Baltimore Orioles-LA Angels: Does Bad Pitching Beat Bad Hitting?

Scott Kazmir's 6.33 ERA and 8-11 record this season is not satisfactory, but compared to the most losses in baseball by Baltimore's Kevin Millwood (2-14, 5.63 ERA). 

The bats for the Angels have been inconsistent at best.  Four of the top 10 Angels batters are not everyday players, including the injured Kendry Morales, who hit 33 RBI last August. On paper, Kevin Millwood might provide the opportunity to improve their fortune.

Perhaps LA Laker Kobe Bryant's daughter, after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch, could have stayed on the mound and made a considerable start on Saturday night.

No such luck as the Orioles and Angels entered the game without a starting batter in the lineup hitting .300 for either team.  A first pitch strike by Scott Kazmir was an immediate improvement of last Monday's first pitch home run from BJ Upton.

Julio Lugo did get a lead-off hit against Kazmir and advanced to second on a wild pitch. A double play and gold glove-type play by Torii Hunter in right to save a home run ended the top of the first inning. 

Both pitchers beat their paper records to begin the game, finishing two innings scoreless in less than 30 minutes.

Lugo was thrown out stealing in the third by catcher Bobby Wilson in the third inning to bring up the Angels again having their first six batters retired in order by Millwood. A hustling double by speed demon Peter Bourjos gave the Angels their first hit.

Surprisingly, a pitching duel emerged through the fourth inning though Torii Hunter did hit his 30th double of the season.

Four scoreless innings until Josh Bell knocked his third home run of the season to make it 1-0 Orioles.

The Angels put runners on the corners with a hit and run by Bobby Wilson but failed to bring in a run on a Peter Bourjas double play.

The Orioles steal home on a Kazmir effort to cover first base and the Angels fell down again, 3-0 Orioles. The sixth inning trouble Kazmir's control and command. Izturis blooped his third hit of the night with an RBI single to increase the lead to 4-0 and bump Kazmir off the mound.

Another poor offensive night led the Angels to another attempted comeback in the latter third of the game. Bourjos failed again with two outs to advance runners at the corners, as the Angels scored just one run in the previous 18 innings.

Scot Shields gave up an RBI hit from Tatum and the game became a 5-0 Orioles lead.

A dim light shines for the remainder of the 2010 series unless the Angels start winning games and catch wild fire against the Texas Rangers in their seven head-to-head matchups.

Sunday provides another opportunity to get something going at home for the Angels. Angels on Air with Jeff Biggs and Jason Brennan begins at 11:30 AM on AM 830, first pitch at 12:35.