Orioles starter Garrett Olson had little idea where each pitch would wind up Sunday afternoon at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Luckily for the rookie left-hander, the Chicago White Sox had no clue, either.
In just his second career start, Olson ultimately looked like a seasoned veteran, holding Chicago to just two solo home runs in five innings to power the Orioles to a 5-3 victory on a sun-soaked afternoon in front of a crowd of 29,382.
“He looked better,” manager Dave Trembley said of his rookie starter. “He wasn?t walking all around the mound like he was in Chicago [July 4]. He was more compact with his delivery and he had a better plan.”
The Orioles (41-50) gave Olson (1-0) all he would need by scoring four runs in the first three innings before Chicago?s Jermaine Dye led off the fourth inning by blasting a home run over the left field fence.
“Anytime I can go out there in any situation I can learn something,” Olson said. “Being out there in front of professional hitters means I?m going to get better.”
With two outs in the bottom of the first, Nick Markakis singled up the middle before promptly stealing second base. White Sox starter Jose Contreras (5-11) walked Kevin Millar before making his first big mistake, giving up Aubrey Huff?s two-run double off the top of the right field scoreboard.
Two innings later, All-star second baseman Brian Roberts triggered the Orioles attack by driving the ball over the right-center field bleachers. Corey Patterson followed with a single and a stolen base before scoring on a double by Markakis off the center field fence.
Two innings later, Patterson bounced a drive off the right field foul pole for a home run, giving the Orioles a 5-1 lead.
The first five hitters in the Orioles? lineup combined for 8 hits, 5 runs and 5 RBIs, as Baltimore concluded its first series after the All-Star break by taking three of four from the struggling White Sox (40-50). Now, Baltimore?s next six games are on the road, beginning with tonight?s game in Seattle at 10:05. After their three game-series against the Mariners, the Orioles head to Oakland for a three-game set starting on Friday.
Dye?s second home run cut the lead to 5-2 in the sixth, resulting in Olson?s exit. Paul Shuey relieved Olson and retired the side in the sixth without allowing any further damage, but was unable to complete theseventh.
Tadahito Iguchi?s double off Shuey scored Toby Hall from second before manager Dave Trembley brought Chad Bradford in from the bullpen. After Bradford induced a fly out by Jim Thome, Trembley turned to Danys Baez, who got Paul Konerko to fly out to left field.
Baez successfully worked through the side in the eighth inning before giving way to closer Chris Ray. After allowing a groundball single to pinch hitter Alex Cintron up the middle beyond the outstretched glove of Roberts to begin the top of the ninth, Ray struck out Hall and Jerry Owens before getting Iguchi to ground out to end the game.
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