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Hot-Hitting Orioles Shoot for Sweep Against Rangers
The Baltimore Orioles have come out swinging since the All-Star break, and their offense is on fire. With two high-scoring wins against the Texas Rangers already in the bag, the Orioles are looking to wrap up a three-game sweep in Sunday’s series finale in Arlington.
Orioles’ Offensive Surge
Post-Break Performance
The Orioles have been red-hot at the plate since returning from the All-Star break. They’ve scored nine runs on Friday and another eight on Saturday. This is a huge turnaround from their pre-break performance, where they managed just 16 runs over the last seven games, going 2-5 during that stretch.
Key Players:
- Jordan Westburg: Westburg hit a three-run homer in Saturday’s game, bouncing back after going 0-for-15 with seven strikeouts over four games.
- Cedric Mullins and Ryan O’Hearn: Both homered on Saturday, adding to the Orioles’ impressive seven home runs in the series so far.
- Anthony Santander: Santander has been on fire, racking up four hits and six RBIs in the first two games of the series.
Orioles’ Team Stats
The Orioles have collected 23 hits and 10 walks over the first two games, putting them on the brink of their sixth series sweep of the season. Baltimore boasts the best record in the American League at 60-38, just two wins shy of the Philadelphia Phillies for the best in baseball.
Rangers’ Struggles
Recent Performance
The Rangers have hit a rough patch post-All-Star break, slipping six games behind the first-place Houston Astros in the AL West and 7.5 games out of the final wild-card spot.
Key Players:
- Leody Taveras and Nathaniel Lowe: Both have two hits each in the series, but the team as a whole has struggled, striking out 13 times on Saturday and 10 times on Friday.
Pitching Matchup
Baltimore Orioles
Dean Kremer (4-5, 4.38 ERA):
- Recent Starts: Kremer has had mixed results since returning from a right triceps strain, posting a 4.61 ERA over his last three outings.
- Last Outing: Against the New York Yankees, Kremer allowed two runs on four hits and two walks over 4 2/3 innings.
- Career vs. Rangers: Kremer is 0-1 with a 5.17 ERA in three regular-season starts against Texas.
Texas Rangers
Andrew Heaney (3-10, 3.79 ERA):
- Career vs. Orioles: Heaney has a 3-3 record with a 6.69 ERA in eight appearances (seven starts) against Baltimore.
- Season Highlights: Heaney struck out a season-high 10 batters over seven innings in a win against Baltimore on June 30.
- Last Outing: Heaney allowed three runs (two earned) in five innings in a loss to the Houston Astros on July 12.
Manager’s Insights
Rangers manager Bruce Bochy knows the challenge his team faces: “They have some talent over there. They hit a lot of balls out of the ballpark, which we’ve seen the last couple days… You gotta play your best, pitch your best and score some runs to beat this club. They’re tough.”
Game Implications
The Orioles are looking to keep their offensive momentum rolling and complete the sweep against the Rangers. For Texas, avoiding a sweep and improving their post-break performance is critical as they aim to stay in the wild-card race.
Conclusion
With their bats blazing, the Baltimore Orioles aim to sweep the Texas Rangers and solidify their lead in the AL. Key performances from Jordan Westburg, Cedric Mullins, and Ryan O’Hearn have been crucial. The pitching duel between Dean Kremer and Andrew Heaney will be key in deciding the outcome of this series finale.
