Orioles Get K's, Rockies Score KO
Spilborghs's 6 RBI Spark Colorado: Rockies 6, Orioles 1

By Steve Yanda
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, June 11, 2007

BALTIMORE, June 10 -- Let's face it: Strikeouts are the sexy stat for pitchers. They provide the bring 'em up, sit 'em down bravado that is supposed to signal their dominance over the opposing lineup.

So after Erik Bedard registered five through three innings, it appeared as though only a high pitch count might keep the Orioles from a quality performance from their starting pitcher.

Then right fielder Ryan Spilborghs came to bat for the Rockies in the top of the fourth.

Two hours, two home runs and six RBI later, Spilborghs had staked Colorado to a 6-1 win Sunday. His three-run home run in the top of the seventh put the game out of reach.

After the second inning Manager Sam Perlozzo said he asked pitching coach Leo Mazzone about his pitch count. And Mazzone said: "Don't worry. He'll catch up."

"It just never happened," Perlozzo said.

Bedard has won one game in his last 10 starts. Some of those results were due to poor relief pitching, but others, such as the one Sunday, were because for all the strikeouts he'd pile up, he'd also give up hits in bunches.

So while Bedard struck out eight batters in five innings, he also allowed nine hits and walked three. That's a lot of base runners to work around, a treacherous spot in which to be, as Baltimore's starting pitcher demonstrated. "I threw strikes, and they fouled off a lot of pitches," Bedard said. "They hit me."

Spilborghs launched a 2-0 offering over the fence in left-center to lead off the fourth, a 410-foot shot that was his first home run of the season.

After Matt Holliday singled and center fielder Freddie Bynum misplayed a Todd Helton fly ball in the fifth, Spilborghs became an annoyance to the Orioles yet again when he slapped a two-out, two-run single into right field.

"A lot of those hits were bloops, so you've got to tip your hat" to Colorado, reliever Scott Williamson said. "They put the bat on the ball, and they let things happen for them. They didn't go up there and get double after double and lacing balls everywhere. They had a couple of good, hard hits, but I think Bedard pitched better than what showed."

Mazzone made a brief trip to the mound before allowing Bedard to continue the inning. He walked Jeff Baker before inducing Yorvit Torrealba into a pop fly to left field.

Williamson took over for Bedard in the sixth and retired the side in order. He handed the ball over to John Parrish after walking Holliday to lead off the seventh. Parrish gave up a single to Helton before allowing the three-run shot from Spilborghs.

Had you asked him before the game, Perlozzo might have predicted a solid outing from his starting pitcher and insufficient support from his batters. And who would have questioned him? That has been the way things have gone for the Orioles lately.

"We're getting great pitching, and we're wasting it a lot of times because we can't score," Perlozzo said before the game.

Well, his formula was half-correct, just not the half for which he would have hoped. The Orioles managed just five hits Sunday.

"We've been patient, and we've been impatient," Perlozzo said. "It seems like when we're patient, we're hitting it pretty well, and on the nights when we decide to go out and let it fly, we end up getting ourselves in a hole."

Shortstop Miguel Tejada put the Orioles in promising position to lead off the bottom of the second. His single eluded a diving Helton on its way to right field. Designated hitter Aubrey Huff then laced an RBI double down the left field line.

After first baseman Kevin Millar walked, the Orioles had men on first and second with no outs before left fielder Jay Payton grounded into a double play. An infield pop-up by third baseman Chris Gomez ended the inning.

The Orioles did not have a base runner after a two-out single by Paul Bako in the fifth.

Rockies starting pitcher Jason Hirsh, who won for the first time in nine starts, threw a complete game, allowing one run, five hits and one walk. He struck out just one batter.

On the other hand, four Orioles pitchers combined to strike out 14 batters, but the 14 hits they gave up did them in.

Not sexy. Not sexy at all.