The Magic Beats The Monkey...

Jeremy Guthrie finally got his first win of the season; the bullpen almost let it slip away.

Guthrie pitched well through seven innings, allowing two runs on just three hits. He walked two, while striking out six. He left the game with a 4-2 lead, and handed the game over to the 'pen.

For once, the O's offense was able to give Guthrie some run support. Nick Markakis, batting in the #2 spot for the first time this season, homered in the first to give the O's a 1-0 lead. He ended up going 2 for 4 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Mora, batting third instead of second, also contributed, going 2 for 3 with a walk and two RBIs.

It looks like Trembley's shake-up worked out; the two players he switched around ended up driving in all four of Baltimore's runs...

With the O's up 4-2 in the ninth, closer George Sherrill came into the game. He allowed back-to-back singles to start the inning, and the Angels had runners on the corners with none out. I'm sure Guthrie was getting nervous in the dugout. The next batter, Erick Aybar, grounded to Mora, who threw home. The umpire ruled that the runner beat the tag, and just like that, it was a 4-3 game with 2 on and none out. After a sacrifice bunt advanced both runners into scoring position, all seemed lost.

Then...a little more of that O's magic that we've been seeing on a regular basis this season. Sherrill induced a pop-up to first, and the runners had to stay put. After an intentional walk to load the bases, Sherrill got yet another pop-up to end the game; the O's won 4-3.

I just had to add this quote..."I was upset because the Rally Monkey always comes in the ninth inning," said Mora of the Angels' rally mascot. "I don't like the Rally Monkey. I don't know why he doesn't stay sleeping some days." (courtesy of MLB.com)

With Boston beating Tampa Bay earlier, the O's and Rays are tied for second in the A.L. East.

Note: Brian Roberts went 0 for 5 with two strikeouts, ending his hitting streak at 11 games.

(Photos courtesy of MLB.com)

Rays Take 2 of 3 from O's

The Orioles lost a close game to Tampa Bay this afternoon, 4-2, and fell to 3rd place in the A.L. East. Update: Boston lost, the O's are in 2nd place.

Collectively, the O's were just a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. Brian Roberts singled to lead-off the game, extending his hitting streak to eleven games. Aubrey Huff doubled in the fourth, followed by a 2-run shot off the bat of Adam Jones.

That was it; the O's bats were silent throughout the rest of the game.

The Rays were having a bit more success against Brian Burres. He left in the seventh inning with two on and one out. Both runners came around to score, and the Rays went up 4-2. Burres pitched well, allowing 4 runs (3 earned) through six innings, walking three while striking out six.

The O's went to rookie Bob McCrory to start the ninth, and compared to last night, he pitched well. McCrory's ERA was cut in half; it now stands at an even 54.00. He got one out in the inning, while walking two...Jim Johnson came on to record the final two outs.

The O's head to the West Coast to start a ten-game road trip, beginning Friday night against the Angels.

"I think the bats are going to start heating up on this road trip," Trembley said. "The weather's going to be tremendous, it's going to be big crowds, nice ballparks. We're going to have some early hitting sessions on the road." (courtesy of MLB.com)

Rays Spank O's

The Rays scored five times in the seventh inning against the O's bullpen, and won the second game of this series 8-1.

Spot-starter Matt Albers pitched six innings, allowing three runs off four hits. That proved to be all the runs the Rays would need, as the O's struggled offensively against Andy Sonnanstine, who pitched eight innings, while striking out five and allowing just one run.

In his first major league appearance, Bob McCrory,relieving Albers, saw his ERA rise from a perfect zero to a number most NFL quarterbacks would be proud of. Lasting only a third of an inning, McCrory's ERA is now at 108.00. He allowed four runs off two hits, while walking two batters. Sarfate came in to relieve him, and didn't fare much better.

It didn't matter, as the O's bats were unable to produce throughout the game. The 'pen could've held the Rays scoreless; without runs the final would've still showed that the Rays were the victors.

On the bright side, Jim Johnson pitched a scoreless ninth, and has now gone fourteen scoreless innings. The next time the O's need a spot-starter, Johnson should be the man on the mound.

(I'd like to apologize to my ONE faithful reader, Tim Moores. I just finished a paper, and wrote this just for you (it's 5 am). Tim, if you're at the game later today, send me a picture (a GOOD one) from your phone...I'll use it in my next post!)

(photos courtesy of MLB.com)

O's Snap Ray's Streak, Take First

Garrett Olson was able to shut down the Rays for over six innings, and the O's bats kept the visiting team from extending their season best six-game winning streak.

The Birds beat the Rays, 7-4, snapping their own 2-game losing streak. Olson was in command throughout the game. He walked five, while striking out six, and left after six and two-thirds, allowing only four hits.

Meanwhile, the O's were cruising, knocking the Ray's starting pitcher out in the third, and eventually taking a commanding 7-0 lead in the sixth. Nearly every player contributed; the big plays came from Ramon Hernandez, Melvin Mora, and another Huff homer against his former team. Adam Jones again had trouble at third base, tripping and falling before being tagged out at home (I still love the kid, and am relieved he wasn't hurt).

Olson ran into trouble more than once, but he was able to escape a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the third. After he got a groundout, Olson struck-out B.J. Upton to end the inning. He was lifted in the seventh, and Randor Bierd immediately allowed the inherited runner to score, and then gave up a 2-run shot to Upton. The Rays were back in it, with the score 7-4.

The score wouldn't change, and George Sherrill came in to save the game. No suprises this time, as Sherrill recorded his tenth save in eleven tries.

Boston ended up winning in the ninth, but the O's are still statistically in first. Matt Albers is scheduled to start against the Ray's Andy Sonnanstine tonight...

(photos courtesy of MLB.com)

Rain Finally Suspends Game after 11 Innings...

The O's played a wet and wild one in Chicago, and the game was finally called after 11 innings, with the score tied at 3.

The game was originally scheduled for 2 pm, but rain delayed the first pitch for just over two hours. Once the game finally started, both teams struggled to produce runs.


Aubrey Huff put the O's on the board first, slapping his fourth home run of the year (a solo shot)in the second inning.

Carlos Quentin evened the score in the sixth with a solo shot of his own off starter Daniel Cabrera. The Sox took a 2-1 lead in the seventh inning.

The O's battled back in the ninth. Brian Roberts led-off with a double off closer Bobby Jenks, and stole third. Mora's RBI single tied the game at 2. Jenks had blown only one other save this season, and it was against the O's.

Both teams had a chance to win it in the tenth, but base-running blunders at third kept the game tied. Adam Jones overran third and was called out trying to get back to the bag to end the O's half of the inning. After a lead-off double, Carlos Quentin was on third base with one out. The Sox tried a squeeze play, and Quentin was tagged out attempting to steal home.

After a scoreless tenth, Ramon Hernandez led-off the eleventh with a solo home run, and the O's took back the lead, going up 3-2. Closer George Sherrill came in to close the game, and had been perfect thus far, converting nine of nine save opportunities. Juan Uribe put an end to Sherrill's perfection, smashing a solo homer to lead-off the inning. Sherrill settled down and was able to keep the score tied at three heading into the twelfth.

With the infield covered in puddles, the game was finally called. The O's don't play the Sox again until the end of August (at Camden Yards), though they will be in Chicago again in June to face the Cubs. No date has been set to finish the game.

Update: the game has been scheduled to resume on Monday, August 25 at 6:05 at Camden Yards. After the game, the O's and Sox will start a 3-game series.

(photos courtesy of MLB.com)

Guthrie Still Winless; O's Offense Sputters

The final score of the game is a bit misleading. The O's fell to Chicago 6-1, but the game was tight until the sixth inning.

Guthrie pitched well, and if Paul Konerko had been on the bench, he may have gotten a win. Konerko had two solo shots off Guthrie, one in the second inning and one in the sixth. The rest of the team combined for three hits against Guthrie, striking out five times.

Konerko's first blast gave the home team a 1-0 lead, which Brian Roberts nullified with a solo shot of his own in the third. The game remained tied until the sixth, when Konerko went deep with a lead-off homer that gave Chicago a 2-1 lead. One hit later, Guthrie was pulled.

Albers came in to relieve him, and after a weird two error play, the Sox were up 4-1. They added two more runs in the eighth off Greg Aquino. Aquino walked the first three batters he faced, then coaxed a strikeout before hitting the next batter and forcing in a run. It was the worst relief performance I've seen this season.

Robert's home run proved to be the only scoring the O's could manage throughout the game. They managed only five hits, two from Roberts. The five through nine batters went 0 for 19.

The O's are now in a three-way tie for first, along with Boston and Tampa Bay. The final game in this series starts at 2 pm; Daniel Cabrera takes the mound looking for his third straight win...

(photos courtesy of MLB.com)

O's Magic Cursed in Ninth...

It seemed as if the O's were at it again...

The Birds had squandered an early 2-0 lead and were behind 5-2 when the comeback began. Millar's solo shot made it a 2-run game in the sixth. In the seventh, Roberts had an RBI triple followed by an RBI double from Mora that tied the game at five.

In the day game, the O's tacked on three runs in the ninth, which they didn't need. In the night game, late runs were desperately needed, and the O's fell short. They were able to load the bases with one out, and the number four and five hitters due up (Millar and Huff). Neither were able to get a ball out of the infield, and the O's left the bases loaded.

That proved costly, as the White Sox WERE able to convert with the bases loaded and two out in the bottom of the inning. Chicago won the game with a walk-off single from Brian Anderson. Though the bullpen blew the game, they were once again masterful. Trachsel lasted only three innings, allowing five runs (on five hits and five walks), but the 'pen held the Sox scoreless until the ninth.

After the game, Millar took credit for the loss.

"I had a chance to put us up there, and we battled to get the bases loaded," he said. "It's just disappointing to not get that run in. I take full credit for that. That's a bad at-bat in that situation. You have to find a way to get that run in. He made a good pitch, down and away, but in that situation you've got to remember that the pressure's on him. I let him off the hook by going up there and swinging at an 0-0 pitch that wasn't my pitch. I couldn't do much with that pitch." (courtesy of MLB.com)

The magic was there, but the O's just couldn't hang on. They're now 7-2 in one-run games. Boston lost, as did Toronto and New York, so the O's maintained their possession of first place. I'll be logging the next two games at Channel 2; I'll keep you posted as the magic happens...

O! by the way...Bedard's back...