Baltimore Orioles Examiner

Fast Times

The Rangers put a run on the board in each of the first two innings with Michael Young and Josh Hamilton earning RBIs.  Brian Burres worked his way out of a bases loaded situation in the first, but he looked shaky, giving up some fly balls that were a slight breeze away from getting out of the park. 

The Orioles scored three runs in the first inning, with Brian Roberts, Jay Payton, and Nick Markakis jumping on pitches early in the pitch count and getting on base to start the inning.  Markakis doubled in Payton and Roberts and Melvin Mora brought Markakis home on a sacrifice fly.  The Orioles were up 3-2 early on.

Fielding Highlights and Bloopers

Burres got some defensive help from third baseman Melvin Mora in the fifth inning.  Mora jumped to his left to nab the first out of the inning, and dove to his right to grab the last.  The Rangers were retired in five pitches.

Things didn’t go as smoothly in the sixth inning.  Burres had two out and none on after striking out Rangers catcher Jared Saltalamacchiala-ti-da, who left in the middle of his at bat due to a physical ailment.  Backup catcher Max Ramirez took one swinging strike to complete the K.  The Orioles then had a chance to escape the inning, but Jay Payton bobbled the ball out of his glove and off his chest. I can’t make fun of Payton too badly for this one because I averaged one bobbled catch per game…in beer league kickball.  Those who can’t do write.

In a questionable move, Burres was removed from the game after Payton’s bobble.  Reliever Lance Cormier then served a two run home run to Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler, thus erasing a potential W for Burres.  The Rangers led 4-3 after six innings.

The O’s squandered an opportunity to tie it up in the seventh inning, when Aubrey Huff grounded out with Roberts on third and Markakis on first. 

Minor League Shuffle

Orioles reliever Greg Aquino, who was sent to Norfolk for a few months after opening the year with the big league squad, loaded the bases without recording an out in the eighth.  Aquino then returned to the dugout, got on his cell, and told recently demoted RP Ryan Bukvich not to rent out his room.

Dennis Sarfate entered and induced a double play in which a run crossed the plate.  Sarfate struck out Josh Hamilton to minimize the damage, only allowing the Rangers to add one run to their lead. 

Sarfate got an easy 1,2, 3 inning in the ninth as well.  Unfortunately, Brandon Fahey, Roberts, and Payton went down in the same fashion to end the game. 

Despite being two games over .500, the Orioles are now 10 games behind Southeast powerhouse Tampa Bay.  Tomorrow’s game against Texas will be a rubber match. 

Lucky 13?

Do the Orioles have a chance to win the series tomorrow?  Recent history would suggest not.  Despite defying low preseason expectations, the Orioles have been underperforming on the Sabbath.  The birds have dropped twelve Sunday matinees in a row.

In an effort to bring fans to the ballpark for the last game of the current homestand, the Orioles are running a unique promotion for this Sunday’s game.  If the Orioles beat the Rangers this Sunday, fans will get a free ticket to a nonprime home game later this year. 

This is a win-win for the O’s front office, who will get a few extra fans in the seats this weekend.  If the Orioles manage to snap the Sunday curse, the Orioles will have a few more hometown fans in the seats for those Monday night Blue Jays type games.  If I were you, though, wouldn’t count on winning the twofer tomorrow.  For whatever reason, these Sunday games have been brutal. 

Score: 3 -5 Rangers

Next Game:  vs Rangers 1:35pm.  Liz (3-0, 5.46 ERA) vs. Millwood (5-4, 4.90 ERA)

Record: 44-42, 10GB