Jay Payton's Grand Slam gives O's 6-3 win over Boston
Jay Payton's Grand Slam in the last of the 7th inning lifted the O's to a 6-3 win and two-game sweep of Boston. It was his 4th career Slam and helped the O's come back from a 3-0 deficit.
The O's scored two in the 6th to pull within 3-2. Payton had a 5-RBI day.
The Birds improve to 21-19 with their 5th win in the last six games. They are 4-1 this season in games vs. the Red Sox and Yankees.
Daniel Cabrera got the win and George Sherrill his 15th save. Cabrera has pitched to an ERA of 2.50 over his last seven starts.
The Birds are off Thursday and host Washington to begin a three-game series, Friday at 7:05 pm.
PAYTON'S SLAM GIVES O'S 6-3 WIN AND TWO-GAME SWEEP
Jay Payton's 4th career Grand Slam gave the Orioles a 6-3 win over Boston Wednesday afternoon, in front of 28,939 at Camden Yards. It came in the last off the 7th off Hideki Okajima and turned a 3-2 deficit into a 6-3 lead.
The Sox got the first two outs of the 7th before a Freddie Bynum infield single started the rally. Craig Hansen then came on and gave up a hit and walk to set the stage for Payton. His last Slam came July 30, 2005 vs. Detroit.
For the second day in a row, the O's fell behind 3-0. Jason Varitek and Mike Lowell hit solo shots as the Sox led 3-0 after five and a half.
The O's pulled within 3-2 in the 6th on a Payton RBI groundout and a Nick Markakis RBI single.
Daniel Cabrera got the win, despite allowing a season-high 10 hits and three runs in seven innings.
The O's are now 21-19 and have won five of their last six. The Sox have lost four straight road games and fall to 24-19.
The O's are off Thursday and host Washington for a three-game series beginning Friday at 7:05pm.
Bost 3-12-0
Balt 6-8-0
POST-GAME NOTES
THE COMEBACK KIDS
The O's went to the last of the 6th down 3-0 and Jon Lester was working on a two-hitter. But they picked up two runs in the 6th and got four on Payton's Slam in the 7th. They have come from behind to win in 11 of their 21 victories, including twice in this series.
They scored six runs on six hits in the 6th and 7th innings. The O's improve to 6-13 when trailing after six innings and Boston falls to 15-4 when leading after six.
PAYTON POWER
Jay Payton's Slam was the 4th of his career and first by an Oriole since Scott Moore hit one of Boston's Dice-K on September 6, 2007. It came on an 0-1 pitch and went 362-feet into the left-field stands. Payton had 5 RBI on the game. His career high is seven and he is now 9 RBI shy of 500 for his career.
SWEEPING THE SOX
It was just a two-game series, but the Birds swept. The first time they have posted back to back Camden Yards wins over Boston since July 7-10, 2005. Only once last year did they post back to back wins over the Sox.
THEY IMPROVED THAT STAT
When Payton came to bat in the 7th, the O's as a team this year were batting .185 (5-27) with the bases loaded. Payton however was 1-1 and now make that 2-2 with 6 RBI. He is the only player on the team with more than one hit this year with the sacks full.
D-CAB GOT IT DONE
Cabrera produced a quality start, his 7th in a row, vs the AL's best hitting team. Even though he gave up ten hits the Birds turned three double plays behind him. He threw 103 pitches and is now 4-1 with an ERA of 3.58. His ERA over his last seven starts is 2.50. The O's are 7-1 when Cabrera starts this season.
FINAL NOTES
Since starting the year at 15-7, Boston is 9-12.....The Sox are now 1-9 this year in AL East road games........O's improve to 12-6 at home and are now 18-5 when scoring four runs or more............Five of the last six O's homers have scored either 3 or 4 runs.........Cabrera was 1-9 with a career ERA of 7.84 vs. Boston before today........the O's turned a season-best 4 DP's in the win.......George Sherrill threw 13 pitches in picking up his 15th save.........Boston has lost four in a row on the road and is 10-14 overall in road contests. The Orioles are now 4-1 this year vs. Boston and the Yankees.
KEY QUOTES
Dave Trembley on the win and sweep
"We got behind but didn't give in or give up. Cabrera kept battling and we made good plays behind him. Great for our team and great for Orioles fans..........What this says is our guys are ready to play, we know we have to earn it."
Dave Trembley on his team at the 40-game point
"The strengths of our club are pitching and catching the ball. We've improved. We work counts well at the plate now. Probably the best part of our club is that the guys have fun playing and they're not intimidated. They really don't think they should take a back seat. We're going for it, everygame."
Jay Payton on the Slam
"That was nice, I feel like I've been swinging decent, so it was nice to get a big one today. The crowd was great, we dominated the crowd today so that's good for the fans.....That's probably the first time I had a lefty come in to face me, but he's been throwing great, but he left a pitch over the middle."
Jay Payton on why he didn't take a curtain call
"No one was really egging me on in the dugout, I wasn't sure if they were still just celebrating the home run. Daniel took it for me, he deserves it he's been pitching great this year."
Steve Melewski's live GameBlog
GRAND SLAM FOR THE LEAD !!!!
Jay Payton's 4th career Grand Slam gets the Yard rocking as the O's take a 6-3 lead on Boston. It was his first Slam since 7-30-05 vs. Detroit and the O's first this year.
The bottom of the 7th started quietly with reliever Javier Lopez getting two quick outs. Then Freddie Bynum picked up an infield single to second base and Craig Hansen came on to pitch. He gave up a single to Quiroz and walked Roberts. Then Hideki Okajima came on to face Payton.
On an 0-1 pitch, Payton hit his 3rd homer of the season, the Slam went 362 feet down the left-field line.
Matt Albers pitching for the O's in the top of the 8th.
O'S BATTLE BACK
The O's get two in the 6th to now trail, 3-2. Quiroz led off with a single to center and Roberts hit a double to right center, sending him to third. One run scored on a Jay Payton ground out and another on a Nick Markakis single to center.
The rally ended when Lester fanned Huff and Millar back to back.
Six-inning totals:
Bost 3-10-0
Balt 2-5-0
ATTENDANCE
Today's attendance is 28.939. The two-date series draws 67,707. There seemed to be more intensity in the park last night, there usually is more at a night game. The Sox fans seem more vocal today, probably because their team is winning. So far, anyway.
ANOTHER ONE
Sox 3 O's 0.....middle of six
Mike Lowell's solo HR with two outs in the 6th extends Boston's lead to 3-0. It was his 4th, came on a 3-2 pitch and traveled 366 feet to left center. The Sox, with the AL's best offense, have 10 hits today already. They also now have 19 homers their last 13 contests.
A LONG BALL
Bost 2 O's 0......middle of 5th
Jason Varitek hit a solo HR to center in the 5th as Boston now leads, 2-0. It was his 4th homer of the year and traveled 395 feet. Varitek also hit one to the wall in center in the second that Adam Jones caught.
Two pitches before his homer he took a very close pitch that easily could have been called strike three. It's the 7th homer allowed by Cabrera on the season. He has allowed already a season-high 8 hits thru 5ip.
THAT HURT !
Manny Ramirez just came up with the play of the game so far. With one out and runners on first and second in the O's 4th, Millar hit a liner to deep left that looked headed over Manny's head to score at least one run. Manny leaped near the warning track and made a great catch. Aubrey Huff had already passed second base, had to retouch and was doubled off first.
A game turning play Manny was on the right end of this time.
STILL 1-0 BOSTON
Bost 1 O's 0......end of three
Jon Lester is having his way with the Birds, with a one-hitter thru three and that one hit was a bunt single by Adam Jones. The rest of the outs have been on very routine plays so far.
Cabrera has allowed one run on four hits. The O's have already turned two DP's behind him.
Three-inning pitch counts:
Cabrera 39
Lester 34
SOX SCORE FIRST
Jacoby Ellsbury led off with an infield hit to short. Freddie Bynum took one step back to field the ball and it cost him the out. Ellsbury quickly stole second and scored on Dustin Pedroia's single to center. Cabrera then got David Ortiz to hit into a double play and Manny grounded to short.
Boston is 20-7 this year when scoring first, but lost last night when it got three in the first.
UNDERWAY IN BALTIMORE
Game two of the O's-Boston series is underway. Is there anyway today's game can be as dramatic and exciting as last night's ??? That seems doubtful.
We'll see if Daniel Cabrera continues his roll today vs. a Sox team that has owned him in his career. The Sox play without JD Drew, while the O's are still missing Melvin Mora and Ramon Hernandez.
First pitch was at 3:07pm and it's 82 degrees.
The Sox have lost three in a row and four of five games. Since starting the season at 15-7, they are 9-11. Boston is 4-5 on a ten-game road trip that ends today and the Sox are just 1-8 this year in AL East parks.
The Orioles, who are 11-6 at home this year, have won four of their last five. A win today would move the Birds back to two games over .500 for the first time since May 3rd.
The O's got 11 hits off losing pitcher Josh Beckett last night in a 5-4 win over Boston, that lifted the club's record in one-run games, to 10-5. Luke Scott's three-run homer in the third gave the O's, who were down 3-0 after one inning, a 5-3 lead. Jeremy Guthrie got the win while Jim Johnson and George Sherrill got some huge outs in the final innings.
TODAY'S PITCHERS
Daniel Cabrera (3-1 3.54) today makes his 9th start of the season and 4th at home, facing Boston. Cabrera is just 1-9 with an ERA of 7.84 in his career vs. Boston.
But have the Sox faced this Cabrera? He is pitching better than at any time in his career and is coming off a complete-game, three-hitter at Kansas City last Thursday. Cabrera walked just one, fanned seven and threw 114 pitches in posting his 5th career complete game.
The 26-year-old righty has put together six straight quality starts and in that time is 3-1 with an ERA of 2.28. To put it into perspective, Cabrera gave up 10er in his first two starts and has given up just 11er over his last six. He has allowed 2er or less in five of his last six starts.
In three home starts in 2008, Cabrera is 1-0 6.75. His road ERA is 2.17 this season.
In 2007, Cabrera went 0-3 4.96 vs. Boston and he does have the terrible career numbers vs. Boston mentioned above of 1-9 7.84 in 49.1 career innings vs. the Bosox.
Lefty Jon Lester (2-2 4.06) today makes his 10th start of the season for Boston. His last time out he did not get a decision, Friday at Minnesota. He gave up five runs and eight hits in 5.1 ip.
Over his last three starts, Lester is 1-0 1.86.
The 24-year-old Lester was a 2nd round pick by Boston in 2002. His career record, in 35 starts, is 13-4 4.52.
Last season vs. the O's he was 2-0 1.38. In three career starts vs. Baltimore, he is 3-0 3.00 (6er - 18ip).
PRE-GAME NOTES FROM CAMDEN YARDS
TODAY'S ORIOLES LINEUP
2B Brian Roberts
LF Jay Payton
RF Nick Markakis
3B Aubrey Huff
1B Kevin Millar
DH Luke Scott
CF Adam Jones
SS Freddie Bynum
C Guillermo Quiroz
P Daniel Cabrera
This was changed about an hour before today's game when Ramon Hernandez was scratched after taking batting practice. He told reporters before BP his injured left wrist was still bothering him some. Ramon was listed batting sixth in the original lineup.
Before today's game lefty reliever George Sherrill talked with reporters about his success this year as a closer, last night's big win over the Red Sox and other topics including how the O's clubhouse is a lot different from that of his former team, Seattle.
Sherrill recorded his 14th save in 16 chances in Tuesday's win over Boston.
DAVE TREMBLEY'S PRE-GAME PRESS CONFERENCE
The skipper revealed today that righty Jim Hoey, who has been on the DL with right shoulder inflammation since March 21, will be out for the year. Trembley said Hoey recently had arthroscopic surgery on his shoulder.
The 25-year-old Hoey, the O's 13th round pick in 2003, pitched for the big club last year and was 3-4, with an ERA of 7.30 in 23 appearances.
"I'm glad they got it taken care of," Trembley said. "He's another power arm in our organization. He's still very young, so let's get him ready for next year. I'm sure it's better for Jim because he was feeling discomfort and he wasn't able to get loose. When he comes back he may be better."
Trembley said pitcher Rocky Cherry, also placed on the DL in March with a right shoulder strain, will pitch one inning for Bowie tonight and another inning on Friday.
Melvin Mora, with his injured sholder, is not in today's lineup, but Trembley said the injury is not serious. Ramon Hernandez is in today's lineup, pending how his injured left wrist feels after going thru batting practice.
Trembley was asked if he was suprised how well Jim Johnson has adapted to his bullpen role after 120 of his 131 minor league outings came as a starter.
"His arm is resilient, his work ethic is off the charts. His makeup is very good and he's come up with a sinker. His delivery is improved and his command is far better than we've ever seen. Jim has matured as fast as anyone I've ever seen. When he walks by you this year he looks like a man, not a kid."
RED SOX ROSTER MOVE TODAY
The Sox today recalled OF Jonathon Van Every from AAA Pawtucket and placed P Clay Buchholz on the 15-day DL retro to May 13. He has a broken nail on his right middle finger. Van Every will be making his major league debut when he starts today in CF batting ninth. In 40 games at AAA, he was batting .287--6--20.
PITCHING PROBABLES FOR THIS WEEKEND VS. WASHINGTON
Fri 7:05p: Garrett Olson (2-0 2.95) vs. RHP Shawn Hill (0-0 3.56)
Sat 7:05p: Brian Burres (3-4 3.59) vs. LHP Odalis Perez (1-3 3.71)
Sun 1:35p: Jeremy Guthrie (2-3 4.18) vs. LHP John Lannan (3-4 3.74)
HOW SOME SOX HITTERS HAVE FARED VS. CABRERA
David Ortiz: 4-17, 8 walks
Manny Ramirez: 2-10
Alex Cora: 11-20, HR, .550 average
Jason Varitek: 3-15, 9 strikeouts
Mike Lowell: 5-10, HR
TRYING TO REVERSE THE SOX DOMINATION
The Red Sox won the season series last year, 12-6 and in 2006 by a 15-3 margin. Boston is now 32-10 vs. the O's since September 3, 2005 and the Sox have won 16 of their last 22 at Camden Yards. Last night's win was just a start, but since the start of last season the O's are 11-10 vs. the Yankees. Now they need to make similar progress vs. Boston. If not win the season series, that may be asking a lot, just make it much closer than these last two years. This year's club just seems to not be intimidated by the Sox success and that in itself is a big step.
LUUUUUKKKKKEEEE DELIVERS THE BIG HOMER, THEN TALKS
Those were not boos, but Luuukkkkkeeee chanting when he hit that huge three-run jack on Tuesday. Luke, who went 4-22 during the road trip, went 3-4 vs. Boston.
He was asked what it felt like rounding the bases after such a big homer.
"That feeling, there's nothing like it. It's the greatest high you can ever have, it's really special. It's what makes this game so worth it, moments like that. Words can't describe it. The only way you can describe it is if you live it, it's unbelievable."
Scott said his first Red Sox-Orioles game was special.
"It was incredible, it was like when the Yankees were here. A lot of energy, a lot of people in the stands, some chanting, some fighting going on. It was a really fun atmosphere to play in."
I asked Luke if his slump at bat recently had anything to do with his illness.
"It was more just a slump, even if I had been in better health. I just felt terrible at the plate. Being weak didn't help, but it was more mental than physical in my opinion. The day off yesterday was really big, getting a chance to sleep in. Coming out today and in BP I could notice a difference how the ball was coming off my bat."
MOST OPPONENT HOMERS AT CAMDEN YARDS
Alex Rodriguez 21
Mo Vaughn 16
Manny Ramirez 15
MOST RBI ALL-TIME VS. THE ORIOLES
Harmon Killebrew 170
Carl Yastrzemski 170
Al Kaline 158
Manny Ramirez 144
SOME FINAL NOTES
Adam Jones went 2-4, with two singles last night. It was his 6th multi-hit game of this season and first since April 28 at Chicago... O's are now 17-5 when scoring four runs or more... Birds have ten hits or more now four times in the last six games... O's are 7-7 vs. the AL East while Boston is 8-10... The Red Sox are 2-5 on Wednesdays this year, their most losses of any day of the week... O's are now 14-0 when leading after eight frames... Kevin Millar needs two more homers for 150 in his career... Luke Scott had just one hit his previous 12 at bats before Tuesday's three-hit game... It was his third 3-hit game of the season... O's pitching has allowed just one HR the past five games... Boston has been successful on 24 of its last 25 stolen base attempts since April 20... in all-time results, the Red Sox lead the O's 467 wins to 401.
Has AYNONE ever seen a ballplayer high-five a fan between outs 1 & 2 of a double play?