Jace Peterson enjoying time in bigs after road back through Triple-A

Versatile Jace Peterson played in his 11th game with the Orioles last night since he joined the team at the start of the recent West Coast road trip. So far he's made six starts at third base, two in left field and one at second.

He made a big contribution last night. With the Orioles down 6-1 in the last of the sixth, he hit a two-run homer off Masahiro Tanaka. That cut the Yankees' lead to 6-3 and the Orioles would go on to tie it 6-6 before losing 9-6.

Peterson has often been a player at the fringes of a major league roster, and he is that again this year after playing in 93 games for the 2018 Orioles. He spent all this season at Triple-A Norfolk and battled his way back to the show by hitting .313/.398/.512 with 25 doubles, five triples, 10 home runs and 26 RBIs in 90 games. He was batting .420/.517/.788 with six doubles, four homers and an OPS of 1.297 in July with the Tides.

Then the call came and he joined the Orioles in Anaheim on July 25.

"It is always tough to get to the big leagues with all the good players in this game," Peterson said recently. "For me, I was in Norfolk and playing baseball, so I mean, can't complain too much. That is what I love to do and that is what I was able to do.

"You know any time you get to the big leagues it's special. It's earned every year. Nobody gets up here by accident. For me, it was just going there, getting in a rhythm, getting in a groove and trying to get wins down there. I was able to get the call and I'm excited to be here."

Peterson last night hit his first big league homer since July 12, 2018. He has struggled to hit after producing three hits in his first two games following his latest call-up. Over 11 games he's batting .195/.233/.268.

He keeps a very positive attitude and thinks that served him well this year as he kept plugging away in the International League, hopeful of a call to Baltimore. Nine days before Peterson's call-up he opted out of his minor league contract. But three days later he re-signed with the Orioles, and now he's back in the majors.

That positivity went a long way.

"No doubt. I was able, early in my career, to play with some really good veterans," Peterson said. "Guys like the Kelly Johnsons of the world, Johnny Gomes, A.J. Pierzynski, Jason Grilli, Freddie Freeman, Chipper Jones. I learned from those guys in my time in Atlanta. They really had an impact on me in how to be a pro, and there are a lot of guys in this game that go about things the right way and that is what keeps them around. There is a lot to be said about, not only what you do on the field, but when you're in the clubhouse, what you bring to the team. Going about it the right way and being a pro. They taught me that and I try to pass that on."

The Norfolk team has not had a good record this year at 44-68, but Peterson said the team has stayed upbeat for manager Gary Kendall.

"It's a good group of guys down there." he said. "Just like up here, everybody meshes pretty well. Started in spring and a lot of those guys were in spring. Guys that didn't make the team went to Norfolk. Yeah the record is not what we wanted, but there are a lot of good players down there. Lot of good things happening."