Sunday, May 22, 2011

Bats Back Guthrie In Win

For once, Jeremy Guthrie didn't need to be perfect...though he came pretty close.

Guthrie went seven strong innings, allowing just two runs (both unearned) on five hits and a walk while striking out four in an 8-3 victory over the Washington Nationals on Saturday afternoon.

Guthrie (2-6) has been the most consistent starter on the staff, tossing quality starts in eight of his nine outings this season. But he has been betrayed by the O's bats, and entered the game with the worst run support of any starter in the AL (the Birds average just 1.7 runs with Guthrie on the mound).

All that changed on Saturday...the Birds backed Guthrie with eight runs, scoring four runs in the third inning and tacking on four more in the seventh. Down 2-0, Nolan Reimold evened it up with his first homer of the season, a two-run blast to left field (it was Reimold's second at-bat since being called up from Triple-A on Friday). The O's banged-out 14 hits, five for extra-bases, and went 5-for-11 with runners in scoring position...

Jim Johnson pitched a scoreless eighth before Koji Uehara allowed a run in the ninth, but the Birds evened-up the Battle of the Beltways and have a chance to take the series on Sunday afternoon. Chris Tillman takes the mound for the O's...

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