The Baltimore Orioles we’re hoping to get a decent outing out of Jorge Lopez last night against Miami. Unfortunately that didn’t happen. Lopez was ineffective, but ultimately if was just one of those strange type of games that had a little bit of everything. Lopez’s line: 2.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 2 K.
Lopez spotted Miami a 5-0 lead. Never a good recipe for victory. However early on we also saw that the O’s weren’t going to go quietly into the night. Pedro Severino got the O’s back in the game in one fatal swoop, with a three-run homer in the last of the second.
Trey Mancini smacked a solo shot an inning later. That was followed by an RBI-double later in the inning by Ramon Urias. And in case you’re not keeping track at home, Urias’ RBI-double tied the game at five. Again, putting the Miami Marlins and anyone watching on notice that this game was going to be a dog fight.
However Miami would take the lead right back. They loaded the bases in the fourth, and Anderson was hit by a pitch. Diaz would proceed to ground out, scoring a run on a fielder’s choice. This of course forcing the Birds to once again play from behind.
It was the Orioles’ turn to put traffic on the base paths in the eighth. And Pedro Severino’s RBI-groundout got them to within 7-6. Maikel Franco’s RBI-single subsequently tied the game back up at seven.
So to the last of the ninth we went with the score knotted at seven. The Birds immediately loaded the bases, bringing Ryan McKenna to the plate with a chance to walk Miami off. McKenna worked the count full, forcing Miami to throw a strike – which they couldn’t do. McKenna walked, and in doing so walked in the winning run. On a walk off walk, the Orioles had an 8-7 victory.
This is the type of win that shows the character of this team. Would they have won this game last year or two seasons ago? Probably not. But while it’s only one game, I would submit that it shows guys are coming together and starting to gel as a team. Trey Mancini addressed this after the game:
We’ve been in the fight until the end in basically every single game, and I’m so proud of the way the guys have been playing. It’s just been a different feeling, I’d say, this second half, just a different energy and it’s been really, really fun to be a part of.
Quote courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports
The O’s now head to Detroit to open a four-game set at Comerica Park. Alexander Wells gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Detroit’s Casey Mize. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.
Birdland Crush 