Luke Scott delivered the best variety of a long ball with a grand slam then made it a combo blast night as he decked 2 over the big wall in right foir 5 rbi and the O's spotted Bergesen a 7-0 lead which he would pitch all the way to the ninth allowing just 2 in 8 innings pitched. Wieters made his debut going 0-4 but he will be a good pro i just know it. Johnson got 3 outs after Beregsen left wuith a man on foirst and third and Joghnson would allow neither if them to score. Markakis had an rbi single and Roberts a sac fly to acoount for the other Birds 2 runs and SAoctt has 5 homers in 3 games since coming off the DL and two staright2 home run games the first O to do that since ALbert Belle in 2000.
The O's called up David Hernandez and he came through for the Birds pitching 5.2 of `1 run ball. leaving with a 2 run lead on solo shots from Scott 7th and Reimold his 5th. The bullpen was again spectacular ALbers 1 inning scorless Johnson 1.1 scorless and SHerill 1 scorelss. The Birds knocked out starter Galarraga in the 8th when Jones singled Huff walked then SAcott delivered a nother long ball a 3 run bomb his 8th and a 5-1 lead for the Birds and they win it and extend the win streak to 4. Heranandez got a shiving cream pie in the face while talking to pretty belacgers reporter AMber Theoharris. Reimold got a puie in the face after hois walkoff shot and Berken after his winning start so the Birds young guns have all delivered victories coming out of triple A. Bergesen throws tonight.
So the O's just swept Toronto a great feat considerd the Jays were the legue's best team before going on a nine game losing streak an even more incredible feat considering the Birds were down 8-3 dealing with a Cy Young candidiate Roy Halladay who they plated three against then teed off on the bullpen,. In game 2 fresh called up JAson Berken went 5 allowing 2 and getting the win and did a noice job getting out of a bases loaded situation by getting Rolen to fly out and ending the inning. The bullpen was aggain real solid ALbers 2 innings scorelss and Johnson 2 innings scorelss getting the save. Huff had a deep solo shot that shorthopped the fence in between the stadium and EDautaw street. Then Jones homered deep to right a 2 run shot his 11th. Then Reimold hit a 2 run blast to center his 3rd. Brob added a 2 run double for extra insurance making it 7-2 which wouyld be the final. Game 3 was an extra inning thriller. a Rch Hill error led to 1 run in the first for Toronto but fresh off the DL Luke Soctt hit a 2 run jack out in center. Then Hill would be tagged for hit after hit and got hit for 6 runs in the fourth and he would last only 3.1 allowing 7 6 eraned. Jones would get an rbi on a single to amke it 7-3. Wells would sca fly in 1 8-3. Then the O's would load the bases in the 7th but Markakis would fly deep to left jsut foul at the wall and it was caught. The O's would load em up in the 8th agagin but this time they would score those runs when Moeller got hit by a poitch (Moeller likely to be relesaes when Wieters comes up Friday but it could be XZaughn who is scuffling.) Then ANdino got a rbis single. Then Roberts a sac fly Jones a rbi single and Mrakais a double scoring the tying run and almost the go ahead run but Jones got gunnes down at the plate. It would go to extra innings and in the 11th Baez would give up a 2 run shot to Hill the MLB leader in hits. But the O's would score 4 in the bottom of the 11th Soctt would single in a Marakkis and send mora to third boith of whom previously singled and only one down Huffs fluy out. This would bring Reimold to the plate and he delivered big hittinga walk off 3 run homerun into the second or first row in right hey even a double would have scored the tying run and got thew winning run to at least third with 1 out and it did look similar to a double over the left fielder but this one would keep going and end up in the seats O's win OS' sweep and improve to 21-26 beaz gets the win and is 4-1. David Heranndez will start for Koji who has been unfortunatley been put on the 15 day DL and the guy that Trembley hinted at as the guy who struck out 14 the other night would be thne starter fopr tommorows opener vs Detroit in Baltimore and we are all eager to see if he can impress as Bergesen and Berken have.
The Nats Adam Dunn pounded 2 homeruns a 2 run shot and a grand salmi that would prove to be the difference. Walker ggave up that sh9ot as Ray allowed the bases to be loaded. Bergesen worked 5.2 allowing 4 Ray lost it and gave up 3 Walker 1 and Handerickson 0. Jones gave the Birds a brief lead on a 2 run blast his 10th but not enough as the Birds fall 8-5 but win the seires 2-1. Then Guthrie would turn a brilliant performance as he pithced 7 innings allowing just 1 run then the O's would get 2 insurance runs in the 7th and would win 4-1. Markaksi got the first run when he grounded ointo a double -lay. Then Zaughn would drive in a run on a hit. Then Roberts would belt atriple into the gap socring Izturis then Huff would sac fly in ROberts. The Jas would get there only run in the first ona single by Wells. Beaz pitcghed a scorless 8th and Sherill a socrless 9th for his 10th save. Roiberts had 2 hits a double and a striple and huff had a doble. Guthrie is now 4-4 and an ERA of 4.9o still high but with more performances like this is what will lower it to something better and more respectable and many within the Orioles organization feels he is capable of he will be a good pitcher for this Orioles team if he commands his stuff as he did today. AGagin great work from the bullpen. Many beleive Ken Berken will get Eaton's spot in the ropationa dn pitch tommorow. Baltimore is now 19-26.
United goalie Josh Wicks was my top star in this one as he made 8 saves and got the shutout his best and there were many was when he same out and dove and smacked the ball away from the net on a drive that could have ended up negativley for DC but didn't. Fred had a golden chance on a neat lob form the side of the ent right in front but i think he was trying to head it jumped and eneded up connecting with his foot grazing the post. Wicks had to punch and corral corners to kepp this thing tied. Namoff just didn't catch up witha ball he could ahve scored and Gomez had an in tight oppurunity real late that he banged off the goalie but he was offsides anyway. 0-0 your final. The O's win vs the Nats 2-1 despite having only 3 hits a double by UXZaghn a triple by Huff in a pinch hit spot and in infield single by Markakis where nobody covered second but the runner still probably would have been safe. Uehara pitched 3 scorless innings but left with hamstring crapms or soreness not considered a serious injury which is good news because he is the ace of the staff. Bass pitched 3 and got the win and gave upa solo shot to Cristian Guzman then struck oput Zimmerman and DUnn to end the inning. ALbersa scorelss inninga s well as Johnson and SHerill his 9th save striking out the side in the ninth only favcing three cant have a better inning than that. Greta pitching has been the story of this sereis and this won featired quite a few a great defenseive plays as Jones was robbed of a homerun by Maxwell when he lepaed at the center wall and stretched is arms well over the fence to bring back and catch the ball recording an out instead of a solo homerun. Then Huff crushed won that bounced off the top of the wall and back into plaY. WIgginton Izturis made some nice snabs as well. The O's have a chance at the sweep tommorow afternoon when Bergesen goes for them and we'll see what tommorow has in store for the Beltway Series or Battle of the Beltway.
This game was highlighted by a couple of blasts Nolan reimold's 2nd solo and a 2 run bomb from Ryan Zimmerman. Hill and Jordan pitched well allowing only 2 runs each but it was tied at 2 til the twekl,fth when with 2 outs Baez hits a squb down that line that dies in the middle of the infield. Then BRob doubles luckiliy for the nats its a ground rule otherwise Beaz could have scopred. No problem next up Jones who has the hottest bat in the O's lineup drills abnother double down the line this one satays in play and the Bitrds score 2 4-2 your final. Jones was 3-5 and now is batting .372 BRob 3-6 batting .297 and Markakis a terrible game for his averagbe and 0-6 and that's almost 2 games worth of ABs. Reimold went 2-5 now batting .313 and the callup from AAA is impresiing. Trembley stated he could be the go to guy in left the way he hits and that's agreat ouitfield with thoise 3. SAHerill gets his 8th save pitching a scorless 12th. Johnson 2 innings of flawless ball ALbers 1.1 scorless Beaz 2 scorless and the bullpen stood on its head delat wth the tricky NAts lineup.
The Birds starter eaton was whacked allowing 7 runs 4.2 Bass a scorelss 2.1 and SHerill a scorless inning so bullpen was good the starter was not. One key was BRob gping 0-2 when he could have got 3 RBIs and tied the game his final 2 ABs but he did slug a long ball his 6th Markakis got his 7th slam both solos as theere would be no accomponiment on the bases. Wigginton nailed a double down the line on the O's first pich hit of the year scoring 2 but that's all the O's would get as they put up 4 and lost by3. Jaba got a line drive in the thigh and left afyter .2 inning but he would get the out but Mora would be retired with 2 on. Cano hit a 2 runblast and Matsui a solo and the Yanks strung together 3 doubkles to start the gamne and a dourth double later that inning to score 2 more so Eaton ruffed up and maybe out of the roation all together. O's next visuit Washington for interleague play with the pitchers swingin bats and the O's desperate for Ws. United also plays saturday on Cpopmcats sportsnet so i may wathc that since the BIrds are intersetin to watch but right now taril in a tugh dicvision and the toughest in the majors especially with Toroonto havinga breakpout year.
This was a game that Guthrie got roughed up a little but the bats were ball busting as the Birds hit three out Wigginton a 2 run shot Jones solo his 9th and freshly called up Nolan Reimold blasted one over the center field wall his first major league long ball. The Yanks hit 3 too and theres were consecutive back to back to back jobs that put the Birds in an early hoel as they trailed 5-0 until Wigginton;'s 2 run blast the Birds would get as close as 5-3 but then a terrible inning gave the Yanks 6 runs on just 3 hits 2 walks and an error by andino who hit a deep double that almost went out. Baez and Walker got tagged as did Guthriw and not a good night for O's pitching as they fell 11-4 but outhit the Yankees 10-9. Eaton throws tonuigght vs Cahmberlain.
The O's tokk 2 out of 4 in KC but game 1 in NY was bad for them. Despite what seemed to be a real nice outing for Bergesen he ran into trouble walking 2 in the sevnth and both runs scored as the bullpen let the 2-1 game turn 9-1 that same inning and that put the game out of reach. Ray was not effective and gave up a long ball to Texiera. Guthrie goes tonight and would like to pitch well vs this Yankees team equppied with capable hitters who can be very good but if he pitches well he can battle trhem effectivley like Beregesen did who really only had one mistake as he let one go hiigh inside to AROD who blasted it for a 2 run shot but Guthriw will try to avoid any mistakes because those shaky pitches can turn into shaky bleachers,
The O's had there ace on the mound and there A game with the wood tonight as they put up as many runs as there are innings and defeat Kansas City a team they would like to sweep even though Scott and Jones were out otnight and questionable for the series although you will see them both very soon. Guthrie was in trouble tonigght but left after five with the elad 5-4 and he had to make a good pitch to do that. Walker gave up a long bal but it was solo and Baez worked a scorelss 7th Walker 1.1 one run and Johnson 1.2 nothing no runs. AUbrey Huff ba;sted his 7th and Markakis came up with 2 doubles and 3 RBIs and Iztuiris hit a triple and got 3 rbis and Nolan reimold went 1-5 with an infield single but the 3rd baseman robbed him of another hit so he can have a good future here in baltimore. Guthrie does get the win and is now 3-3 but the best starter so far has to be Koji and no surprise the guy was dominat in Japan. Eaton goes tommorow and Hill will be called up for Saturday leaving Sunday to Koji, Moar got 2 hits as did B Rob adn WIgginton had 1 Pie evebn added a double showing his speed stereching a bloop into 2. Good start to the road trip and show Greinke he ain't that good and the O's will be on there way to winning the sereis and maybe a sweep.
The Caps had the biggest flop in a game i have eever seen. The should have won this series in no more than six games after taking a 2-0 lead. But then as usual the gay officials give the Pens 4 PP the Caps a 0 and they are the biggest joke in life. The Pens scored twice in the first in an 8 second span and 3 times in the third to one by AO. Laich scored in the third as did Crosby and the final was 6-2 a beating the Caps had only once this year that bad vs Philly. COuldn't have come at a worse time but like i side the Caps screwed themselves by not taking game 5 and not puttin g the Pens on the brink of elimination earlier and let them hang around and put the Caps on the brink. That means you can never play a sloppy game and that's just what game 7 was a mess a pigsty. Varlamov or Varlamoth as i now call him liked like a minituare bug trapped and hitting itself a gisnt a light. Theo was no better and the Caps had no chance sometime in the seocnd so what can be said of this game. I won't even ask any of the Caps or coaches anything as they would probably werbally bash the team themselves the game and the officials after a disaster like this. Ok in hockeys theres Hurricaines which are a disaster and this game 7 which was like an earthquake or wildfire leaving people screaming yelling and shouting what the f&&uck exatly is going on in DC. AO got denied on an earl;y breakaway and that really takes the air out of the sails then late Green looks to deposit a swell pass but nothing happens and things go from bad to worse to awful in this one with the outcoming being decoide mid way through the second period not a good way to lose and nobody that came to watch this one could beleive there eyes or the scoreboard. The fourth goal was ewerily simialr to the one Sergei Fderov whipped in to win game 7 vs NY but this time a Pen was the one getting credited for the goal and that was alomosrt the knockout punch which was later delivered by Jordan Stall for a 5-0 lead and that is when i considered the Caps done for the year. The O's also lost despite a nice performance from Beregesen and 3 homeruns one from Wigginton one from Roberts and one from Pie who replace Jones complaining of hamstring discomfort and is listed as day top day. Mocroroy could not keep it close allowing 4 runs in the ninth and the O's woul score 4 to but the headed ointo the ninth trailing 4-2 and lost 8-6. Ray pitched well and Wlaker as well but mcrory kept allowing the single to go through him and up the middle too many times and the O's fall the good news is they play lowly Kansas CIty next four times so they might sweep them. Sory Caps you did have a pretty great year though and Im sure vengeance will be on your mind next year especially vs the stupid Penguins.
The O's are now 4-2 against the reigning AL champs. This night started well with JOnes taking one deep in the dirst his sollo shot number 7. BUt after Hendrickson got out of a jam in the first he got pounded in the 2nd allowing five. No problem the O's get 5 in the boittom of the seoicnd the big blast coming with2 on for Jones again his 8th Montanez doubled scoring one and Roberts hit a single but it was in the Bermuda triangle area and Izturis was thrown out at second he should have slid, Also earlier Manotanez was thrown out at home when he should have been held so without those two mistakes the O's could have got at least 2 more runs but they wouldn't need them. They got one more next inning When Huff doubled the mora singled and 7-5 was the score and the final as aside for Hendrisckson's rocky second the bullpen would take over in ten third and Bass would pitch 4 scorelss innings for the win. Beaz good seventh Joihnson good 8th and Sherill great ninth for his 6th saveO's pitching had 3 Ks and 4 BBs and both teams had eleevn hits. Markakis had an almost homer that was caught right at the wall as did Upton twice once Pie caught it who ended up leaving with stomach problems and once jones at the wall. Wigginton had one fall a foot short and bounce over for a ground ruler and Markakis hit one off the big wall for a sdouble Montanez had a double ass did Huff and Jones 2 bombs were 2 more than Tampa hit as they had 4 doubles 2 from Crawford who is a tricky out but Upton is really struggling after a good year as is Navarro. SOnanistine got rocked allowing 7 in 2 and He drickson 5 in 2 Bass lowered his ERA to 5.04 and Beaz to 2.37 JOnhsnon 20 3.52 and Sherril to 3.68 strong numbers in the back of the pen and Bass helped his cause to be the long reliver of choice. hendrickson might be forced into the pen with another soft start and Rich Hill could be the favorite to take his space he has recently spent time in the minors rehabbing getting ready for the BIgs. Maybe Hednrickson can be a relif in relief work but now he has struggled atrating and for a while i haven't been high on the guy so best of luck and pitches if he gets called on in a releif appearance O's win 7-5 and run there record to 14-19 5 below but i feel a record they will eventually get to .500 and beteter. They have strong hitters and pitchers in Guthriw Uehara and up an coming Bergesen and Eaton had played better so who knows but my guess is they will be improved this year still. I'm going to bat for this club case they seem to be heading in the right direction.
The Caps were faced with a win or go home and start the off season. They didn't want to do that. Win they wanted to do that and they do that. Another overtime thriller sends with Dave Steckel redirecting Brooks Laich shot and the Caps win 5-4. Smein had a sweet PP goal. Kozlov score the Caps first on amean wrister. Felcihamn got a juicy rebound and slipped it in. Kozlov picked upa sghot that bounced off a d and teh boards and snapped it in while a d man bu,mped his gaolie. The Caps led most of the way they just had a trob;e holding on to their leads but that's why in OT when you score it's done and that is the end but no end to the series as the Biggest game of them all looms whead game 7 wheer the winner moves on and the loser goes home and you could say that's anotehr must win for the Caps because it is. If they win i'll blog when they lose i usually don't cuz im ticked off. Ovechkin had a great game 5 but the Caps lost in Ot on a bad defelction when P{optoi truied to break up a pass and tipped it in his own net just bad luck but Ovie had 2 goals. Thuis was the third OT game of the seriies much like what happened in the NBA in the Bulls Celtics series. Tense Game 7 Wedensaday be there and Rock the RED as the RED hope to rock the Penguins out of the playoffs.
A promising start has been nullified by a six game lsoing sterak which was just snapped as the O's doubled up Tampa 8-4. Markakis hit an early 3 run bomb and Roberts a late 2 run shoit and in between the O's got another three on a sac fly from Huff and a doiuble by Wigginton and a single by Izturis Jones stole trhird but was called out and that cost the BZirds at leats one run. Bad call by the ump. Baez got thew in as eaton allowed 4 runs in 5 innings not real strong but he is the fifth starter. Roberts got 2 hits Jines one Nick 3 and is now hitting a team high .370 AVG just flaming hot HUf and Mora 0 fors and Wigginton 2 hits Soctta doubkle Izturis a hit and Zaughn 2 hits and the O's proved they still are a problem for opposing pitchers. They play at 4 today with Koji going against garza and i expect Koji to be in the zone and get outs on the regular.
The Caps were alive in this one. OK early rebound goal to Crosby 1-0 Pens but AO and his all Russian line would strike back when Federov to Kozlov to the the one time blast of Ovie on the left wing found back of the net 1-1. Crosby would be in front of the ent again and this is a play i think Mike green should have layed him out on but instead Crosby gets another. No worries as Steckel would return the favor after Tyler SLoan slapped one that defelcted to STeckel who banged it in 5 hole 2-2. Then Pitsburgh would have a PP fail and the Caps would get one on a trip by Malkin and they would score right after as Bakctrom won the draw Green got Ovie slid over and One timed it in 3-2. The Caps would then choose to dump and not chase on a couple possesions which really ticked me off but the AO would come with the puck up the boards and sjkate one on one with Gonhcar when ghe fired a wrister top shelf and made it 4-2. The Pens would get aPP and pull the goalie for a 6 on 4 and Crosby would tip a puck in the air off Varlies mask and in but that would be it and the game eneded 4-3 Caps. The PK great as they had to kill a 5 on3 and Letang jsut getting out of the box had a clear path top the ent but SImeon Varlamov stopped him. Laich had a nice hit on Crsoby instead of giving him room right in front of the ent and that's what the Caps need to do all the time to SIfd the Kid because he sits in front alot and as soon as the puck is playable by him level him and take him oput of the play. Caps lead the series 2-0 and head to Pitssbutgh where they need to win one if not both of the enxt two and really put themseklves in a gooa position to advance.
Caps were big in gmae 1. They let Crosbly get to far and skate too much and he netted the first goal but the Caps would strike back when Bradley shot it rebounded and Steckel crashed the net and scored a goal. Then the Caps would be awarded a 5 on 3 which they would capitalize on when Semin SLap fed Ocechkin with the goalie out of position Ao banged it in there would be similar plays on both sides but neither would cah in and one time I thought Ovechkin was gone slap one tie one in but he hesistaed and gave the goalie time to get in good position to make the save instread of sklapping it right when it got to him. Eaton would score a softy on Varlaomv i'm giving him 2 soft ones allowed so far in the playoffs this one slipped right between his arm and body 2-2. But he would make it for it when A pass was sent cross crease to Cfrosby who got a piece of it But Varlie would slap his stcikhand to the ground and defelct it away what braodcasters said was the save of the playoffs thus far. The Caps wiuld then strike early in the third when Smein slapped pass to Bakcstrom who found Fleichamn in front of the net and he one timed it off the arm post and in greta goal Varlie made 34 saves and was first star and Steckel was a star as well. Great Game 1 Caps lead the sewries 1-0 and play another home game monday and they would like to make it a 2-0 series to give them a strong upper hand in the semi's. Look for another good game as some are calling this the best semi out of the four series but with another win the Caps would be well on theer way to advancing.
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