After dropping a few games, the Baltimore Orioles needed a win last night at Progressive Field in Cleveland. Starter Chris Bassit walked a tightrope throughout his outing, but remained clean in the runs box. Bassit’s line: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 2 K.
Bassit pitched himself into a few jams, namely loading the bases. But he also pitched out of those jams. The same was true on the other side as well. The Birds were able to put runners on, just not get them in. They would square balls up and hit them hard, but they would either be right at someone or the fielder would make the play of his life to get to it.
The O’s loaded the bases again in the last of the seventh, with the final runner being out on by an intentional walk. Grant Wolfram entered the game, and immediately struck out a hitter for the second out. But the Birds couldn’t walk the tightrope again, as Wolfram surrendered a grand slam to Schneeman, and the O’s trailed 4-0.
After dangling by a thread the entire game, it appeared that the O’s wouid fall to their fourth straight loss. But baseball can be funny. Especially when there’s still an inning or two left.
The Orioles turned around and loaded the bases in the eighth with nobody out. This on two walks and a hitter batsman. Jonathan Rodriguez’s sac fly-RBI cut the lead to 4-1. Following a walk, Weston Wilson slugged the O’s back into the game with a two-RBI double, cutting the lead to 4-3.
That in and of itself was something, right? In a tie game if you give up a late grand slam, you probably feel like it’s over. Not this team. Jeremiah Jackson came to the plate with two runners still on in the eighth. And…
…his three-run homer propelled the Orioles into the lead. In the sequence of events leading to Cleveland’s grand slam, Jackson’s error helped to load the bases. I’d say he more than made up for it.
Cleveland went relatively quietly after that.. And how could they not?! They had their moment. Then it was the Orioles’ turn. And behind a mammoth shot by Jeremiah Jackson, they seized their opportunity.
The series continues this evening at Progressive Field. Dean Kremer gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Cleveland’s Gavin Williams. Game time is set for just after 6 PM.
Birdland Crush 