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Orioles' Bundy faces Athletics with three-game winning streak (Aug 12, 2017)
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Baltimore Orioles right-hander Dylan Bundy made some personal history Monday in his last start, a 6-2 victory against the Los Angeles Angels.
Bundy had double-digit strikeouts for the first time in his major league career, in his 36th start and 60th appearance. Bundy struck out 10 and, for the third time this season, walked none. He allowed two runs and five hits over seven innings to win his third straight decision.
Bundy will try to match his season-high winning streak Saturday night against the Oakland Athletics at the Oakland Coliseum in the third game in a four-game series that's tied 1-1.
Bundy gave much of the credit for his double-digit strikeouts to a heavy dose of quality sliders.
"I think it was probably mostly the slider," Bundy said before the A's 5-4 comeback win Friday night. "And then also the four-seam (fastball) playing up, throwing it higher in the zone on occasion, made the slider play even better."
In his past four starts, Bundy is 3-0 with a 3.42 ERA, 23 strikeouts and five walks over 26 1/3 innings. He allowed four home runs during that four-start stretch and 22 for the season, but only one over his past two games.
Bundy is 11-8 with a 4.15 ERA and 22 starts and will start against Oakland for the first time in his career. He pitched two scoreless innings in relief against the A's at Camden Yards.
"I feel great., healthy," Bundy said. "Body feels great, arm's great. Just trying to learn every single day as much as I can and get better every start out."
A's left-hander Sean Manaea (8-6, 4.15) will try to snap out of a two-game skid when he makes his 25th start and 26th appearance of the season. In his past two starts against San Francisco and the Angels, he' s 0-1 with a 9.95 ERA, three walks, two strikeouts and three home runs in 6 1/3 innings.
Manaea lasted three innings against the Giants and 3 1/3 against the Angels. In his previous 14 starts, Manaea pitched at least five innings every time.
"He wants to perform a little better than he has the last couple times out, but he's pretty unique as a younger guy," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "It never really looks like he's frantic about anything. He's always pretty calm and exudes that out on the mound, too.
"It's all about working to get back to where he was a couple weeks ago. And given the extra day (of rest) I think will help too."
Manaea will pitch off five days rest instead of his typical four.
"You can get a little tired," Melvin said after Manaea's last start in Anaheim. "The (velocity) is not as high as it's been all year. He feels fine. The innings are starting to mount. It's just a tough patch for him."
Manaea has thrown 144 2/3 innings, matching his total for the A's last year in his first big-league season. He has yet to face the Orioles in his career.
The Orioles blew a 4-3 eighth inning lead Friday night and fell two games below .500 at 57-59. They trail Minnesota by two games for the second wild-card spot in the American League. If they had defeated the A's, who are in last place in the AL West, the Orioles would be just one game behind the Twins.
