masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgThis is the Orioles’ 63rd season and for just the second time they have a 5-0 start. The 1970 and 2016 Orioles are the only teams in club history to do that. The current O’s are the only unbeaten team in the majors and lead the American League East by two games heading into today’s series opener in Boston.
While several hitters have gotten off to good starts, it’s the pitching staff posting an ERA of 1.80 and the starting rotation with an ERA of 2.28 that has been the most impressive.
Manny…

This is the Orioles’ 63rd season and for just the second time they have a 5-0 start. The 1970 and 2016 Orioles are the only teams in club history to do that. The current O’s are the only unbeaten team in the majors and lead the American League East by two games heading into today’s series opener in Boston.

While several hitters have gotten off to good starts, it’s the pitching staff posting an ERA of 1.80 and the starting rotation with an ERA of 2.28 that has been the most impressive.

Manny Machado, who went 4-for-4 with a double and homer in Sunday’s win over Tampa Bay, was asked about the starting rotation after that game.

Manny Machado smiles orange.jpg“Keep going, keep going,” he said. “They have a chip on their shoulder to go out there and prove everybody wrong. They are doing a great job. This is a team sport and if they lock in, we lock in. Then the sky is the limit for us.”

Here was Machado’s take on the 5-0 start: “Keep playing. Start of the year has been pretty good and we are winning at home. Don’t think about the outcome yet, still early. You don’t win a championship in April, but you definitely learn how to play as a team. So that is what we’ve been doing and we are going to continue to do that, hopefully.”

Machado has hit safely in all five games so far, batting .421 (9-for-21), and has homered in three straight games. Machado is 9-for-18 batting against right-handed pitchers and 2-for-4 when batting with runners in scoring position.

The Orioles bullpen has pitched to an ERA of 1.27 for the first five games. Here are the numbers for the ‘pen over the past three games: 10 1/3 innings, three hits, no runs, four walks and 12 strikeouts. Pretty strong stuff.

After giving up runs in two straight appearances to begin the season, young right-hander Mychal Givens pitched a scoreless seventh inning yesterday, protecting what was at the time a one-run lead.

He was excited to get back out there after giving up three runs in two innings in the Twins series.

“Definitely,” Givens said. “Baseball is a tricky game and you will go through some bumps. But, at the same time, I have a great group of guys to pick me up and help me through it. It was good to put up a scoreless inning.”

Yeah, Givens has a pretty good support group in that bullpen and they’ve taught him a few things. Including something very basic, but very important, he said Sunday.

“The biggest thing is to have fun,” Givens said. “A lot of people miss that playing baseball. But we love what we do and pick up each other.”

On the farm: Single-A Delmarva swept a doubleheader yesterday, beating Hagerstown 7-4 and 3-0 to improve to 3-1. That was the second shutout by the Shorebirds staff already. Delmarva starting pitchers have pitched to an ERA of 1.33 and the staff has pitched to an ERA of 2.03 overall with a WHIP of 1.06.

On offense, the Shorebirds’ Alex Murphy is batting .500 (7-for-14) with four doubles and seven RBIs. He is 3-for-6 with runners in scoring position. Murphy, drafted in Round 6 in 2013 out of Calvert Hall in Baltimore, is rated as the organization’s No. 27 prospect by Baseball America.

Triple-A Norfolk posted its first win after an 0-3 start on Sunday, beating Gwinnett 9-4. Catcher Audry Perez went 4-for-5 with two doubles and four RBIs. Christian Walker drove in two runs and he is batting .400 (6-for-15) with a homer and five RBIs.

When Norfolk hosts Charlotte Monday night, Cuban-born left-hander Ariel Miranda will move up from Double-A Bowie to make that start and face former Orioles right-hander Miguel Gonzalez.

Bowie lost to Akron 5-4 Sunday and the defending Eastern League champs have started the new season at 0-3. Kevin Gausman made the start Sunday for the Baysox and went two innings, allowing four hits and one unearned run with one walk and two strikeouts. He threw 47 pitches, 29 for strikes.

Single-A Frederick is 2-2 after Sunday’s 7-5 loss at Myrtle Beach. Frederick third baseman Jomar Reyes walked twice Sunday. At this very early point, he leads all O’s minor leaguers with five walks. Reyes, the club’s No. 4 prospect, is batting .308 (4-for-13). According to Baseball America, Reyes, who turned 19 on Feb. 20, is the youngest player in the Carolina League.