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06-15-2006, 08:46 AM
Geez. R-Lo can't get it together this season. :( He did well for 3 games, then went back to his losing ways.
Plus, we've got Gibby back on the DL. He was back for a bit, and then a couple of nights ago, found that his knee wasn't ready, and he's now back out again. Sucks.
Blue Jays 6, Orioles 3
Lopez battery loses its charge
O's starter yields 3 HRs in 1st loss since pairing
By Jeff Zrebiec
Sun Reporter
Originally published June 15, 2006
TORONTO // Orioles starter Rodrigo Lopez 's revival landed north of the border last night with a resounding thud, one loud line drive after another ripping off the Toronto Blue Jays' bats and his personal catcher, Javy Lopez , powerless to do anything about it.
The first two batters Lopez faced hit home runs and before his shortest outing of the season was finished, he would surrender an additional long ball, resorting to the mistake-prone pitcher that the Orioles saw for the first seven weeks of the season and didn't want to see again. Lopez allowed six runs and seven hits in his first loss since May 20, a 6-3 Toronto victory at Rogers Centre.
The club's Opening Day starter lasted just 3 2/3 innings in a defeat that sends the Orioles to a season-worst seven games under .500. They are 2-4 on their 10-game road trip.
"It was just one of those nights," said Lopez (4-8), who had won his previous three decisions after losing a career-high seven straight.
It was a particularly tough loss to digest for the Orioles (30-37), who had tied the game after Lopez's early struggles and knocked out Toronto starter Scott Downs, normally a reliever, with no outs in the third inning.
With the score 3-3 in the third and the bases loaded, Toronto reliever Vinnie Chulk struck out Corey Patterson looking at a 3-2 pitch to end the inning. The Orioles managed just two hits and no runs the next six innings against five Blue Jays relievers. Former Oriole B.J. Ryan came on in the eighth, needed just three pitches to get out of that inning and then worked a scoreless ninth for his 16th save.
"Their pen came in and did a good job," Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo said. "I'm not sure where that pitch was that struck out Corey, but that could've gotten us going."
Before last night, Lopez had a 3.25 ERA over the past four starts, all with Javy Lopez behind the plate. Perlozzo said after the game that one poor outing won't necessarily persuade him to end the pairing.
"Just because he didn't pitch as well today doesn't mean [anything]," Perlozzo said. "He's put five good ones together. We'll see how the schedule unfolds, but I thought Javy was doing as good as he's done every other time."
Alex Rios, Toronto's leadoff man, slammed Lopez's 3-2 fastball over the wall in left-center to open the bottom of the first, his second leadoff homer in three nights. The next batter, Frank Catalanotto, roped Lopez's changeup over the wall in right-center. It was the first time Toronto led off the game with back-to-back homers since Devon White and Roberto Alomar did it in 1991.
"I thought he started out throwing the ball the way I think he's been the last five starts," Perlozzo said. "[After] a couple home runs, I thought he got into overthrowing again. When you start overthrowing, you're going to miss and get hurt.
Lyle Overbay added an RBI single in the first, which ended with John Halama warming up and Lopez having thrown 38 pitches. Lopez rebounded in a flawless second, before leaving a slider over the plate that Wells hit for a leadoff homer in the third. Javy Lopez , who has been given some of the credit for Rodrigo's turnaround, indicated that the pitch was a microcosm of the pitcher's entire evening.
"I was expecting him to throw a slider low and away, but unfortunately he left the ball right there," said the Orioles' catcher. "It was like that pretty much throughout the game. I tried to get low and away and he was throwing middle in."
Lopez's final inning started with Luis Matos unable to pick up a fly ball by Gregg Zaun that the right fielder likely would not have caught even if he had followed it. Matos stood motionless, looking up at what Perlozzo called a "funny sky," as the ball bounced off the wall for a double.
The Orioles pitcher's frustration grew after allowing an RBI single to Catalanotto, prompting Lopez to have words with plate umpire Jerry Layne. Lopez thought he had the Blue Jay struck out on the 2-2 pitch. Wells made it 6-3 with an RBI double.
"[The pitch to Catalanotto] was the one that got me really upset, but again, the whole time he was not really giving me some of the pitches, and then I gave up runs," Lopez said. "I thought I got Rios in the first at-bat. The umpire wasn't consistent in the strike zone."
Lopez is 2-7 in 14 career games against Toronto with a 7.66 ERA, his worst mark and highest ERA against any American League opponent.
"I feel pretty good," he said. "I know that this was a bad night for me. I still have confidence in myself."
Copyright © 2006, The Baltimore Sun
Plus, we've got Gibby back on the DL. He was back for a bit, and then a couple of nights ago, found that his knee wasn't ready, and he's now back out again. Sucks.
Blue Jays 6, Orioles 3
Lopez battery loses its charge
O's starter yields 3 HRs in 1st loss since pairing
By Jeff Zrebiec
Sun Reporter
Originally published June 15, 2006
TORONTO // Orioles starter Rodrigo Lopez 's revival landed north of the border last night with a resounding thud, one loud line drive after another ripping off the Toronto Blue Jays' bats and his personal catcher, Javy Lopez , powerless to do anything about it.
The first two batters Lopez faced hit home runs and before his shortest outing of the season was finished, he would surrender an additional long ball, resorting to the mistake-prone pitcher that the Orioles saw for the first seven weeks of the season and didn't want to see again. Lopez allowed six runs and seven hits in his first loss since May 20, a 6-3 Toronto victory at Rogers Centre.
The club's Opening Day starter lasted just 3 2/3 innings in a defeat that sends the Orioles to a season-worst seven games under .500. They are 2-4 on their 10-game road trip.
"It was just one of those nights," said Lopez (4-8), who had won his previous three decisions after losing a career-high seven straight.
It was a particularly tough loss to digest for the Orioles (30-37), who had tied the game after Lopez's early struggles and knocked out Toronto starter Scott Downs, normally a reliever, with no outs in the third inning.
With the score 3-3 in the third and the bases loaded, Toronto reliever Vinnie Chulk struck out Corey Patterson looking at a 3-2 pitch to end the inning. The Orioles managed just two hits and no runs the next six innings against five Blue Jays relievers. Former Oriole B.J. Ryan came on in the eighth, needed just three pitches to get out of that inning and then worked a scoreless ninth for his 16th save.
"Their pen came in and did a good job," Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo said. "I'm not sure where that pitch was that struck out Corey, but that could've gotten us going."
Before last night, Lopez had a 3.25 ERA over the past four starts, all with Javy Lopez behind the plate. Perlozzo said after the game that one poor outing won't necessarily persuade him to end the pairing.
"Just because he didn't pitch as well today doesn't mean [anything]," Perlozzo said. "He's put five good ones together. We'll see how the schedule unfolds, but I thought Javy was doing as good as he's done every other time."
Alex Rios, Toronto's leadoff man, slammed Lopez's 3-2 fastball over the wall in left-center to open the bottom of the first, his second leadoff homer in three nights. The next batter, Frank Catalanotto, roped Lopez's changeup over the wall in right-center. It was the first time Toronto led off the game with back-to-back homers since Devon White and Roberto Alomar did it in 1991.
"I thought he started out throwing the ball the way I think he's been the last five starts," Perlozzo said. "[After] a couple home runs, I thought he got into overthrowing again. When you start overthrowing, you're going to miss and get hurt.
Lyle Overbay added an RBI single in the first, which ended with John Halama warming up and Lopez having thrown 38 pitches. Lopez rebounded in a flawless second, before leaving a slider over the plate that Wells hit for a leadoff homer in the third. Javy Lopez , who has been given some of the credit for Rodrigo's turnaround, indicated that the pitch was a microcosm of the pitcher's entire evening.
"I was expecting him to throw a slider low and away, but unfortunately he left the ball right there," said the Orioles' catcher. "It was like that pretty much throughout the game. I tried to get low and away and he was throwing middle in."
Lopez's final inning started with Luis Matos unable to pick up a fly ball by Gregg Zaun that the right fielder likely would not have caught even if he had followed it. Matos stood motionless, looking up at what Perlozzo called a "funny sky," as the ball bounced off the wall for a double.
The Orioles pitcher's frustration grew after allowing an RBI single to Catalanotto, prompting Lopez to have words with plate umpire Jerry Layne. Lopez thought he had the Blue Jay struck out on the 2-2 pitch. Wells made it 6-3 with an RBI double.
"[The pitch to Catalanotto] was the one that got me really upset, but again, the whole time he was not really giving me some of the pitches, and then I gave up runs," Lopez said. "I thought I got Rios in the first at-bat. The umpire wasn't consistent in the strike zone."
Lopez is 2-7 in 14 career games against Toronto with a 7.66 ERA, his worst mark and highest ERA against any American League opponent.
"I feel pretty good," he said. "I know that this was a bad night for me. I still have confidence in myself."
Copyright © 2006, The Baltimore Sun