday night. “Everybody was asking me how many guys I recognize or know or still talk to,” he said. “There are a lot of new faces over there, for sure. The guys that are still over there, I try to get to talk to as much as I can ….”
Bundy had a strong year in 2020, going 6-3 with a 3.29 ERA in 11 starts and got some Cy Young award votes. This year, he’s 1-7 with a 6.58 ERA, and this week after an unfortunate incident on the mound during a start at Yankee Stadium, was put into the bullpen for the first time since 2016.
“I didn’t throw up, so it was positive,” Bundy joked.
Minor Matters: Catcher Brett Cumberland hit two home runs, shortstop Mason McCoy homered and had three RBIs and second baseman Jahmai Jones had three hits in Triple-A Norfolk’s 8-2 win over Charlotte.
Kevin Smith (1-1) gave up a run on two hits in five innings, striking out nine and walking one.
Grayson Rodriguez lost his first game this season as Akron defeated Double-A Bowie, 5-3. Rodriguez (3-1) gave up three runs, two unearned, on five hits in five innings. It was Bowie’s fourth straight loss.
Leftfielder Robert Neustrom had two hits, shortstop Cadyn Grenier and designated hitter Chris Hudgins homered.
Catcher Maverick Handley’s two-run double capped a four-run ninth as High-A Aberdeen came from behind to beat Brooklyn, 4-3.
Shortstop Gunnar Henderson was hitless in four at-bats and is 1-for-31 (.032) since his promotion, but he did score the second IronBirds run in the ninth.
Xavier Moore (1-0) pitched two shutout innings.
Low-A Delmarva was held to three hits in a 3-2 loss to Lynchburg. The loss ended the Shorebirds’ eight-game winning streak.
Aberdeen infielder J.D. Mundy was named the Orioles’ Minor League Player of the Month for June. Mundy batted .284 with eight home runs and 20 RBIs last month.
Bowie left-hander Cameron Bishop was the team’s Minor League Pitcher of the Month for June. Bishop pitched 22 scoreless innings, striking out 32 and going 2-0.
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Just a statement, Lopez, another O’s starter can’t get 5 innings, Rodriguez, just 5 innings, I would bet almost any pitcher, let alone former O’s would like to see them, ebbs & flows of Oriole baseball in 2021...go O’s...
Happy Independence Day America!
I agree with Cal how are these pitchers going to learn to pitch Hyde might think he is protecting them but he is not they are clearly stunting these guys growth. I get monitoring innings in the minors as far as Hall and Rodriguez 100-110 innings would be it same for Bishop and Baumann . You’ve got treat the minors different than the majors .
I think Urias can hit enough to stay but the defense is horrid and I’m not talking about errors in the box score but the drops like last night that don’t show up or lack of range up the middle it really disheartens a staff.
Where the hell was that Alex Cobb for us? Lopez needs to go if he hasn’t figured it out by now probably never will. Problem there is no real replacement for any of these guys. I can understand protecting guys after no season last year in the minors and a short season last year but I would let them pitch unless there telling you that they can’t or are feeling a little fatigued.
The Cobb question has been settled. He plays for a better team and has better defense behind him now.
Are other teams protecting their pitchers since all teams minors & majors experienced the same seasons?...go O’s...
I don’t know but like I said unless they tell you they’re fatigued run them out there.
According to Fangraphs the average inning pitched by a starter in 2019 the last full year) was 5.18 innings pitched per game (IP/GS) Last year’s shortened season was 4.73 IP/GS.
Chicken or the egg--pitchers can't go 5 because Hyde yanks them or Hyde yanks them because they can't go 5(losing the strike zone). Somewhere in the middle probably. Big Ben bashing on Severino(why not?)--should have been 2 pass balls and his poor framing cost Lopez early. Lopez looking very frustrated in the 1st. Wonder if some of that could have been at Pedro!? This leads to a question--how bad was Sisco in their eyes to get bumped by the worst defensive catcher in baseball? Lineup missing Franco? Cobb had an occasional great outing then tanked when in Baltimore. I wouldn't I get too disgruntled over it. Hey this Jahmai Jones might even become something. Right about now watching these games is all about watching Mullins/Hays/Mountcastle. The rest(Santander/Mancini,etc) are there for the "fluff".
With Sisco catching, the Orioles' record was 4-15. Pitchers' ERA was 5.64. With Severino catching, it's 20-32 and a 5.00 ERA. With Wynns, the record is 3-9 with a 7.08 ERA. The only area where Sisco was better was the running game, where he threw out six of nine runners. Severino has thrown out only three of 20.
Severino is a little better offensively this year, but I think if the Orioles were to pull the plug on him, someone would pick him up as a backup. Sisco had no trade value, but I think the Mets or someone else will give him another chance. He's relatively young, a left-handed hitter and a catcher.
It's not a great situation, but one that will be much better in 2022.
Betting Severino caught most of Means starts, big difference...go O’s...
Thinking that Means is so good it doesn't matter who catches but a pitcher like Lopez could use the benefit of a little "framing".
Not really, Ray. Means had a 2.20 ERA in the eight games Severino caught and a 2.40 in the four games Sisco caught.
I think he does need glasses .
Rich, so Severino caught most of Means games, thx, proved my point exactly...go O’s....
Ray, if you looked at the stats, you would see that Sisco caught 19 games--four of them by Means. Severino caught 52 games, eight of them by Means. Sisco's pitcher's ERA was then affected more positively by Means than Severino's was.
Great question about Lopez being obviously irritated last night, and whether it was directed at Severino or the umpire. Can’t be sure.
Another question- how much better will our pitching staff be when Adley takes over next year? Can’t wait to find out.
Icterus fan, I’ll be very interested to see that as well. But I gotta say, my guess is Johnny Bench in his prime might not help this staff too much. But again, SO looking forward to finding out. I’m afraid we’ll have to wait to well into the season to find out tho.