The O's game was rained out today, and ended the sweep of the Red Sox to only 2 games. Though it was only two games, they were filled with excitement.
Bruce Chen held the Sox to only 3 runs in 7 innings after being slammed in the prior meeting by allowing 5 runs on April 20th. This game was a rematch of David Wells and Chen; this time the O's line-up gave Bruce Chen the advantage with 7 runs of support. Everyone but Rafeal Palmeiro and Geronimo Gil had a hit in this game, and B.J. Surhoff hit his first homer of the year. Though it barely cleared the low wall in right field, it counted for two runs. For this reason, the Orioles keep players like Surhoff, who can hit off of left handers. Roberts continued his hot streak by hitting 3 out of 5 appearances at the plate. Roberts also added to his RBI count by knocking in 2 runs.
The second game shows why teams should fear the Orioles this year. They were down big two different times in the second game of the series. Before the first pitch was thrown, the match up of Rodrigo Lopez and Matt Clement looked like another pitching duo. Both pitchers didn't allow one run in their previous games against each other. Clement won off of an un-earned run on the 21st of April against the O's. This game had none of that. Within the first 4 innings, both pitchers gave up 11 runs combined, the Red Sox being up 8-3. Manny Ramirez had 5 RBIs during that time, 2 off of a single and 3 off of a homer. In the second inning, the Sox sent 10 players to the plate and Lopez lasted only 3.1 innings. To everyone, including me, this looked like vintage O's of the last 7 years. Have a good start, and let the wheels fall off midway through April. But the Orioles didn't give up. They kept on pecking away at the lead with a lot of 2 out RBI hits. The O's unofficial team captain started the comeback off in the 5 inning by doubling. Former Cubs strike out king, Slammin' Sammy Sosa singled after falling behind in the count and picked up an RBI with Tejada scoring. I don't see how Sammy was a cancer to the Cubs, he has had nothing but upside so far in an O's uniform. To Continue...after Palmerio lined out, Javy Lopez singed and Gibbons reached on a fielders choice with Lopez getting thrown out. With two outs, the fun started for the O's. Matos singled to bring in Sosa. Is anyone doubting the O's staying with Matos now? Let me give you his numbers thus far... 1 HR, .339 batting average, 12 RBIs, and 7 stolen bases. This is the Orioles #8 batter. And what does the Orioles #9 batter do? All Larry Bigbie does is hit a double down the left field line to bring in Gibbons and Matos and pull within 1 run of the Red Sox. Knowing the heart of the order is coming up for the O's, Terry Francona brings in Keith Foulke an inning early. BAD MOVE TERRY. Mora doubles to lead off the 8th inning, and then luck shines on Tejada. On what seemed to be a fair ball down the left foul line, the umpire calls it foul. The next pitch Miguel Tejada jacks over the green monster. THE ORIOLES HAVE THE LEAD. But are they done, not by a Javy long shot. Palmerio singles to get on base, and Javy Lopez steps up to the plate. Lopez jacks the second 2 run homer of the 8th inning to give the O's a 3 run lead. That was all she wrote when Jorge Julio and B.J. Ryan shut down the Red Sox for the next two innings. Actually, once Rodrigo Lopez leaves the game, not one more run was scored by the Sox. Steve Reed and Steve Kline finally pitched like they were brought to Baltimore to do. The Steve brothers each pitched 1.1 innings of shut out ball. This was one of the best comebacks from the O's in a very long time.
Player of the Series- Miguel Tejada, 5 hits in 11 at bats, 3 RBIs, 1 HR, and 2 runs scored
Posted by helimech24 at April 27, 2005 08:11 PM | TrackBackJust wanted to let everyone know that Miguel Tejada has personally designed a lunchbox as part of the Lunchbox Auction. The Lunchbox Auction is an online auction on ebay.com with more than 100 celebrity-designed lunchboxes up for auction to raise money to help end childhood hunger in NYC and South Africa. Log onto www.thelunchboxauction.org for more info!
Posted by: Annie at November 8, 2005 04:52 PM