The Baltimore Orioles Record-Setting Season
While a Baltimore Orioles record-setting season sounds like a good thing, the 2019 season has not been pleasant. Team records, like being on pace to give up the most home runs in a single season by a wide margin, and individual records, like Chris Davis‘s historical slump, have been the main talking point surrounding the team. These are just two of the many examples of records this rebuilding team has broken or is on pace to break. However, through all the bad, the Orioles managed to set a fascinating record this season.
The Orioles Record-Setting Games
June 28 and June 29, 2019, the Orioles played two games unlike any others during the 2019 season. Everything seemed to click perfectly, especially for a rebuilding club. Led by young stars Chance Sisco and Anthony Santander, who went a combined 12 for 18 with four home runs and 12 runs batted in, the Orioles won back-to-back games and their first series for the first time in about two months. This is the team that has only won 22 games before the back-to-back 13-0 victories.
In addition to the phenomenal performances at the plate, the entire series featured lights-out performances on the mound. The pitching staff gave up only two runs in 27 innings. Sensational rookie and All-Star pitcher John Means took the mound in the first game, going five innings and only giving up one hit. Means lowered his ERA to 2.50 after this start. Veteran Andrew Cashner followed Means in the second game, hurling seven scoreless innings while surrendering three hits. Gabriel Ynoa took the mound in game three, going 5 1/3 innings and only surrendering one run.
We did not record an error in today's contest.#RallyTogether pic.twitter.com/ryPWhh0cgW
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) June 30, 2019
The Record
This was the first time in Major League Baseball history that a team won back-to-back shutout games while scoring 13 or more runs. While the Orioles haven’t had many issues scoring runs this season, the biggest surprise in the record is the back-to-back shutouts. This is a team that, before June 28th, only had recorded one shutout all season. Even the Cleveland Indians‘ official twitter took notice to history being made.
The Future
For a team that had just had the number one pick in the draft to show this much potential in young players like Sisco, Santander, and Means is a hopeful sign. While this season may be one many fans are looking to put in the rear view mirror, there are bright signs for the future. Games like this are the perfect example of that. They give fans something to hold onto. Games like this give fans hope for the future. These young players are proving to be a solid core to build on.
The Jerseys
In completely unrelated news, the Orioles wore a Maryland Flag jersey on Saturday. These were probably one of this author’s favorite jerseys. The team sported these as a part of their “Maryland Day” promotion. The game-issued jerseys are currently being auctioned off, with proceeds going to the Orioles Reach Foundation.
Let's not forget about those jerseys! 😍 pic.twitter.com/I3i85uOoVE
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) June 30, 2019
Main Photo
Embed from Getty Images
