Bob Haynie: Orioles Struggling With RISP During Three-Game Skid
The Baltimore Orioles went into their interleague series against the New York Mets with a .317 team batting average with runners in scoring position. That impressive mark was the best in the American League, at the time.
Thursday night's 4-3 loss to the Yankees was the team's third-straight during their six-game road trip through Citi Field and Yankee Stadium. It was also the third consecutive game in which the Birds have failed to get it done with RISP.
Over the course of the three-game slide, the Orioles are just 2-for-16 with RISP. They have stranded 21 base runners and have struck out 28 times. Baltimore has tallied just six runs so far in New York.
Chris Davis struck out four times against the Yankees in Thursday's series opener in the Bronx. It is the third time in 2015 that Davis has earned himself the notorious Golden Sombrero. Heading into Friday night's game, Davis has K'd seven times in his last eight at-bats and has whiffed 44 times in 25 games.
Despite all of the strikeouts, Davis is hitting .306 with four HR's and 11 RBI's over his last 10 games. Contact to damage, as manager Buck Showalter likes to say.
Over their next three games, the Orioles will face Yankee starters (RH) Adam Warren, (RH) Chase Whitley and (RH) Michael Pineda. Hopefully, the Baltimore bats will make some noise in the clutch and get the offense rolling before they come home to Camden Yards next week to face the Blue Jays, Angels and Mariners.
