Wieters' walk-off
Matt Wieters just hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Orioles a stunning 4-2 victory after Jim Johnson blew the save in the top half.
Nobody is more stunned than I am, since I was in the middle of writing an entry that focused entirely on Johnson. I had to lean on the delete button and start over.
Russ Springer walked Luke Scott to open the inning. Robert Andino pinch-ran and scampered home on Wieters' seventh home run.
Unreal.
Ben Zobrist lined a home run over the center field fence with one out in the top of the ninth inning to tie the score, 2-2, and leave Johnson with the blown save - but not the goat horns.
Johnson warmed up in the top of the eighth before the delay. He had a long wait before warming again and entering the game. Maybe that had something to do with it. Maybe that had nothing to do with it.
It didn't really matter in the grand scheme of things because Wieters followed last night's stellar performance with the game-winner.
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Categories (click for archive)Roch Kubatko | Roch Kubatko Orioles |
Great couple of games for Wieters, "talk" to you tomorrow Roch.
Oh my god Matt! The fans really deserve some wins like these to keep us watching.
Wheee-ters
Roch,
What a game! This is off topic but I have 4 tickets to the O's Sox game Sunday and unfortunately can't make it. I'm having trouble finding a buyer and I was wondering if you knew of a program or something that I could donate the tickets to or something of that sort. If anyone in the class has anything or has any interest I'd appreciate it.
Thanks
Roch,
I am sorry, but Johnson isn't a closer. He needs to go back to the rotation or set up guy, I would prefer him in the rotation. We need to make a push for Billy Wagner.
Did the entry that you deleted on Johnson ask why he doesn't throw his slow, overhand curve anymore? That was a pretty good pitch for him. If he thinks that now that he's the closer, it's got to be all hard and down, he's wrong. He needs to mix in the breaking ball.
When I played baseball, I never played anything but catcher. To see Wieters throw out the best basestealer in the AL and blast one to win the game... What more could a guy ask for? [did I just use some dots?] Did we ever find the Original Craig? I miss my counterparts participation.
I'm wondering if Dave would consider moving Matt UP in the order. Seems he's in a groove! Can't wait to see how much damage he can do next season.
Jim Carter
It's pretty simple...he got behind Zobrist and he payed.
Great job by Wieters, though. I love the energy this team still has. It's refreshing.
I stayed with one until the end, inspite of my keep telling myself that I'm done with the O's and have moved on to the Ravens. BUT the youth and moments like Matts walk off keeps bringing me back.
As Bob Seger sings ''Turn the page'' and add a bat next year and Sept. could be more exciting.
This is where the rules of baseball hurt Chris Tillman. He fully and completely deserved to be the winning pitcher of this game.
Now, don't get me wrong, I have no problem with JJ. I like him, and I think he is a great pitcher. But, he did absolutely nothing that warrants him deserving the be the winner of this game. He lost the save, but got lucky because of Wieters.
You need no further punishment. Go O's!
Throws out Crawford twice AND gets the walk-off homer. Tillman threw a great game. I'm actually really looking forward to next spring with all these young guys (I tried, but I could not come up with a way to say that sentence that didn't sound bad).
That walk off was so sweet I'm willing to forgive you for jinxing the quick game and causing that miserably cold rain delay. :o)
People need to lighten up on JJ. He's basically a second year pitcher in his first trial as closer. He went from getting regular innings to irregular as the season progressed mainly due to the O's perpetual 2nd half collapse. Find ANY closer in the league who's effective when his innings decrease. There's nothing wrong with his stuff, he's just in a rut. He's hitting 96, still has a ton of movement and has the demeanor of a closer. Lots of guys struggle in a new role and he will adjust. He didn't seem to have problems with pressure when he had such an amazing start last year when his only prior call up was an absolute shelling as a starting pitcher. I think he if he had one more pitch in his arsenal, he could be a starter. Until then, he has the tools to be an effective closer. Rivera has one pitch. Hoffman relied on his excellent change up. JJ just needs time.
Hey Roch -- I just got home from the game -- wow! I almost gave up during the rain delay, but we decided to shiver our way through it. Moved down behind the plate to watch the rest. My heart almost broke on Zobrist's homer, but mended quickly on Weiters 2-run blast. I kept yelling "Go, go, go....." -- and it did! What was so funny was everyone coming out of the dugout with Felix and Cesar (I think) leading the way in some funny, exaggerated marching/jumping thing. Did you see that -- so so funny. It was worth all the waiting, the cold, and the wind. Thanks, O's, for a fine night!
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They were mimicking Wieters' running style. It's not exactly - how should I say it? - fluid. I respect your dedication. Good for you! - Roch
Did you say (or is type) "scampered home"? What, are you tick off the whole team. First Wiggington, now Andino. Who's next?
Johnny C, Excellent point about the rules cheating Tillman out of a win.Just because JJ comes into a game a happens to be there at the end should mean nothing. The only thing that should be beside his name is BS for "Blown Save."
Johnson did next to nothing to contribute to the win game, and even is less deserving than either Albers and Baez, who each did his job by shutting down the Rays. This is a rule clearly in need of revision, because it makes no sense to award a win to someone who only pitched an inning and wasn't as effective as he needed to be, instead of to the starter, who went 6.2 innings, yielded one run and left with the lead.
Had the Rays actually taken the lead in the ninth and the Orioles came back to win, that might be different, but as it stands there is no logical reason to give the win to anyone but Tillman.
I wouldn't hold my breath though, because this rule may go back to the days before players used gloves and we know that change in baseball tends to be glacial. (If anyone has a defense of the rule, please give it.)
Un. Freaking. Believable. And truth be told... Roscoe called it, too. In typical Ann Marie fashion, I roLled my eyes. Luckily, they did not stay that way.
Nice to meet you, Roch. I might even come back again. =)
While I believe JJ will be a productive member of this team, I'm beginning to think he is more of an "Arthur Rhodes" talent than a "Gregg Olson" talent.
We need to look a different direction for a closer.