But what Matusz showed against the New York Yankees was much of the same as last year: He labored from the first inning on and couldn’t get critical outs in pivotal situations.
And thus the team’s 3-0 start to the season — buoyed by a trio of sensational starting pitching performances — quickly came crashing down to reality in Baltimore’s 6-2 loss to the Yankees at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
And even more concerning: After a promising spring, the questions about Matusz resurfaced.
Matusz lasted just four innings – he threw 96 pitches — and was chased from the game following a three-run fourth. It was his 10th consecutive loss, the longest active streak in the majors, dating from last season.
In his last three starts against the Yankees dating from last season, Matusz is 0-3 with a 12.66 ERA.
“Obviously, I’d like to go deeper in the game and give the team a chance to win,” Matusz said. “So I’m not happy at all with today, but I’m on the right track to be where I need to be.”
Matusz appeared as if he were trying to be too perfect in attempting to duplicate the efforts of his rotation predecessors. He nibbled the corners against one of the most disciplined lineups in baseball.
Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, one of the most patient hitters in the game, dissected Matusz for three of his four hits on the night, including a two-out, full-count, opposite-field RBI double that capped the scoring in the fourth.
In earning the No. 4 spot in the Orioles’ starting rotation this spring, one of Matusz’s strengths was his accuracy. He had a 7.3 strikeout-to-walk ratio (22 strikeouts and just 3 walks) and 3.65 ERA in six starts.
Monday night, Matusz didn’t hit enough corners, forcing him to fight from behind in the count all night.
He dealt first-pitch strikes to three of the first nine batters he faced, elevating his pitch count early.
The Orioles offense, unable to capitalize on scoring opportunities, didn’t do its part either, stranding eight baserunners. The Orioles were 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position.
Catcher Matt Wieters, who tied a career high with four hits, was one of the only bright spots in the Baltimore lineup. He put the Orioles on the board in the second inning after he took an Ivan Nova changeup over the out-of-town scoreboard in right and into the flag court for a home run.
First baseman Chris Davis had two hits, including a run-scoring double in the seventh that provided the Orioles their only other run. Mark Reynolds and Robert Andino also had two hits each.
Matusz survived a 30-pitch first inning allowing just one run — Mark Teixeira’s run-scoring single gave the Yankees a 1-0 lead — and he stranded runners at first and third. The Orioles stranded one runner at third in the second in a tied game and left runners at first and second in the third, wasting a leadoff double by Robert Andino followed by a Nolan Reimold infield single.
It wasn’t until the fourth when the Yankees pounced, challenging Matusz to throw strikes. Matusz issued three of his four walks that frame and went to three-ball counts two other times.
He issued back-to-back one-out walks to Curtis Granderson and Andruw Jones, setting the stage for Russell Martin’s single to right, scoring Granderson and placing Jones on third after a fielding error on Reimold in left.
After an Eduardo Nunez sacrifice fly scored Jones, Matusz fell behind Jeter 3-0, worked the count full, then saw Jeter drive in the third run of the inning.
— Baltimore Sun
No comments:
Post a Comment