Regretfully, I don't have time for a longer recap of yesterday's 4-1 win over the Rays. Jeremy Guthrie was dominant, and that's all you really need to know. Jim Johnson had a bit of a hiccup, giving up a solo home run in the 9th to Ben Zobrist, but then retired Johnny Damon, Evan Longoria, and Manny Ramirez to end the game. It's ok. No one knows who the closer is, anyway.
The new-look offense looked...well, kind of the same. Markakis and Roberts knocked in the runs, Vlad did contribute a single, and J.J. Hardy had a first good game as an O. To the team's credit, at first it looked like they would be completely overmatched David Price, but they hung in there and got enough runs for Guts to get the win.
Other than Guts' great performance, the big news is that Zach Britton is being called up to take Brian Matusz's place in the rotation as Matusz goes on the DL with a back injury. While this unfortunately starts the service time clock earlier than anyone not named Zach Britton would have liked, hopefully if he is the star he's projected to be, the O's will be able to get a long-term deal worked out, anyway. But let's not get too far ahead of ourselves, say the ghosts of Matt Riley, Kurt Ainsworth, Eric Dubose, the Professor, and Maryann.
Tonight, Chris Tillman takes on James "Don't Call Me Jamie Anymore, You Jerks" Shields in another pitching matchup that favors the Rays on paper. I'll be watching via cell phone as I pull my "Undercover Orioles Fan" routine from the Phillies game. My baseball thoughts, as always, will be with the black and orange -- You don't need Cliff Lee when you have DERREK LEE.
Let's go O's!
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