It might be premature to write that a match-up between Michael Pineda and Brian Matusz is a look into the future -- in five years it might be like looking back at a Gustavo Chacin/Joe Blanton match-up -- but they’re certainly two of the best young pitchers in the American League right now. Matusz is the classic lefty, a pitcher who relies on location and keeping the other team off balance. Pineda is the archetype of what a flame-throwing right-hander should be: the hardest fastball in the league, a devastating slider, and plus command.
Orioles Vs. Mariners: Adam Jones Spoils, Contributes To Pitchers’ Duel
Michael Pineda and Brian Matusz each allowed a single run, and Adam Jones made the difference with his glove and bat as the Orioles won, 2-1.
Add in that the Orioles and Mariners are two of the lowest-scoring teams in the American League, and you can understand why Vegas set the over/under for runs in Wednesday’s game at "no." The only thing that hampered the possibility of a pitchers’ duel was that Matusz was in his first start coming back after a side injury, and he wouldn’t be allowed to go deep in the game. But still the duel didn’t disappoint. Matusz allowed one run in 5-2/3 inings, and Pineda allowed one run in seven innings. The Orioles won 2-1 at Safeco Field, salvaging a game in the series, but they had to do their decisive damage against the bullpen.
Matusz’s fastball averaged 87 MPH, a little down from where he usually is, and he wasn’t able to place it exactly where he wanted it like he usually does; understandable, considering it was his first start of the season. The Mariners' only run came when Miguel Olivo singled, tagged up on a fly ball to center, and scored on a Jack Wilson single in the second inning.
Pineda acheived similar results with different methods, touching 97 MPH with his fastball, and using his slider as his strikeout pitch. He induced a missed swing on over a third of the sliders he threw. The only mistake he made came in the top of the second, as he left a slider up in the zone for J.J. Hardy, who hit a solo home run to left.
Pitch counts got both pitchers out of the game, with Matusz throwing 84 pitches and Pineda throwing a career-high 106. But it was fun while it lasted.
With Jamey Wright in the game for the Mariners in the eighth inning, Adam Jones hit an upper-deck home run down the left-field line top put the Orioles on top for good. In the fourth inning, Jones made an over-the-shoulder catch in center field that was reminiscent of Willie Mays in ‘54, except this one garnered fence-crashing style points. It was an impressive catch and an impressive home run, and it was a reminder that the magnanimous Mariners didn’t want to be a bunch of showoffs and have Shin-Soo Choo, Jones, and Ichiro Suzuki in the same outfield.
Koji Uehara and Kevin Gregg locked down the final two innings for Baltimore, with both recording a strikeout while throwing a perfect inning.
The Orioles head home to host the Toronto Blue Jays, while the Mariners open a home series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday.
For more on the Orioles and Mariners, please visit Camden Chat and Lookout Landing.
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