The Baltimore Orioles don’t want to mess with their latest wave of success.
A big part of that has been facing the Chicago White Sox, who conclude the three-game series in Baltimore on Wednesday night.
The Orioles (81-59) own a three-game winning streak for the first time since mid-July. They have won all six meetings with the White Sox (31-109) this year.
Chicago took its 12th straight loss on Tuesday as the worst season in franchise history continued.
“Aside from what’s going on over there, that’s a major league team and anybody can jump up and bite you,” Orioles first baseman Ryan O’Hearn said. “We’ve just got to go about our business the way we do every day, no matter who we’re playing.”
On Tuesday night, Baltimore won 9-0 behind stellar pitching from rookie Cade Povich, who tossed 7 1/3 innings and finished with 10 strikeouts.
The frustrations grew for the White Sox with the ejections of interim manager Grady Sizemore and outfielder Andrew Benintendi.
It was the first ejection for Sizemore in his new role.
“You just want the right calls to be made,” Sizemore said. “… I get it. The game is getting out of control. We’re down a lot. But out guys, they’re not trying to give up their at-bats.”
The Orioles enjoyed several highlights in the Tuesday rout, which followed a 13-3 blowout of the White Sox on Monday. A combined six-hit shutout was one of the benefits from the pitching perspective.
Baltimore has been dealing with some offensive snags, so it was convenient to have Chicago’s pitching and defense assist in the Orioles’ run production.
“Walked a ton,” Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said. “Did a nice job not trying to do too much and took advantage of some walks.”
Yet it wasn’t perfect for Baltimore, which benefited from erratic White Sox pitching and defense. The Orioles left 10 runners on base.
Even so, Baltimore had the luxury of pulling right fielder Anthony Santander and shortstop Gunnar Henderson late in the game to lessen the physical toll that builds by this time in the season.
Chicago’s injury report might include third baseman Miguel Vargas, who left the game shortly after a collision with Benintendi in shallow left field.
“He was tracking it the whole time, maybe didn’t hear me,” Benintendi said. “I was calling it, it’s unfortunate, but it is what it is.”
The White Sox have been shutout victims 16 times this year.
Right-hander Albert Suarez (7-4, 3.14 ERA) is the projected starting pitcher for Baltimore on Wednesday. He threw a career-high seven innings in his latest outing, when the Orioles won Friday night at Colorado. He gave up two runs on eight hits in seven innings, with no walks and four strikeouts.
Suarez has won two of his past three starts after going four consecutive appearances without a decision. He blanked the White Sox for four innings in late May.
In his only other outing against the White Sox, he gave up two runs in two innings during a relief appearance in 2017.
Chicago will go with right-hander Jonathan Cannon (2-9, 4.70 ERA). The rookie will make his 17th start, trying to shed a personal four-start losing streak. He has walked four batters in each of his past two outings, a disturbing trend considering White Sox pitchers issued nine walks on Tuesday.
Cannon will face the Orioles for the first time.
–Field Level Media
