A month ago, the last team the Orioles would want to see on their schedule going 3-3 on a disappointing road trip was the defending World Series champion Chicago White Sox.
Chicago, however, has struggled since the All-Star break and is now fighting just to stay alive in the playoff picture. That along with emerging ace Erik Bedard on the mound should have proved to be the right combination.
Unfortunately for Baltimore, no one told first baseman Ross Gload, who hit a grand slam in the top of the ninth off closer Chris Ray as the White Sox rallied to beat the Orioles, 6-4, in front of 35,382 fans at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Gload, who came in for an injured Paul Konerko in the sixth inning, belted the ninth grand slam given up by Oriole pitchers this year, tying the club record set in 2000.
Chicago?s rally ruined Bedard?s chance to win his eighth straight start as he gave up two runs on eight hits, struck out seven and walked two over eight innings.
Orioles manager Sam Pelozzo was hoping his team would build on its recent two-game winning streak.
“[We] keep battling and the guys keep responding, and staying resilient,” Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo said before the game. “We know we have a tough schedule ahead of us and I believe in these guys. I think if we get just a couple of things to go our way, we can play well the rest of the way.”
Miguel Tejada provided much of the Orioles offense Friday as he connected on RBI doubles in the first and third innings. Brian Roberts added a homer in the third and Kevin Millar drove in a run with a double in the fourth.
The rest of the series could be interesting for Baltimore as it sends rookie James Johnson to the mound today while giving Bruce Chen the start Sunday. The Orioles made the moves because they moved Russ Ortiz to the bullpen and Sunday?s original scheduled starter Kris Benson is suffering from elbow tendonitis.
Johnson is 9-5 with a 4.13 ERA at Double-A Bowie, including his last start Monday when he gave up one run and struck out four over eight innings in a 10-1 win over the Connecticut Defenders. Chen, who spent the first two months of the season in the rotation, is 0-6 with a 7.09 ERA.
Perlozzo said the club went with Johnson because it was his turn to pitch Saturday at Bowie. They want Hayden Penn and Daniel Cabrera to have at least one more start at Triple-A Ottawa while hoping to get Ortiz some success out of the bullpen.
“We?ll give Jimmy a shot and see what he can do,” Perlozzo said.
Johnson knew Thursday night that he might get the call and said he feels he will be up for the challenge of making his major league debut against the world champions.
“Whatever happens will happen,” said Johnson Thursday in Bowie. “That will be a good measuring stick for me.”
