The middle innings have always been where the Orioles bullpen distinguished itself, with the caliber of arms deployed when a game could unravel starting an innings-long sequence of keeping it close for the offense to come through.
Twice this week at Chicago’s Guaranteed Rate Field, most recently in Thursday’s clunker of a 5-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox, the lack of those bridge pieces — and manager Buck Showalter’s lack of faith in the ones he has — crushed the Orioles.
Showalter stuck with Chris Tillman even after he loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth inning, and watched a tie game turn into a 5-1 deficit after Tillman allowed a two-run single and reliever Jimmy Yacabonis allowed two more of the veteran starter’s run to score on three walks and a sacrifice fly.