/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46327510/usa-today-8563669.0.jpg)
I love when we win big over other AL East teams. The 3 errors made by the Orioles adds to the fun. So much time is spent telling us about the great O's defense, but they seem to have their troubles against us.
This was the second start in a row that Mark Buehrle was pulled surprisingly early. This time after 6 excellent innings, just 78 pitches, and a 4 run lead. This is the type of game that you would expect 8 innings out of Mark. A good part of his value is that he eats innings. Pitching with a big lead is something that he's good at.
Obviously his denial that he was pitching with 'aches and pains' was a bit of an overstatement. Gibby wouldn't be taking him out early if he was healthy. Anyway, hurting or not, he's had two very good start in a row. If a rather iffy Manny Machado ground ball had been called foul, he might have made it through his 6 innings without allowing a run.
In 2013, Mark started slow and turned things around in May. Maybe it is happening again. If not maybe we can keep scoring 8.6 runs a game for him.
We got another look at how the 'defined roles' for the bullpen are going to work. Yesterday, even though we were up by 4 runs, Gibby brought Roberto Osuna in to pitch the 7th. And then, up by 8 runs, Aaron Loup pitched the 8th (though that one is partly because Loup hadn't pitched since last Friday). I think this is the way we will go with almost any lead, unless the two of them have been used two days in a row. Brett Lawrie Cecil (when am I going to stop doing that?) would have pitched the 9th, but we were up by 8. I'm not sure what the cut off lead is to bring Cecil in, likely 3 runs since that makes it a save.
Edwin Encarnacion is great. His stats since May 1, .333/.447/.667.
Course Jose Bautista isn't bad either, May numbers .314/.429/.514.