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O's walk off with win in 10th on Jones hit, 6-5
Live Game Blog: Follow the action with the latest news, analysis, commentary and even minor league updates at Steve Melewski's Game Blog.
O's score two in the last of the 9th to tie the game and force extra innings. Brian Roberts hit an RBI double to bring the Birds within 5-4 and a Melvin Mora RBI single tied it at 5-5. An Adam Jones RBI single to left wins it, 6-5, in ten innings.
ORIOLES WALK OFF WIN !!!!
An Adam Jones RBI single in the last of the tenth gave the O's a 6-5 walk off win. Boone Logan walked the first two hitters in the 10th and one out later, Jones ripped his single into the left-field corner. The O's had scored two in the 9th to tie it, 5-5.
It was a comeback win as the O's were down 5-2 heading to the last of the 8th.
In that inning, with two outs and none on, Kevin Millar struck out, but the catcher had to throw to first to complete the out and AJ Pierznski's throw pulled Paul Konerko off the bag and Millar was safe. The next hitter, Luke Scott ripped an RBI double to make it 5-3.
The O's faced closer Bobby Jenks in the 9th and he faced Brian Roberts with two outs, a man on second and with a 5-3 lead. Roberts doubled to right and the O's were within one, at 5-4. The next hitter, Melvin Mora singled to center and the game was tied at 5.
George Sherrill pitched a scoreless tenth, setting the stage for the O's win.
The Birds are now 2-2 on this homestand, 9-7 on the season and 5-1 in one-run games.
The Orioles host the Yankees for three games starting Friday at 7:05pm.
POST-GAME NEWS AND NOTES
LATE OFFENSE
The Orioles had no runs and one hit thru the 5th. To that point, they had scored just one run in 14 innings in this series. But, in innings six thru ten, they picked up 6 runs on 7 hits. Still, that's only 8 hits for the game and no Oriole had more than one hit.
THANKS SOX
This was a White Sox-aided, O's win. The first three O's runs were unearned. And, in the 10th, Boone Logan set the stage for an O's win walking Millar and Scott to lead off the frame.
SLOWING THE SOX
The White Sox entered with a 9-5 record, the best in the AL. They had won 9 of their last 12 games and were 37-23 vs. the O's since 2000.
NINTH INNING MAGIC
Last season, the O's were 4-87 when trailing after eight innings. Now they are 2-7 in those games this year.
TOUGH LUCK FOR GAVIN
Facing his hometown team, Gavin Floyd pitched plenty well enough to win, but didn't. In six frames he gave up just two hits and two runs that were unearned. When the Sox homered twice in the 7th, he was the pitcher of record to get a win. But the O's comeback dashed that.
Floyd, who allowed a Nick Markakis two-run homer in the 6th, has an ERA of 1.40 thru his first three starts.
KEY QUOTES
Trembley on the win
"This shows we won't give up and won't give in. You can't let anybody tell you, you can't do it. It takes everyone on the club, that was very evident tonight............We had tremendous at bats late in the game, Walker puts a zero up..........When we tied the game we knew we would win...........I don't know how people define leadership, but to me it's doing it. It's not saying it, it's doing it, you saw that with Roberts and Melvin and Millar."
Trembley on running out of position players
"You do what you gotta do to win the game. Especially when the guys show that much fight. We had some pitchers hitting in the cage if we had needed it."
Adam Jones on his game-winning hit
"I though Aubrey's shot was going to end it. Luke set the tone with a great at bat......
We always think we can comeback...........Everbody loves RBI's, glad I was able to come thru.......I think it was a slider I hit."
Brian Roberts on the comeback
"We're going to play all 27 outs, you're going to have to beat us for all 27. We got guys here who will battle.......You might have had a tough day, but you take an at bat and make the most of it."
IN GAME LIVE BLOG FROM CAMDEN YARDS
FIRST IN EXTRA'S
It's the Orioles first extra-inning game of the year. Because they have pinch hit for both shortstops tonight, the DH Aubrey Huff went in at third base as Mora moved over to SS. Now the O's pitcher has to hit and is in the 9th spot in the order. Some pitcher will have to hit in that spot, the O's have used up their three bench players.
O'S RALLY IN THE NINTH TO TIE
Down to their last out in the 9th, the Orioles came up with two runs to tie the game at 5 and force extra innings. They entered the 9th behind 5-3.
With one out, vs. closer Bobby Jenks, Guillermo Quiroz came up with an infield single. But then Jenks retired pinch-hitter Ramon Hernandez on a groundout.
However, a Brian Roberts RBI double kept the game going and made it 5-4. Then Melvin Mora came up with a single to center to tie it, 5-5.
George Sherrill is pitching in the tenth of this 5-5 tie
CARLOS AGAIN
Carlos Quentin, whose solo homer in the 7th gave Chicago a 3-2 lead, just hit another solo homer in the 8th to make it 5-2 Sox. That's two homers in two innings for Quentin, who entered this game in a 3-24 slump. It's his second career multi-homer game and he now has four homers on the season.
FLOYD'S DAY DONE
Sox 4 O's 2.....bottom of 7th
Gavin Floyd is out of the game after pitching six really good innings. He did himself proud in this homecoming and might be the winning pitcher tonight.
Floyd's line: 6ip, 2h, 2r, 0er, 2b, 4k..........he threw 81 pitches.
He lowered his ERA from 2.03 to 1.40.
THAT TIE LASTED ABOUT......8 SECONDS
So the O's go to the top of the 7th feeling good about getting this game tied up. Within seconds, though, Carlos Quentin and Joe Crede hit back to back homers to give the Chisox a 4-2 lead. It's the Sox first back to back homers of the season.
The longballs knocked Guthrie out and Sarfate is in.
Guthrie's line: 6ip, 6h, 4r, 3er, 1b, 2k, 2 HR's.......he threw 102 pitches.
Orioles pitching has allowed 20 homers this year.
NICK THE STICK
O's 2 Sox 2......end of six.
Nick Markakis hit a two-run homer, with two outs in the 6th, to tie this game, 2-2. Luis Hernandez led off the inning and reached on an error by first baseman Paul Konerko. Two outs later Markakis hit his 3rd homer in the last five games. The error made both runs unearned off Gavin Floyd, who has allowed just two hits so far. Floyd made a decent pitch, down and in, but Nick turned on it.
The homer was only the 5th given up this year by the Sox staff, that's the fewest in the majors.
WIETERS !!!
Matt Wieters strikes again. He's hit a two-run homer for Frederick tonight, his 4th on the season. At last check, the Keys lead Winston-Salem, 5-1, in the 4th.
I see in the Norfolk box that Alex Cintron is playing short tonight for the Tides. He's batting 7th at SS and is 1-2, with a run scored in the game vs. Louisville.
SOX STILL LEADING
Sox 2 O's 0.....end of five
Gavin Floyd lost his no-hitter in the 5th, but still has a shutout and one-hitter thru five. Kevin Millar led off the bottom of the 5th and ripped a single to left off the glove of 3B Joe Crede. That was the O's first base runner of the night.
They went on to put two on with two out, but Floyd got Guillermo Quiroz to ground out to end the threat. Floyd needed just 37 pitches thru the first four innings, but threw 21 pitches in the 5th.
Strange sight. Millar trying to steal after his single. I guess Luke Scott missed a hit and run sign on a 3-1 pitch, but Millar was thrown out on a close play at second.
The O's have scored one run in this series in 14 innings.
GAVIN THE GREAT ?
Is this a bad matchup ? A talented kid coming off a near no-hitter pitching versus his hometown team at a time they are struggling to get hits. ?
So far, Gavin Floyd has retired all nine batters he's faced as the Sox lead 2-0 after three innings. Floyd has thrown just 28 pitches, 21 for strikes. It's like these O's hitters are not even making the Sox pitchers work up a sweat.
SOX STRIKE FIRST
Sox 2 O's 0....bottom of second
Sox stake Gavin Floyd to a 2-0 lead. Jermaine Dye led off the second with a double and later scored on a Joe Crede RBI hit. A Brian Roberts error loaded the bases and Nick Swisher hit a deep sac fly to center, a shot that should have been the third out. One run was unearned.
PLAY BALL IN BALTIMORE
First pitch was at 7:05pm. It's a balmy 71 degrees at game time.
The O's need a win tonight to even this series at 1-1. This is game four of a seven-game homestand.
PRE-GAME NOTES FROM CAMDEN YARDS
The Birds begin today tied for third in the AL East, a half-game back of the co-leading Yankees and Red Sox.
The team average is just .222 the past eight contests. The Orioles were held to a season-low five hits, all singles, in Wednesday's 3-1 loss to Chicago.
The Orioles have scored just 4 runs the last 2 games, 13 over 5 games and just 23 runs the past eight games.
The Sox, who are 37-23 vs. Baltimore since 2000, are off to a 9-5 start. Since losing their first two games, they are 9-3 and have won five straight road contests.
TONIGHT'S ORIOLES LINEUP
2B Brian Roberts
3B Melvin Mora
RF Nick Markakis
1B Kevin Millar
LF Luke Scott
DH Aubrey Huff
CF Adam Jones
C Guillermo Quiroz
SS Luis Hernandez
P Jeremy Guthrie
TREMBLEY'S TALK
In his pre-game meeting with reporters, Trembley talked more about Adam Loewen's outing from last night.
"Loewen makes it a lot more difficult than it needs to be and the guy's got good stuff. He goes 0-2, 1-2, then before you know it, it's 3-2, ball four. Make them hit it. Until he gets that mindset, he's going to be right where he's at."
He said, while he's not satisfied with were Loewen is at right now, he is making progress.
"By May or June this guy might be back where he's supposed to be."
Trembley was asked about Luke Scott batting 5th today and does he see a time where Scott will find himself in the 4th or 5th spot every night.
"We're in a catch 22 there with two lefty hitters (batting 5th and 6th). I need to tinker with it. I'm not sure yet (about Scott hitting 4th or 5th)"
"Once I start tinkering a lot with this lineup I show some panic and I don't want to do that," Trembley said. "We've got some guys who have hit for a long time."
He said last night some guys tried to do too much vs. Jose Contreras with the team coming off a blowout loss the night before.
"I saw guys trying to hit five-run home runs. I want to stay away from that."
As for the 13-man pitching staff, he expects the club to stay at that number until the starting pitchers start getting deeper into games consistently.
Trembley was asked about the offensive struggles of Ramon Hernandez, who has just 4 hits in his last 34 at bats.
"Ramon is trying too hard. He needs to show more patience at the plate. We had an early hitting session today with Ramon and we basically took away the left side of the field from him in early hitting. He's getting back to hitting the ball to center and right center. See the ball longer, wait on it longer. He's hit an awful lot of balls off the end of the bat."
Ramon is not starting tonight but Trembley said he will catch the next two games.
Trembley admitted today that had he needed a long reliever last night it would have been Brian Burres. Trembley says Matt Albers, who started and pitched five innings Monday, could get into the game tonight out of the bullpen.
The skipper also said Freddie Bynum started playing games in extended spring training this past Monday. There is no timetable set for his return. Fernando Cabrera may pitch in an extended spring game this coming Monday.
JOHNSON ON A ROLL
Orioles 24-year-old righty Jim Johnson is finally getting to pitch in some major league games and he's off to a good start.
Johnson, the O's 2005 minor-league pitcher of the year, has worked in three games for the O's since his recall April 11. In 5.1 ip out of the pen, he has not allowed a run, while giving up just two hits.
In 2006, he was called up from Bowie to make one start and lasted just 3 innings. Last year, he was called up twice but only got into one game, covering two innings.
So is he a better pitcher now or is he just getting more of a chance ?
"Probably a combination of both. It's a good start for me but I have to take it in stride. I wish it would translate into more wins, but it's nice to have success early."
Johnson was asked how he's improved as a pitcher.
"I'm more aggressive throwing strikes than trying to nibble. Be less tentative."
Johnson, drafted in round five in 2001, spent most of last year with AAA Norfolk and was 6-12 with a 4.07 ERA in 25 starts.
Johnson says he can tell the minor-league pitching depth is better than ever now in the organization.
"We have a lot of good young pitchers in the minors and we're all trying to help each other out. We're in this together but we're also pushing each other at the same time."
MOUND MATTERS
Baltimore product Gavin Floyd, a 2001 Mt. St. Joe grad, will face his hometown team for the first time tonight.
Floyd, who lost a no-hitter Saturday in the 8th inning vs. Detroit, is 2-0 on the season with an ERA of 2.03. He has allowed just 7 hits in 13.1 ip with six walks and strikeouts.
He split the 2007 season between AAA and the majors. With AAA Charlotte he went 7-3 3.12 in 17 starts. In 10 starts with the Sox last year, he went 1-5 5.27. He had an ERA of 3.41 in his last six starts for Chicago in 2007.
The 25-year-old righty was the Phillies first-round pick, 4th overall in the 2001 draft. In 24 career games with the Phillies he went 7-5 with an ERA of 6.96.
As a senior at Mt. St. Joe in 2001 he was 8-2 with a 1.11 ERA.
For more on Floyd's homecoming check yesterday's O's coverage. Gavin talked at length with several Baltimore reporters at the Yard Wednesday.
Jeremy Guthrie (0-1 4.34) makes his fourth start for the Birds. Friday at Tampa, he gave up 2 runs and 8 hits in 6.1 ip and did not get a decision. Guthrie, Baltimore's opening-day starter, threw 109 pitches vs. the Rays.
He made one start last year vs. the Sox and gave up 5er and 9 hits in just 3.2 ip on July 12th. It was his shortest outing in any start last year. That night he allowed four runs in a 33-pitch first inning.
In three career games vs. Chicago, covering just 7 innings, Guthrie has an ERA of 6.43.
DOWN ON THE FARM
What about the turnaround at the plate by Delmarva OF David Cash. He began the year with just 1 hit in 27 at bats. Since, he has gone 11-18 with a pair of four-hit games, including one last night. It all adds up to a batting average of .267 thru 12 games.
Cash, a switch-hitter, was a 40th-round draft pick in 2006 out of the University of Florida.
Yes, he is the son of former major-league Dave Cash.
Delmarva is getting great starting pitching so far. It's five-man rotation of John Mariotti, Zach Britton, Luis Noel, Tony Butler and Cole McCurry has worked to an ERA of 2.45. Those five have combined to pitch 62.1 ip with 42 strikeouts and just 12 walks.
The Shorebirds are 7-6
ORIOLES AMONG THE AL LEADERS
Luke Scott is tied for first in doubles (7), first in home batting ave (.481), 3rd in batting ave (.383), 6th in OBP (.442), t-6th in slugging (.596).
Nick Markakis is t-first in OF assists (3), t-4th in walks (12) and 5th in OBP (.460).
George Sherrill and Chicago's Bobby Jenks are tied for first with 6 saves.
Adam Loewen and Daniel Cabrera are t-6th in walks allowed, with 12.
As a team, the Orioles are 11th in the AL in batting ave (.252), they are 10th in runs scored and 13th in OBP. The staff ERA of 4.67 ranks 11th in the AL and team fielding percentage of .987 is tied for third.
COOL BATS
These O's are struggling at the bat in recent games:
Kevin Millar - 1-8 and 4-20
Luis Hernandez - 1-9
Ramon Hernandez - 0-9 and 4-34
Brian Roberts - 0-7 the last two games
Aubrey Huff - 2-12 and 3-20, has just 1 rbi the past 7 games
DOING A LITTLE BETTER
Adam Jones - 4 hits his last 8 at bats
Nick Markakis - hitting .364 the past 7 games, 2 HR's in 4 games
Luke Scott - is 6-15, with two doubles, during a 4-gm hit streak
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