Jake Arrieta, Nick Markakis help Baltimore Orioles humiliate Tampa Bay Rays 7-0 - MLB Update
With some exceptional pitching of starter Jake Arrieta and brilliant hitting from the batters, the American League’s Baltimore Orioles managed to crush Tampa Bay Rays in the first outing of the three-game series at Oriole Park on Friday, June 10.
The 25-year-old pitcher tossed a two-hitter seven innings in which he allowed just three walks and struck-out four batters to achieve his eighth game of the season. With this win, the right-hand pitcher improved his win-loss record to 8-3 with a 4.48 ERA
in 14 starts.
"You know you haven't given up a hit," Arrieta said. "I've had a few outings like that, where you don't give up a hit until the fifth or sixth and you sit there and think what if? What if tonight is the night? But you don't really let that get to you."
Arrieta received back up from his relievers and batters. Reliever Koji Uehara allowed only one hit and struck-out one batter over his one inning spell. He tossed ten strikes of eleven pitches and managed his ERA to 2.28. Closer Mike Gonzalez allowed two
walks and struck-out one batter over one inning to confirm his club their 30th win in the 2011 season.
Short-stop James Jerry Hardy led the game with a dazzling one-run homer off the Rays’ starter Jeremy Hellickson in the first inning. Then in the second inning, Nick Markakis launched a devastating grand slam against Hellickson for four runs and the Orioles
acquired a 5-0 lead.
"There's still a lot more hard work to come," Markakis said. "I'm feeling better, but I still don't feel like I'm where I need to be. I'm just going to keep plugging away."
Despite allowing two homers, Hellickson managed to stretch his spell to just over five innings without allowing further runs and struck-out two batters but still lost his fourth game of the season. Reliever Adam Russell did not give any run over the next
inning.
"I just made a really bad pitch, and he made me pay for it," Hellickson said. "It was the only pitch I was upset with -- and it's the biggest pitch of the game."
The game was already in the Orioles’ favour when Nick Markakis again came into action, this time he blistered a fast grounder off closer Andy Sonnanstine for an RBI double and the Orioles cemented another win.
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