CHICAGO - For reasons that the Baltimore beat reporters never quite understood, last night's game at U.S. Cellular Field couldn't be aired on the press box televisions. At least not the ones within our view. However, we could pick up MASN's feed of the Nationals-Astros game.
Too bad. We really wanted to catch a few replays, just to make sure the Orioles really did score nine runs over the last three innings.
It was pretty frustrating, but then the White Sox brought cookies to the back of the press box, so we got over it.
The Orioles posted their third comeback victory in 10 games despite stranding a season-high 11 runners on base and committing a season-high three errors.
That LOB stat would have looked a lot worse without Matt Wieters' grand slam with two outs in the 10th inning. It's almost easy to forget that the Orioles loaded the bases with no outs after breaking a 4-4 tie.
The Orioles have hit 18 home runs this season. You know which team has hit more? None of them. The Cardinals, Rangers and Indians have belted 15.
The Orioles have struck out 82 times, including 15 last night, but they don't lead the majors. The Padres have whiffed 97 times. The Nationals and Mets are next at 85. The Cubs, Brewers and Athletics, all with 83, also rank ahead of the Orioles.
Defense is becoming an issue for the Orioles, who have committed 11 errors in 10 games. The Giants have committed 15, the Padres and Rockies 13 each and the Astros, Marlins and Brewers 11 each.
The Orioles have turned 16 double plays, three more than the Braves. They had a shot at another one last night, but Chris Davis couldn't scoop Robert Andino's throw out of the dirt in the sixth after he dropped a throw earlier in the inning.
That's twice in three games that Davis has failed to catch a ball, but he's gone 8-for-12 with three doubles, one homer and three RBIs during that stretch, and his double in the 10th gave the Orioles a 5-4 lead.
Adam Jones owns a 13-game hitting streak dating to last season. He's batting .340 with three doubles, five homers and six RBIs in that span.
Nolan Reimold is carrying a seven-game hitting streak, during which he's batting .400 with three doubles, three homers and six RBIs. All three homers have come in the ninth inning. And yes, he'll be in tonight's lineup - and probably the next two, according to manager Buck Showalter.
Nick Markakis is struggling at the plate. He went 1-for-6 with three strikeouts last night and has three hits in his last 31 at-bats after starting out 5-for-7. He's a career .348 hitter in 47 games against the White Sox.
Markakis is 8-for-26 (.308) with a double, home run and five RBIs lifetime against left-hander John Danks, who starts tonight.
The Orioles were a loose bunch yesterday, with laughter filling the clubhouse before they headed outdoors for batting practice. The needle was banging into the red on the silliness scale. That was a good sign following Sunday's disappointing outcome in Toronto.
We had no idea that the real fun would arrive much later that night.
Let's see what tonight brings.
If nothing else, I can guess another local television blackout and more cookies.
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