Gausman shines again, Young delivers the goods

Kevin Gausman wants to stay with the big club. Taken as the fourth overall pick and number one selection by the O's in the 2012 draft (first year players), there have always been sky high hopes for the rangy Gausman. He came to the organization after a stellar career at college baseball powerhouse LSU. He seems to be maturing as a professional pitcher at just 23. Last night Gausman threw six strong innings and got the win as the O's beat Toronto 4-2.

Kevin Gausman

Gausman was making his second big league start in less than a week after being recalled from Norfolk. He allowed just one run to a Toronto Blue Jays team that came into the series with a 4.5 game lead in the AL East.

The good news is the Gausman success against the Oakland A's on Saturday night was somewhat contagious to most of the O's starting rotation. After a forgettable debacle by Ubaldo Jimenez on Sunday, the O's starters have allowed all of 3 runs in their last four outings.

Buck Showalter went to the head-to-head historical stat book and inserted pesky Delmon Young in the lineup last night to face Jays ace Mark Buehrle. The move paid off immediately. After a leadoff single by Nick Markakis in the first, Young smashed a homerun off of the Toronto lefty to stake the O's to an early 2-0 lead. Caleb Joseph's RBI double in the second would be all the runs the O's needed to claw to within 3.5 games of the Jays.

O's first baseman Chris Davis continues to show signs of getting his "hit the ball where it is pitched" stroke back despite an 0-4 night. He is still missing pitches he hit hard last year but the uppercut seems to be disappearing.


Delmon Young

Any lingering questions about what Tommy Hunter's role would be in a save situation where answered last night when Zac Britton got the call in the 9th from Buck Showalter and delivered his sixth save with yet another barrage of sinking two-seam fastballs to Jays hitters. His ERA is now a microscopic .78.

Just  17,403 showed up for the matchup between first and second place teams at Camden Yards. The O's have been disappointing at home this year, particularly their big guns. However, if they continue to pitch like they have the last four nights, they have a good chance to overtake the Jays in short order. If they do the crowds are sure to swell.

The performance pressure shifts to Ubaldo Jimenez tonight. Jimenez has been, at best, very inconsistent this season. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that Buck Showalter is reassessing his starting rotation options in the wake of the two consecutive dominating outings by Kevin Gausman and several subpar outings by Jimenez.