O's score twice in last of 9th for walkoff 8-7 win over the Pirates
Ramon Hernandez's RBI single in the last of the 9th capped an O's two-run comeback and they beat Pittsburgh 8-7, Saturday night. Freddie Bynum walked and stole second and came in with the winning run. Oscar Salazar led off the 9th with a homer off closer Matt Capps to tie the game.
Adam LaRoche hit a two-run homer, that was just fair, in the top of the ninth to give the Pirates a 7-6 lead on the O's in a wild game that featured four lead changes. It was Pittsburgh's fourth homer of the night and came off O's closer George Sherrill who had recorded 11 consecutive saves.
Both closers suffered blown saves in the ninth and the Pirates had been 26-1 when leading after eight innings until this game.
Nick Markakis' two-run shot in the seventh had put the Orioles ahead 6-5. It was his 50th career homer.
The Pirates, down by 4-2, took the lead in the 7th on a two-out, three-run homer by Jose Bautista. His 5th of the year came off Matt Albers and was the Pirates' third homer of the night.
With the bases loaded and two outs in the 6th, Alex Cintron ripped a two-run double to left center to give the Orioles a 4-2 lead. It was the Orioles fifth double of the game and gave the Birds their first lead of the contest. Kevin Millar doubled with one out, and, after Luke Scott was hit, Ramon Hernandez singled to load the bases.
Brian Roberts' second RBI double of the game tied the contest, 2-2 in the 5th. It's Roberts' 23rd double of the season, one off the AL lead.
Freddy Sanchez led off the Pittsburgh fourth with a homer that gave the Bucs a 2-1 lead. His third homer of the year went 354 feet to left.
Adam Jones led off the O's third with a double and one out later, Roberts tied the game at one with a double to left center. It's Roberts' 9th double in his last 11 games.
The Pirates moved in front 1-0 on Xavier Nady's long homer to center in the second inning. He took a 3-2 pitch from Radhames Liz and hit it 440 feet to straitaway center. It's his 10th homer and RBI number 49.
Pitt 7-9-0
Balt 8-15-0
Postgame Notes
Salazar's Big Moment
Oscar Salazar, who was not even in the starting lineup, had one of the biggest hits on a night of big hits when he homered leading off the last of the 9th to tie the game at 7-7. Salazar hit the first pitch from Matt Capps into the left field seats. The 29-year-old Venezuelan just joined the club from Norfolk on Tuesday. After the game, he was all smiles, and why not after hitting his second major-league homer.
Ramon's Hit Ended It
After Salazar's huge homer the O's went on to win it, 8-7. Freddie Bynum drew a walk and stole second. With two outs, Ramon Hernandez drove a pitch to deep center, officially scored a single, to win the game in walk-off fashion. After a slow start in the RBI department, Hernandez now has 4 over his last five games and 24 on the season.
Roberts With A Big Night
Brian Roberts was 3-5, with two doubles and two RBI. He is 5-9 with three doubles in this series and has 10 doubles over his last 11 games. He is hitting .396 over his last 11 games and .287 on the season.
Nick's Night
For a while it looked like Nick Markakis' two-run homer in the 7th, that gave the O's a 6-5 lead would be the game-winner. But then Adam LaRoche hit a two-run shot in the top of the ninth. The homer was the 50th of Markakis' career and landed on Eutaw Street.
It's the third homer this year, the first by an Oriole, on Eutaw Street. It's the 43rd OPACY Eutaw Street homer and 17th by an Oriole. Markakis, with his 11th homer of the season, ties Millar and Scott for the team lead.
Final Notes
The Orioles have scored 17 runs on 25 hits with 8 doubles in this series......The team average in the series is .352 (25-71)........The team average improved two points tonight to .257 for the season........The O's have scored in 11 of 17 innings this weekend.......George Sherrill had recorded 11 straight saves, suffered just his third blown save and gained his second win.
The Orioles improved to 15-9 in one-run games.....With the bottom of the ninth comeback, the O's are still unbeaten, now 27-0, when leading after eight innings.....The Birds are 30-10 when scoring four runs or more.
Steve Melewski's Live GameBlog from Camden Yards
Salazar's Homer
Oscar Salazar led off the bottom of the 9th vs. Bucs' closer Matt Capps and hit the first pitch of his at bat into the left-field seats to tie this wild game, 7-7. It was his second career homer. He hit one with Detroit on April 20, 2002. His homer traveled 368 feet.
Nick Notes
Nick Markakis, batting .343 this season vs. left-handed pitching, took lefty John Grabow over the wall in right for a two-run shot and the O's led, 6-5, in the seventh. Markakis' 50th career homer landed onto Eutaw Street.
It's the first Eutaw Street homer by an Oriole since Brian Roberts did it on July 31, 2006. It's the 43rd homer in OPACY history to hit the street and 17th hit by an Oriole.
Tonight's Attendance
Is 32,432.
Doubles Happy
Brian Roberts has a pair of RBI doubles tonight. He has hit 10 doubles over his last 11 games and now has 23 doubles on the season. The AL doubles leader, beginning today, was KC's Jose Guillen with 24. Roberts career-high is 50 doubles in 2004. It's the Orioles 21st straight game with at least one double, six off the team record.
By the way, Liz has pitched quite well tonight allowing just three hits in six innings. Two of the hits are solo homers and the game is tied at two in the sixth.
Promotion Plug
Tomorrow you can celebrate Father's Day at the Yard. The first 10,000 men, 21 and over to enter the game, will receive a free umbrella.
Mora Update
The injury to Melvin Mora's left knee is a contusion and he is listed as day to day. Nothing more serious which is good and similar to Millar's situation.
Houston Probables
Tues 7:05pm: Garrett Olson (5-2, 4.53) v. RH Brandon Backe (4-8, 5.00)
Wed 7:05pm: Jeremy Guthrie (3-7, 3.71) v. RH Brian Moehler (3-3, 4.76)
Thurs 7:05pm: Brian Burres (5-5, 5.28) v. RH Shawn Chacon (2-2, 4.69)
Mora Injured
For the second time in three days the O's lose a player due to fouling a ball off his knee. It was Kevin Millar Thursday and tonight Melvin Mora left the game in the last of the first. He fouled a ball directly off his left knee. Oscar Salazar came in to finish the at bat and struck out. The strike out is charged to Mora's record. Salazar stays in to play third base.
First Pitch
We are underway on a cloudy Saturday night at the Yard. First pitch was at 7:07pm and it's 80 degrees at gametime. It rained earlier and neither team took on-field batting practice, but it's dry at gametime as the O's go for two in a row vs. the Bucs. Check back during tonight's game for news and updates.
By the way, new retiree Jonathon Ogden threw out tonight's first pitch and put it right down the middle to Freddie Bynum. JO got a standing ovation and gave Brian Roberts a big bear hug before he headed off the field. We hope the classy Ogden has a great retirement !
Starting Lineups
Pirates
CF Nate McLouth
2B Freddy Sanchez
LF Jason Bay
C Ryan Doumit
RF Xavier Nady
DH Adam LaRoche
1B Doug Mientkiewicz
3B Jose Bautista
SS Jack Wilson
P Zach Duke
Orioles
2B Brian Roberts
RF Nick Markakis
3B Melvin Mora
1B Aubrey Huff
DH Kevin Millar
LF Luke Scott
C Ramon Hernandez
CF Adam Jones
SS Alex Cintron
P Radhames Liz
Dave Trembley's Press Conference
For now it looks like the Orioles number three hitter will be Melvin Mora. Dave Trembley said today Nick Markakis will hit third vs. some lefties, but Mora will be his number three most of the time for now.
"I think it makes our team more balanced," Trembley said. "I like having Mora hit third and Huff fourth. Mora has hit well with runners on base. Really what makes our team go is Roberts getting on base and Markakis getting on base. Plus, Markakis has really settled into the two spot and at this time I don't want to change that."
Mora is batting .226 when he hits second with an RBI every 7.3 at bats. When he hits third, Mora bats .314 with an RBI every 5.6 at bats and he's hitting .377 on the year with runners in scoring position.
Trembley was asked about Luke Scott's current hot streak. One interesting theory he had was that Scott needed to do not more, but less pregame work.
"We've cut back his pregame work, he was working himself to death and taking way too much early batting practice. The guy's a perfectionist, plus he's cut down on his swing and he's been very good with men on base. He's a streak hitter, that's his history."
Trembley said he was able to use Jim Johnson for two innings last night because he was well rested. He still prefers using him for only an inning, but when rested he said he would not hesitate to use him more than an inning.
Trembley was asked what he's looking for from Radhames Liz tonight.
"He needs to repeat his delivery and command his fastball. If his front foot is hitting towards first base, he's opening up and his arm will be dragging and his pitches will be too high."
Game Preview
Pittsburgh (33-35) at Orioles (33-33)
The Orioles returned to Camden Yards Friday night where the club plays with a lot of confidence and where no deficit is too big to overcome. The O's beat Pittsburgh 9-6 Friday as they rallied from a five-run deficit to post their 18th comeback win of 2008.
Only once before had the O's come from that far back to win. They trailed Seattle by five on April 24th and won. Friday they were down 6-1 after three innings, then scored the game's final eight runs.
The Orioles scored twice in the 6th to take a 7-6 lead and added runs in the 7th and 8th for the final margin. While the Birds scored four runs off the Pirates bullpen, the O's pen combined to pitch three shutout innings.
The Orioles, now 7-5 in June, have won 7 of 11 games and are 18-11 at home.
The Orioles, who were 6-12 in interleague play in 2007, have won 3 of their first four vs. the National League this season.
The Pirates, even with the loss, have won 4 of 6 and 6 of 10 games. Pittsburgh is 24-20 since April 27.
Pitching Match-Up
RHP Radhames Liz (1-0, 3.48) tonight makes his 3rd of the season and 7th of his Orioles' career.
Liz picked up his first Major League win on June 3rd at Minnesota and in his two starts has allowed eight hits and four runs in 10 1/3.
That's a big improvement from late last season when, in four starts with the O's, he was 0-2, 11.48. In six career O's starts, he is 1-2, 5.91.
He was recalled early in June from Triple-A Norfolk where he was 1-5, 4.05. In his last five starts for the Tides he pitched to an ERA of 2.39.
This will be his first home start of the season. Right-handed hitters bat just .217 vs. Liz while lefties hit him at a .200 clip.
LHP Zach Duke (4-4, 4.10) tonight makes his 14th start of the season, his 7th in a road game and his first-ever appearance vs. the Orioles.
Duke has won his last two starts and is 2-0, 2.63 in June. He was 2-2, 3.68 in May and 0-2, 5.34 in April. He has won four of his last six decisions.
The 25-year-old lefty beat Randy Johnson and the Diamondbacks in his last start on Monday. He pitched six innings allowing two runs on five hits with five strikeouts.
Duke has four wins in seven home starts, but is winless on the road in 2008 with a mark of 0-2, 4.63 in six starts.
A 20th-round pick by the Pirates in 2001, Duke has made five career starts in interleague play with a mark of 1-1, 4.45. Right-handed batters hit .308 vs. Duke while lefties bat .222 against him.
LJ Hoes at the Yard
The Orioles third-round draft pick, LJ Hoes, from St. John's High in Washington, was at Camden Yards today. He recently signed his first pro contract and is now headed to the Gulf Coast League. This season in high school, Hoes hit .524 with 8 homers and 29 RBI. He was the 81st overall pick in the draft and says he's been a lifelong O's fan.
Listen to Steve Melewski's interview with LJ Hoes
Doubling Up
The O's had three more doubles last night and have hit 24 over the last six games. They have hit at least one double in 20 straight games, seven short of the O's record of 27, set from June 12-July 7, 2004.
The Pitching Recently
O's pitching the last four games: 34IP, 27ER, 8HR........7.15 ERA
O's starters the last four games: 21IP, 23ER, 6HR........9.86 ERA
Luke Looking Good
Luke Scott has a five-game hitting streak and is batting .400 (8-20) with 4 homers and 5 RBI during the streak. Over his last 12 games, Scott is batting .385-5-7.
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