O's game blog: Matt Harvey and Bruce Zimmermann face the Mariners

By Steve Melewski

Orioles

April 14, 2021, 12:50pm

Comments

After picking up their first win on this homestand in the second game of the doubleheader Tuesday night, the Orioles (5-6) host Seattle (6-5) today in another doubleheader. After last night's rainout the clubs will play their second doubleheader in three days.

Seattle won the twinbill opener 4-3 in eight innings Tuesday before the Orioles took the nightcap 7-6. The Birds rallied from a 4-0 deficit to take the second game, but not before they lost a 6-4 lead in the last inning. No. 9 hitter Sam Haggerty hit a two-run homer onto Eutaw Street in the top of the seventh to tie the game 6-6. The Orioles produced the season's first walk-off win in the bottom half when RamÃ³n UrÃas singled to center with two outs and runners on second and third.

Earlier, Maikel Franco's three-run double in the third pulled the O's within 4-3. Franco is 4-for-13 over his past four games with a homer and eight RBIs, and his 12 RBIs lead the club. Ryan Mountcastle's single scored Franco to produce a 4-4 tie. Mountcastle went 3-for-6 with two doubles in the doubleheader. He is batting .300 (6-for-20) during a five-game hitting streak with three doubles, a homer and three RBIs.

Right-hander Matt Harvey (0-1, 5.59 ERA) will make his third start in the opener. Over the first two he has allowed six runs and 13 hits over 9 2/3 innings. He gave up two runs over 4 2/3 in his first start against Boston, and gave up four runs over five innings in his second start, also against Boston.

Harvey has used his two- and four-seam fastballs a combined 57 percent of the time at an average velocity of 93 mph. He is throwing his slider 21 percent and his curveball and changeup 11 percent each. His changeup has produced an impressive 37.5 percent whiff rate (swings and misses divided into swings) and his curveball has produced a 28.6 percent whiff rate.

Lefty Bruce Zimmermann (1-0, 4.50 ERA) starts today's second game for the Orioles. He has allowed three runs over six innings twice pitching versus Boston. He has walked two with nine strikeouts over 12 innings with 1.083 WHIP.

Left-hander Marco Gonzales (0-1, 10.45 ERA) is scheduled to start the opener for the Mariners. In two starts so far he allowed five runs in six innings versus San Francisco and seven runs over 4 1/3 against Minnesota. He's given up 17 hits, including five home runs, over 10 1/3 innings.

While lefty batters are just 1-for-12 (.083) against him, right-handers have mashed against him in those games, batting .471 (16-for-34) with six doubles, five homers, a slugging percentage of 1.088 and OPS of 1.615.

Right-hander Justin Dunn (0-0, 5.79 ERA) will make his second start of 2021 for Seattle in the second game. Last Wednesday against the Chicago White Sox, he went 4 2/3 innings, and while he gave up one hit and three runs, he walked eight and struck out three. Of his 93 pitches, just 48 were strikes. The Sox went just 1-for-14 at bat, but the walks were obviously a big issue.

When the 25-year-old Dunn went 4-1 with a 4.34 ERA last year he allowed 6.1 walks for every nine innings. He gave up 31 hits and 31 walks in 45 2/3 innings and recorded 38 strikeouts.

He has good stuff, but commanding it has been an issue. Birds hitters need to take note of that tonight. Manager Brandon Hyde yesterday, when asked about Dunn, said that they will.

"Absolutely, we talk about their pitchers and their strengths during our pre-series meeting," Hyde said. "We have video rolling everywhere in this clubhouse about the starter that night.

"Our guys are going to be well aware this guy's got a really good arm. Yeah, he did walk some guys in his last start, but it's not like big misses. It's missed around the strike zone. He was a first-round pick for a reason. He's got a special arm with a really good breaking ball. He faced the White Sox his last start, a good offensive club that didn't do much against him. We do have to get him in the strike zone. We've got to be on time with his fastball, and make sure he is in the zone. And then be able to battle with that breaking ball. It's going to a big test for us offensively tonight."

Dunn was drafted in round one (No. 19 overall) by the New York Mets in 2016 out of Boston College. On Dec. 3, 2018 he was part of a package of five players traded from the Mets to Seattle as New York added Robinson CanÃ³ and Edwin DÃaz.

Statcast notes: Franco has recorded four at-bats with exit velocities of 110+ mph this season, recording a single (111.4 mph), home run (111.2 mph), double (111.0 mph), and double (110.1 mph), respectively, in these instances. The rest of the Orioles have a combined three at-bats in which the batted ball resulted in 110+ mph exit velocities.

Anthony Santander leads the Orioles with an average exit velocity of 92.2 mph, with Ryan Mountcastle next at 90.6 and Cedric Mullins third at 90.4. Franco ranks fourth on the club at 89.6.

Bullpen lefty Tanner Scott's 99.7 mph recorded pitch on April 7 at Yankee Stadium, according to Statcast, is the fastest pitch this year by an Orioles pitcher.

Scott, by the way, has not allowed an earned run in 17 consecutive games, covering 14 innings dating to last Aug. 26. He has allowed two unearned runs during this span.

As has been tradition each season since 2004, MLB and each club, will commemorate Jackie Robinson Day at ballparks throughout the majors today on the anniversary of Robinson's historic MLB debut as he broke baseball's color barrier. The Orioles and Mariners players, managers, and coaches, along with the umpires and all on-field personnel will wear Robinson's iconic number this afternoon.