The Baltimore Orioles, who own the best record in the American League, seem to be expanding on the ways they can remain successful.
Going into their Saturday night encore with the visiting New York Mets, the Orioles have won five of their past six games, including a 10-3 victory on Friday in the series opener. Aggressive baserunning played a key role.
“We try to put pressure on the defense,” Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said. “We applaud our players for making aggressive plays. We have a lot of youth that can run pretty well.”
The Orioles also received a boost from backup catcher James McCann, who collected three hits and five RBIs. It was an example of a deep roster of contributors.
“He has had such tough luck this year,” Hyde said. “It’s never easy when you’re not playing every day and you get two or three starts a week and try to produce. That’s a tough role, but he gives us good at-bats.”
McCann, who began the night hitting .197 with 10 RBIs in 127 at-bats, is a 10-year veteran who thrilled to be part of a division-leading team.
“The big thing is just taking care of the little things every day,” McCann said. “That’s the name of the game. When your name is called, stay ready.”
The Mets have lost four straight games and five of six. They also have dropped their last five road games.
New York manager Buck Showalter, who managed the Orioles from 2010 to 2018, hopes the rest of his reunion in Camden Yards goes better than his first game back.
“The news is Baltimore and how well they’re playing,” Showalter said. “That’s great for the city and the organization.”
The Mets have entered a building phase after the trade deadline.
“We have to play better,” Showalter said. “Some people that are getting an opportunity have to take advantage of it.”
Right-hander Kyle Gibson (10-6, 4.53 ERA) will try to become the Orioles’ first 11-game winner of the season on Saturday. He is 2-0 in his past five starts, including going six-plus innings and allowing one run in a victory at Toronto on Monday.
Gibson has eaten up innings consistently in recent weeks, working into the sixth inning in all six of his starts in July. Against the Mets, he holds a 2-3 record with 3.98 ERA in eight career starts.
The Mets plan to call up Tylor Megill (6-4, 5.17 ERA) from the minors to make the start on Saturday. He would fill the spot that was held by Justin Verlander prior to the ace’s trade to the Houston Astros.
New York optioned Megill to Triple-A Syracuse in late June after he went 1-2 with a 7.56 ERA in his last six starts.
In his most recent outing for Syracuse, Megill went six innings and allowed two runs on three hits and a walk with six strikeouts on July 29.
“A lot of positive stuff for Tylor,” Showalter said.
However, Megill’s July totals in Triple-A were 0-2 with an 8.46 ERA and an opponents’ batting average of .326 in five starts.
Megill, who has never faced Baltimore, will be making his 16th start of the season for the Mets, his first since June 21 at Houston. That marked his shortest stint of the season, as he lasted just 2 1/3 innings and gave up five runs, four earned.
–Field Level Media
