This was sheer and total domination. Erik Bedard was two pitches away from a perfect game.
He gave up no walks, struck out FIFTEEN Rangers, and gave up just two hits. Both of them were immediately wiped out via double plays, so Bedard faced the minimum 27 batters through the complete game.
I was at the park, and I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed with my own eyes a better pitched game by anyone. That was quite amazing – we had nothing the whole night.
Thing is Brandon McCarthy was not bad, either. Other than one mistake ball which was a solo home run, he was quite good. His overall line was 6 innings, 4 hits, 1 earned run, 2 walks. The O’s scored another run on his ledger, but it was a throwing error by Gerald Laird. McCarthy’s problem was pitch count. Too many pitches – he had to come out. But it’s hard to fault a guy who gives up just one earned run in six innings.
If McCarthy pitches like this for the rest of the year, I’d say he’ll end up with a bunch of wins. But man, you gotta give this one to Erik Bedard.
Given Mark Teixeira’s “fun talks in a year and a half with Baltimore” quote that’s been going around lately, I say send him to Baltimore for Bedard straight up. I’d do it right now.