Nanner
09-05-2006, 09:01 AM
Okay, so R-Lo pitches a fine game, and the offense can't come up with anything. Granted, I guess Weaver also pitched a fine game, but.......come on! :Pissed:
Angels 1, Orioles 0
Angels blank O's, Lopez in opener
Starter fights for spot in rotation with 1-run outing, but rookie Weaver, bullpen allow none as O's miss chances
By Jeff Zrebiec
Sun Reporter
Originally published September 5, 2006
ANAHEIM, Calif. // Two of their runners were caught stealing, they couldn't score with men on first and third and one out in the fifth inning, and then couldn't bring home a runner in scoring position with less than two outs in the sixth.
Against a team that still has playoff aspirations, the Orioles simply can't afford to turn up their noses at such luxuries. Rodrigo Lopez pitched one of his best games of the season, but he got zero support as the Orioles were beaten by the Los Angeles Angels, 1-0, before 38,217 last night at Angel Stadium of Anaheim.
Rookie Jered Weaver pitched seven shutout innings, extending his scoreless streak to 14 innings against the Orioles (61-76). Scot Shields threw a perfect eighth and closer Frankie Rodriguez finished it off by getting Jay Gibbons to ground out with Miguel Tejada on first for his 39th save. The Angels prevailed despite not getting a hit after the fourth inning.
"I didn't think it was going to be a 1-0 game," Lopez said. "I felt great, but you have to give credit to Weaver. He pitched a [heck] of a game."
Lopez received his major league-leading 15th defeat, but he clearly deserved a better fate. Pitching with perhaps his spot in the rotation on the line, Lopez (9-15) held the Angels to one run and five hits over seven innings.
His lone blemish was Adam Kennedy's two-out RBI single in the fourth inning, which stood up as the winning run only because the Orioles were unable to get a big hit when they needed one.
"They took advantage of the chances they got in that inning," Lopez said. "I think I made a good pitch. I was trying to pitch around Kennedy. The ball was down, but wasn't down enough."
Weaver's best escape came in the fifth when the Orioles had runners on the corners with one out. Ramon Hernandez swung at the young right-hander's first pitch and bounced into an inning-ending double play.
Even when Weaver (10-2) gift-wrapped the Orioles an opportunity, they couldn't take advantage. His throwing error on a pickoff attempt of Brandon Fahey in the sixth moved Fahey to second with one out. But Melvin Mora flied to center and Nick Markakis bounced to first to end the inning.
"We didn't have enough opportunities," Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo said. "The one we had, we didn't take advantage of. That happens."
The Orioles got the leadoff man on in the third (David Newhan ) and seventh (Tejada), but both were caught stealing. Perlozzo said Tejada, who has six steals, took off on his own because Weaver was slow to the plate.
"Actually, I had [Weaver] timed very high on that," Perlozzo said. "I think [Tejada] just got his wheels spinning. I don't think he took a direct path. When I looked up, I saw him take off in his first couple steps like the ground may have given out on him a little bit. That's a decent gamble at that point. ... He's picked some good times to go in the past and been successful."
For a while now, Lopez's spot in the rotation has been tenuous. However, despite leading the American League in hits and earned runs and losses, Lopez keeps getting the ball each time his turn comes up.
In some cases, he has gotten lucky because the Orioles simply hadn't had other options. But the recent promotion of prized prospect Hayden Penn gives the club six starters. Perlozzo has been content to go with a six-man rotation for now, but he has made it known that will likely change after Thursday's day off.
Lopez, who is 5-2 over his career against the Angels, would be the obvious candidate to be sent to the bullpen, so last night's start certainly didn't hurt his cause. The Angels loaded the bases with one out in the second inning, bringing catcher Mike Napoli to the plate. Lopez fell behind early before striking Napoli out looking at an inside fastball. He then got Chone Figgins into a hard groundout to get out of the inning.
The Orioles had seen Weaver before. The 23-year-old right-hander made his major league debut against them, allowing just three hits and one walk over seven scoreless innings. Weaver won his first seven starts and his first nine decisions, becoming the first AL rookie pitcher to do the latter since the New York Yankees' Whitey Ford did it in 1950.
Unlike back in late May, the Orioles did at least take a couple of good swings off Weaver early. Leading off the game, Brian Roberts hung tough for an 11-pitch at-bat that included seven foul balls, before the second baseman flied out to the warning track in right-center. Two batters later, Markakis hammered Weaver's pitch to deep center field, but Figgins made a leaping catch at the wall, denying Markakis of what would have been at least a double.
"Usually, in this ballpark, the ball jumps early in the game," Perlozzo said. "We were kind of surprised that the ball didn't go out, too. He just didn't quite get it all."
Copyright © 2006, The Baltimore Sun
Angels 1, Orioles 0
Angels blank O's, Lopez in opener
Starter fights for spot in rotation with 1-run outing, but rookie Weaver, bullpen allow none as O's miss chances
By Jeff Zrebiec
Sun Reporter
Originally published September 5, 2006
ANAHEIM, Calif. // Two of their runners were caught stealing, they couldn't score with men on first and third and one out in the fifth inning, and then couldn't bring home a runner in scoring position with less than two outs in the sixth.
Against a team that still has playoff aspirations, the Orioles simply can't afford to turn up their noses at such luxuries. Rodrigo Lopez pitched one of his best games of the season, but he got zero support as the Orioles were beaten by the Los Angeles Angels, 1-0, before 38,217 last night at Angel Stadium of Anaheim.
Rookie Jered Weaver pitched seven shutout innings, extending his scoreless streak to 14 innings against the Orioles (61-76). Scot Shields threw a perfect eighth and closer Frankie Rodriguez finished it off by getting Jay Gibbons to ground out with Miguel Tejada on first for his 39th save. The Angels prevailed despite not getting a hit after the fourth inning.
"I didn't think it was going to be a 1-0 game," Lopez said. "I felt great, but you have to give credit to Weaver. He pitched a [heck] of a game."
Lopez received his major league-leading 15th defeat, but he clearly deserved a better fate. Pitching with perhaps his spot in the rotation on the line, Lopez (9-15) held the Angels to one run and five hits over seven innings.
His lone blemish was Adam Kennedy's two-out RBI single in the fourth inning, which stood up as the winning run only because the Orioles were unable to get a big hit when they needed one.
"They took advantage of the chances they got in that inning," Lopez said. "I think I made a good pitch. I was trying to pitch around Kennedy. The ball was down, but wasn't down enough."
Weaver's best escape came in the fifth when the Orioles had runners on the corners with one out. Ramon Hernandez swung at the young right-hander's first pitch and bounced into an inning-ending double play.
Even when Weaver (10-2) gift-wrapped the Orioles an opportunity, they couldn't take advantage. His throwing error on a pickoff attempt of Brandon Fahey in the sixth moved Fahey to second with one out. But Melvin Mora flied to center and Nick Markakis bounced to first to end the inning.
"We didn't have enough opportunities," Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo said. "The one we had, we didn't take advantage of. That happens."
The Orioles got the leadoff man on in the third (David Newhan ) and seventh (Tejada), but both were caught stealing. Perlozzo said Tejada, who has six steals, took off on his own because Weaver was slow to the plate.
"Actually, I had [Weaver] timed very high on that," Perlozzo said. "I think [Tejada] just got his wheels spinning. I don't think he took a direct path. When I looked up, I saw him take off in his first couple steps like the ground may have given out on him a little bit. That's a decent gamble at that point. ... He's picked some good times to go in the past and been successful."
For a while now, Lopez's spot in the rotation has been tenuous. However, despite leading the American League in hits and earned runs and losses, Lopez keeps getting the ball each time his turn comes up.
In some cases, he has gotten lucky because the Orioles simply hadn't had other options. But the recent promotion of prized prospect Hayden Penn gives the club six starters. Perlozzo has been content to go with a six-man rotation for now, but he has made it known that will likely change after Thursday's day off.
Lopez, who is 5-2 over his career against the Angels, would be the obvious candidate to be sent to the bullpen, so last night's start certainly didn't hurt his cause. The Angels loaded the bases with one out in the second inning, bringing catcher Mike Napoli to the plate. Lopez fell behind early before striking Napoli out looking at an inside fastball. He then got Chone Figgins into a hard groundout to get out of the inning.
The Orioles had seen Weaver before. The 23-year-old right-hander made his major league debut against them, allowing just three hits and one walk over seven scoreless innings. Weaver won his first seven starts and his first nine decisions, becoming the first AL rookie pitcher to do the latter since the New York Yankees' Whitey Ford did it in 1950.
Unlike back in late May, the Orioles did at least take a couple of good swings off Weaver early. Leading off the game, Brian Roberts hung tough for an 11-pitch at-bat that included seven foul balls, before the second baseman flied out to the warning track in right-center. Two batters later, Markakis hammered Weaver's pitch to deep center field, but Figgins made a leaping catch at the wall, denying Markakis of what would have been at least a double.
"Usually, in this ballpark, the ball jumps early in the game," Perlozzo said. "We were kind of surprised that the ball didn't go out, too. He just didn't quite get it all."
Copyright © 2006, The Baltimore Sun