Great Scott

Luke Scott just tied the game in the eighth with the Orioles' first pinch-hit home run since Ty Wigginton took James Shields deep on Sept. 30, 2009 at The Trop. Scott, batting for Cesar Izturis, lined a 1-0 pitch from Randy Choate onto the flag court in right. Scott slapped his hands together as he reached first base. He tapped his chest and pointed to the heavens as he touched home plate, then delivered a high-five to Garrett Atkins that might have drawn blood. He's pumped up - or just terribly frustrated like the rest of us. Scott came out of the dugout for a belated curtain call as Grant Balfour completed his warmup tosses. The chants of Luuuuke wouldn't subside. Scott laments how he's been labeled a platoon player. He can hit lefties, but scouts had to put a tag on him. Choate is a lefty. Scott took the percentages and beat them into dust. Five of the Orioles' eight home runs this season have tied the game or given them a lead. A loss would make the Orioles 1-7, their worst start since 1988. Scott, for one, is doing everything he can to make sure it doesn't happen. Brian Matusz was charged with four runs and stood to be the loser, an injustice that would have made many fans want to chew their Matt Wieters T-shirts to shreds. Matusz tied his career high with eight strikeouts. Scott tied the game. Isn't this fun?