Strange last of the 5th

By Steve Melewski

Orioles

April 09, 2010, 12:47pm

Comments

We haven't seen many innings like the bottom of the 5th today in an O's game this year. Brad Bergesen looked on his way to a three up, three down frame, but instead, the Sox went on to score four runs. In the same inning when an O's error opened the floodgates, Nolan Reimold and Nick Markakis threw out runners at the plate to end the frame. The O's have 20 outfield assists on the year. With one out and none on in the Sox 5th, Alexei Ramirez hit a routine grounder to short. Izturis threw to first but Ty Wigginton had the ball glance off his glove and Ramirez reached second on the two-base error. Three pitches later, Jermaine Dye followed with a two-run homer for a 2-1 lead. Bergesen, who usually pitches with tremendous poise, seemed un-nerved by it all. What followed was a double, single, single, single and single. The plays at the plate kept it from being worse. Bergesen went from making great pitches to throwing balls up and in the middle of the plate. The O's responded to the adversity by going three up and out in the top of the 6th on just 8 pitches. What a strange inning where everything seemed to turn after a ball glanced off some leather.