O's: Rich runs out of gas
Rich Hill ran his pitch count up in a hurry and lost the strike zone in the fourth inning, allowing the Toronto Blue Jays to snap out of their weeklong offensive slump to score six times and break open the game. Looks like the Orioles will come up empty for the fifth time this year when they've had an opportunity to sweep a three-game series.
It didn't look good at the outset, with Roy Halladay on the mound for the Blue Jays, but Luke Scott kept hope alive for awhile when he gave the Orioles the lead with a two-run homer in the second. Hill retired the Jays in order in the third, but could not get out of the fourth. He lasted 3 1/3 and gave up seven runs (six earned) on six hits and walked three. He threw 73 pitches, of which just 43 were strikes.
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Comments
Mr. Schmuck,
Did it look like hill just had a bad day, or is reverting back to last year's form?
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Pete's reply: No, he walked three and they haunted him. He also made a fielding error. But he wasn't totally out of control.
Posted by: Tyler | May 27, 2009 4:22 PM
To that first commenter, I was listening, not watching, but I'd have to agree with Pete's comment. He didn't sound terribly bad, but he couldn't locate, and he couldn't get ahead in the count. Also, the home plate umpire hasn't exactly been consistent according to Fred Manfra and Joe Angel. However, given the success of the Orioles bullpen and Roy Halladay, I don't think all of this can be blamed on the umpire. He didn't get ahead, and got hit when he fell behind.
Posted by: Michael | May 27, 2009 4:50 PM
Pete,
He looked pretty out of control to me. The fastball was sometimes on the black; sometimes waay out of the zone. The curve was more consistent. There was 2 innings where he looked good and had good command. There was one inning where it seemed like he got 3 flyball outs on 3 pitches. Then there was 2 innings where the leadoff runner got on and he lost it. It seems like when he's got runners on, his sidestep really messes up his shoulder angle and command.
Posted by: Basemonkey | May 27, 2009 6:36 PM
Hill had a rough day. Thats all. Get over it people! He will rebound and be ok...2 W's out of every 3 sounds good to me...
Posted by: jongermany | May 28, 2009 2:33 PM
Hill was being squeezed out of the strike zone by the umpire who had set up in a position where he couldn't see the inside strike to the righthand Jays' hitters. Conversely, he was in perfect position to witness Halladay's outside strike to the righties and inside slider to the lefties.
Posted by: Jay Peterson | May 28, 2009 3:43 PM