Andrew Miller tries to bounce back from his worst outing of the season Wednesday when the Boston Red Sox wrap up a three-game set with the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.
Red Sox send Miller
Red Sox send Miller
Red Sox send Miller
Miller had been terrific for Boston through his first four appearances, but was roughed up by the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday in his first start out of the break, as he allowed seven runs, five hits and walked five batters in just 2 2/3 innings.
"I just fell behind in some counts and a lot of deep counts, a lot of 3-2 counts," said Miller, who fell to 3-1 on the year and saw his earned run average swell more than two runs to 5.68. "I have to do a better job of attacking the zone instead of trying to hit the corners the whole time. I felt good coming in. I just went out there and didn't do a very good job."
Although Miller recorded just eight outs, he labored through 85 pitches and failed to register a strikeout for the second straight start.
"The walks really hurt," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "The strike-to- ball ratio, I don't think was horrible, but when he threw his balls, they were all bunched together. It was just a tough way to pitch. His pitch count was so high. It was kind of obvious that something was not going right."
Miller had beaten the Orioles in his previous outing, surrendering three runs and six hits in five innings. He is 1-0 in two starts against them with a 3.00 ERA.
While the sample size isn't much for most of the Orioles, Mark Reynolds is one player who has given Miller fits, going 4-for-7 against him three RBI.
Miller should have plenty of support behind him, as heading into action on Tuesday, the Red Sox had plated 63 runs over their last eight games, while swatting 20 home runs in that same span. Their 64 home runs on the road this season are also a major league-high
The Red Sox, whose 12-2 mark in July is tied with Texas for the best in baseball, also lead the league during the month in runs (98), runs per game (7.00), RBI (94), homers (26), walks (71) and OBP (.374), and rank second in doubles (tied, 34), triples (tied, 4), SLG (.519), OPS (.893), extra-base hits (64) and total bases (262).
Baltimore witnessed first hand just how potent the Red Sox can be on Monday when the team erupted for 15 runs, eight of which came in the eighth inning.
Hoping to slow down that attack on Wednesday for the Orioles will be right- hander Jake Arrieta, who is 9-6 on the year, but has been awful of late. Arrieta was roughed up on Friday by Cleveland to the tune of five runs and eight hits in five innings, but escaped with a no-decision.
In losing three of his last four decisions, Arrieta has pitched to a 6.92 ERA.
"Each time I go out I'm trying to win a game for the team, and not being able to do that in my last three or four starts, it is not a good feeling," Arrieta said. "Pile that on top of the way that things have been going overall collectively as a team, it doesn't feel great."
Arrieta absorbed the loss against Miller and the Red Sox on July 7, allowing five runs (four earned) and six hits in 4 1/3 frames. He is 0-1 lifetime versus Boston with a 6.75 ERA in two starts.
While Baltimore may be struggling, it can't fault Nick Markakis of late. Heading into action on Tuesday he had hit safely in 11 straight and 32 of his last 34 games.
Boston will once again be without slugger David Ortiz and Baltimore will try to get by without closer Kevin Gregg, as the two sit out the final game of their three-game suspensions on Wednesday for their part in the wild weekend at Fenway Park before the All-Star break.
With their victory in the opener of this series, the Red Sox have now beaten the Orioles seven straight times and have won 10 of the last 14 encounters.
