Saturday, August 16, 2008

O's Tame Tigers

The Orioles bats were at it again last night, as they defeated the Detroit Tigers 11-2 in the first game of a three game series.

The entire lineup has been contributing this past week, and this time it was Melvin Mora's time to shine. Mora fell a double shy of the cycle and went 3 for 4 with a walk and four RBIs. Of the O's 14 hits, eight went for extra bases...

Just like the game before, the Birds broke a close game wide open in the final innings...they scored six runs in the ninth inning to take an insurmountable lead...

O's rookie starter Chris Waters was lifted with two on and two out in the fifth...he fell just an out shy from picking up his second Major League win...he allowed two runs off eight hits...

The Birds have now won three straight and are one win away from a winning road trip...Dennis Sarfate takes the mound later tonight, and Garrett Olson is slated to start on Sunday...

Friday, August 15, 2008

Eight-run Eighth Lifts O's

Sorry no Internet connection! I'm writing this on my fiancé's I-Phone ...I'll have a new modem soon...I'll be posting from her house until then...the O's won 11-6...

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Guthrie Dominates Former Team

Jeremy Guthrie's strong start helped the O's snap a three-game slide and propelled them to a 6-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians.

Guthrie (10-8) pitched seven strong innings, holding Cleveland to just one run. He allowed four hits, walked one and struck out four.

The O's got on the board in the second inning when Aubrey Huff led-off with his 25th home run of the season. The Birds went on to take a 2-0 lead, and entered the ninth inning up 2-1.

The Birds added four insurance runs in the top of the inning, and George Sherrill closed out the game...

Daniel Cabrera (8-7) takes the mound tonight...the Birds need a victory to split the four-game series.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Poor Pitching + Shoddy Defense = Loss

The Orioles lost their third straight game last night, falling to the Cleveland Indians 7-5.

O's starter Garrett Olson was handed a 2-0 lead, but allowed four runs in the bottom of the first to swing the momentum in Cleveland's favor...the O's commited four errors in the first four innings...

The Birds battled back, as usual, and eventually the game was knotted at five...Olson lasted six innings and took a no-decision.

Reliever Jim Johnson pitched a scoreless seventh but unraveled in the eighth, allowing two runs and leaving with the bases loaded and two outs...

Once again, the O's bats rallied but the bullpen couldn't hold on...seems like the same old story...

The Birds send Jeremy Guthrie to the mound later tonight...the bullpen must be elated...

Guthrie and Daniel Cabrera are the only two starters that seem capable of pitching deep at this point in the season, and Guthrie is the most reliable of the two...

The O's are now six games under .500 and are still dead last in the division...

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

O's Pitching Woes Continue

Poor starting pitching and a lack of relief hurt the O's for the second straight game, as the Birds fell to the Cleveland Indians 13-8 last night.

Dennis Sarfate allowed five runs in the first two innings, and left in the fifth...he's now pitched a total of 11 innings in three starts...impressive!

The Birds battled back and eventually tied the game at seven after Nick Markakis' 3-run triple. The Orioles took an 8-7 lead but the bullpen once again faltered and allowed the Indians to storm back and take the lead in the bottom of the inning...Rocky Cherry took the loss, allowing three runs...Jamie Walker gave up three runs off four hits (two of them home runs).

Markakis went hitless Sunday but went 3 for 5 with the doubles, a triple and four RBIs against Cleveland...Aubrey Huff extended his hitting streak with a homer and Brian Roberts extended his streak with a 2-run single...

Regardless, the Birds can score runs but can't seem to keep pace with a struggling pitching staff...the Birds are once again five games under .500 and in dead last in the division. They send Garrett Olson to the mound later tonight...

Monday, August 11, 2008

A Sunday Sweep? Not Likely...

The O's couldn't sweep the Rangers on Sunday, as they were pummeled 15-7.

Chris Waters, fresh off a 1-hitter against the Angels, allowed six runs in four innings. He took a no-decision, as the Birds' bats stayed hot and kept the game in reach.

Aubrey Huff's home run in the fourth gave the O's a brief 6-5 lead, but the O's bullpen looked ridiculous in the fifth, giving up six runs...

Closer George Sherrill worked the ninth and gave up a 3-run bomb, and although the Birds scored once in the bottom of the inning, it wasn't nearly enough...

It seems clear that the starters need to pitch into the seventh or the bullpen will blow it...and if it's a Sunday game...?

Dennis Sarfate starts later tonight in Cleveland...

Sunday, August 10, 2008

O's Shut Out Rangers in Blowout

The Orioles crushed the Texas Rangers for the second consecutive night, cruising to a 9-0 victory.

Daniel Cabrera pitched six scoreless innings, allowing just four hits. Cabrera (8-7) walked three and struck out three. Things looked scary in the first; Cabrera had the bases loaded with one out but escaped the jam...he was dominant until the sixth, when he again loaded the bases (on one hit and two walks with two outs) before inducing a ground ball to end the threat.

The bullpen went three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit. Rocky Cherry's return looked promising: it took him just seven pitches to retire three batters...

The offense sizzled again...the Birds have scored nine runs in each of their last two games, outscoring the Rangers 18-1. Nick Markakis put the game away early with a three-run bomb, and Melvin Mora sealed it later with a two-run shot. Markakis finished with three RBIs, Mora with four. Brian Roberts and Kevin Millar drove in the O's remaining runs...

The Orioles once again have a chance to sweep on a Sunday...I'll be there to cheer on Chris Waters in his second Major League start...hope it goes as well as the last one!

(photos courtesy of MLB.com)