masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgIf it is possible to pitch well while suffering a blown save, Orioles lefty Zach Britton did that in the top of the ninth last night vs. the Red Sox.
He kept the game tied at 3-3 after it seemed several things went against him. He gave up two hits and one run as a 3-2 O’s lead turned into a 3-3 tie, but the potential was there for Boston to score much more than that.
Britton did walk the leadoff batter he faced, but then two infield hits and an error on Manny Machado followed. If Machado…

If it is possible to pitch well while suffering a blown save, Orioles lefty Zach Britton did that in the top of the ninth last night vs. the Red Sox.

He kept the game tied at 3-3 after it seemed several things went against him. He gave up two hits and one run as a 3-2 O’s lead turned into a 3-3 tie, but the potential was there for Boston to score much more than that.

britton-pitching-orange-front-sidebar.jpgBritton did walk the leadoff batter he faced, but then two infield hits and an error on Manny Machado followed. If Machado turned the double play and didn’t make a wild throw on the ball hit to third by Pablo Sandoval with the bases loaded and one out, the O’s would have won 3-2 instead of needing the 10th-inning heroics to post a 5-4 win.

In the quiet of the O’s clubhouse this morning, Britton talked about the ninth inning from last night.

“Looking back on it, it kind of sums up what we’ve been through,” he said. “We’ve been struggling a little bit with a five-game losing streak. Didn’t get easier in the ninth and didn’t help that I walked (Dustin) Pedroia. Then everything after that – nothing left the infield and all the sudden the game is tied.

“Wally (pitching coach Dave Wallace) came out and said, ‘Hey, this is kind of what it’s been for us. So let’s grind it out and get (Allen) Craig out.’ After the tying run came in, it was mostly about getting us back in the dugout. We had a good part of the lineup coming up.

“I think last year I had a situation like that, and I ended up giving up the lead. Just told myself you’ve been here before. Things aren’t bouncing your way. I was just focused on getting Craig and giving us a chance to win the game.”

Britton struck out Craig, and the 3-3 game moved to the tenth after he made sure Boston left two runners on in scoring position.

“Nice to get that win,” Britton said. “It was big from (David) Lough to get that home run. When you are struggling, sometimes you need a big moment like that and it was nice to get it from D-Lough.”

Britton also threw some praise Brian Matusz’s way. After the Red Sox took a 4-3 lead in the 10th when Xander Bogaerts homered off Brad Brach, Matusz came in to face his old friend David Ortiz. He got him to bounce into a double play on just two pitches to end the top of the tenth.

“Huge,” Britton said. “For Brian to come in, tenth inning, big situation and get a double play was huge. For him and for us. When you are struggling, you need guys to step up for your team. Brian and David Lough did that.”

Ortiz is now batting just .115 (3-for-26) in his career versus Matusz, with 13 strikeouts.

Now, we see if the momentum of that big win carries over today for the Orioles, who ended a five-game losing streak.

“We are too good of a team to be in the situation we are in right now,” Britton said. “It’s still really early. I think good things are ahead.”