In a “shocking” turn of events, the AL East Champion Baltimore Orioles have dropped the first two games of the ALDS against the Texas Rangers and will have to win two games on the road to have any hopes of returning to Baltimore for a critical game 5.
Game 1 was close, with Texas holding off Baltimore’s offense 3-2. Orioles on-paper Ace Kyle Bradish only managed to throw 4.2 innings, being pulled after Josh Jung’s first career postseason home run. A late homer from the longest-tenured Oriole, Anthony Santander, made it 3-2, but the offense could not put across any more runs, and the first game was dropped.
Game 2 was a much more eventful game, with the teams combining for 25 hits. The Orioles would strike first with an Aaron Hicks 2-run single in the first, but the Rangers would answer. Five runs would score before veteran Catcher Mitch Garver would deliver the big blow on a Grand Slam. The Orioles fought back with a few runs in the 4th and an Aaron Hicks 3-run homer in the 9th, but they fell short 11-8. Young starter Grayson Rodriguez only pitched 1.2 innings after giving up five runs in the 2nd.
Baltimore heads to Texas and will have to win back-to-back games to have any hopes of returning to Baltimore for game 5. Pitchers Kyle Gibson & Dean Kremer are expected to pitch games 4 & 5. The Orioles hope they can bring some magic to the Lone Star state.
