First, a struggling starting pitcher...Adam Loewen stunk. He couldn't make it through three innings, and he left with the O's trailing 5-0. Looks like Trembley's 'tough love' isn't working on him...
Next, no clutch hits from the O's...the bats were silent until the fourth, when a solo-shot off the bat of Jay Payton gave the O's their first run. The team had continuously stranded runners, but started to slowly chip away at the Mariner's lead.
Then, a change in momentum... down 5-3 in the seventh, the O's scored four times off the M's bullpen, the biggest hit a 2-out, 2-strike, 2-run double by former Mariner Adam Jones, giving the O's a 7-5 lead.
Add in some drama... Trembley elected to go to Jamie Walker with one on and no outs in the bottom of the seventh. Big mistake. Walker gave up a 2-run shot to Ichiro Suzuki, and just like that, the game was tied.
Finally, an incredible ending...leading-off the eighth, Brian Roberts knocked a solo home run to right, and the O's took the lead for good. Sherrill came in to close it out, and again gave up a lead-off single. He was able to get Ichiro to ground into a double-play, and ended up recording his eighth save in as many attempts, five of them coming against Seattle.
All-in-all, this was the most inspiring comeback I've seen from the O's this season, and they've had a couple. The team kept battling, never giving up. They're now 7-1 in one run games...read that again; let that sink in. Last season the O's were 13-31 in that situation. The bullpen has won seven games this season, leading the American League. What a difference a year can make.
Boston and New York lost, and the O's are in second place, just a game behind the Red Sox!
(photos courtesy of MLB.com)
No comments:
Post a Comment