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Matusz's fifth inning (updated twice)
By Roch Kubatko
Matusz's fifth inning (updated twice)
By Roch Kubatko
Brian Matusz completed five innings today, easily the best performance by an Orioles starter this spring.
Raul Ibanez flied to left on a 1-2 pitch. Shane Victorino and Juan Castro bounced to short on 2-2 pitches.
Matusz threw 14 pitches, nine for strikes. He's thrown 57 pitches today, 41 for strikes.
Does he come out for the sixth?
The bullpen is stirring.
Update: Josh Bell walked with one out, and doubles by Chad Moeller and Robert Andino have tied the game, 1-1.
That's right, only one run scored on a walk and two doubles.
Bell should have scored on Moeller's double, but he had to hold at third. Moeller should have scored easily on Andino's double - the ball slammed off the fence in left-center - but he only reached third.
Not the kind of baserunning you want to see.
Moeller, who stood at second as Andino's ball came within a few feet of clearing the fence, gestured an apology to the Orioles' infielder after reaching third.
The Orioles have taken a 3-1 lead on Cesar Izturis' grounder and a wild pitch. Andino raced home as the ball scooted past catcher Dane Sardinha. I almost expected him to hold at third, given the tone of the inning.
