The Baltimore Orioles have started getting the kind of pitching they need — from the starters and the bullpen.
They’ll see if they can find it again in the second game of their series with the visiting Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night.
John Means (4-3) threw seven solid innings for Baltimore in Monday’s 4-1 victory over the Red Sox, who had won three of four over the weekend against the White Sox. Means gave up one run and shut down the powerful Red Sox lineup, often using his changeup that has baffled and befuddled most hitters this season.
This comes right after Dylan Bundy threw 7 1/3 shutout innings in his Saturday start against the American League East-leading Tampa Bay Rays — a 3-0 Baltimore win. The series finale was washed out on Sunday, so that gives the Orioles their two top starts of the season back-to-back.
Bundy and Means combined to give up just one run in 14 1/3 innings as the Orioles have won two in a row while getting solid work from their bullpen. Closer Mychal Givens has saves in his last four appearances, including each of Baltimore’s last two games.
The Orioles are also showing some power. Jonathan Villar hit an early grand slam that gave them all their offense on Monday. During this current franchise rebuild, manager Brandon Hyde said the Orioles simply want to see consistency from their team.
“What we’re looking for from our younger players is to not only have results but (for them) to improve over the course of the year,” Hyde said.
The Orioles’ bullpen could be getting some help in the next few weeks as left-hander Richard Bleier is starting rehab work recovering from shoulder surgery. He tried to pitch earlier in the season and struggled, but told MLB.com that he’ll probably need about five outings to be ready for the majors again.
David Hess (1-4, 5.34) will start for the Orioles against Hector Velazquez (0-2, 3.72), who has been used more as an opener for Boston so far. Hess has an 0-3 career record plus an 8.56 ERA versus the Red Sox — all starts.
Velazquez is 1-1 with a 2.87 ERA against the Orioles in seven games, three of which were starts.
The Red Sox put starter David Price on the 10-day injured list Monday, retroactive to last Friday, due to left elbow tendinitis. Price told the team’s website that he doesn’t expect much of a problem in a quick return and isn’t nearly as bad as the troubles he experienced in 2017 that held him to just 16 outings.
“It’s bothering me right now so we’re just going to take a little bit of time,” Price told the website. “It’s nothing I haven’t dealt with before, and it’s nowhere near anything I’ve had since I’ve been here. This is nothing.”
Velazquez actually will take Price’s spot when he starts. Ryan Weber was called up to replace Price on the roster and gave the Red Sox solid work Monday night.
The right-hander came on in relief and threw four shutout innings Monday, giving up three hits and striking out four while giving the Boston bullpen a bit of a break.
The Red Sox could not do much on offense in Monday’s loss. They finished with only three hits after scoring 30 runs in the previous three games of their series with the White Sox.
Boston has been rounding into form lately after its slow start having won six of eight, but the Red Sox did little against Means on Monday. The Red Sox usually hit well at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, and they’re hoping to find that form again in the final two games of the series.