All Aboard The Orioles Train!

As I'm writing this blog, the Orioles have just gone into the tenth inning in their game with the Rays. They are at home and going for the sweep. They are desperately fighting to win this game. They need all the cushion they can get as they close the regular season with a brutal 19 game stretch. 12 of their final 19 games are on the road. In that stretch they play Oakland, who is also fighting to make the playoffs. They also close the season with a 3 game series in Tampa against the Rays. That three game series could have so much riding on it. That could determine the fate of multiple teams and whether they make the playoffs or not.

Nate McLouth came up so big last night with this bottom of the 9th hit. Do you think the Orioles were excited?



They were about as happy as the Red Sox the night before. On September 11th, 2012 Jacoby Ellsbury hit the walk off single to lead the Red Sox to victory. This doesn't capture the entire celebration that Boston had, but you would have thought that they had won the World Series.



Thanks to ESPN networks I was able to flip back and forth between Rays-Orioles and Red Sox-Yankees last night. I was able to see McLouth's walk off hit and then flip back to Boston. Jarrod Saltlamachia hit a hell of a home run at the bottom of the 9th to bring the Red Sox to within 5-4. Mike Aviles then got on base and Jacoby Ellsbury had the chance to be the hero again. He gave it a good shot. Maybe there's hope for the Red Sox going forward. With the players they've traded to LA not having done a whole lot.

Sorry I digressed. Let's go back to the Orioles, they are now in the bottom of the 11th inning. Who will be the person that gets the clutch hit this time. The Orioles haven't been to the playoffs since 1997 and there's no guarantee they will be making it this season. They've overcome so much adversity to get to this point. McLouth is now up, can he have the magic two nights in a row? No he wasn't able to, now the game goes to the 12th inning.

The great thing about the Orioles they continue to find ways to win, unlike certain other teams they aren't choking. For instance the Dodgers, they've scored a total of two runs in the last 3 games. It seems three things in life are certain. Death, taxes and the Dodgers won't score 4 runs in a game. Once a Dodgers opponent scores 3 runs, the game is over. LA may also score 3 runs, but they won't get that 4th run.

Now the game has stretched into the bottom of the 12th inning. I wish I could be watching this game now. Adam Jones, not to be confused with the idiot Pacman Jones, is now up for the Orioles. And he wasn't able to do anything, now it's to the top of the 13th inning. Upton, Zobrist and Longoria weren't able to do anything in the top of the 13th inning, now can the Orioles end the game?

Bottom of the 13th: I haven't even heard of Endy Chavez, will the Venezuelan come through for the Orioles? He was able to get on base. Manny Machado is up for the Orioles. One person on and no outs, a double could win the game. Machado got on base, now two on and no one out. One of the hottest players in the league Mark Reynolds is up. Reynolds gets a hit, now it's bases loaded and still no outs. It's time for the Orioles to win, but the Rays get the first out. Robert Andino grounds into a fielder's choice. Matt Wieters is now up for the Orioles. Come on Matt, let's end it. Unfortunately he struck out swinging. Now Nate McLouth gets another chance to be a hero. All the Orioles need is a single! But no such luck so off to the 13th inning the game goes.

Brignac, Keppenger and Archer are up for the Rays as they nervously watch in New York, Tampa and Baltimore. Reid Brignac strikes out swinging, apparently that's spreading at Camden Yards. Mr. Jeff Keppenger had a single for the Rays. One out, one on. (Did I say I wish I was watching this game already?)  Thankfully Mr. Archer bunted foul on strike 3. Two outs, one on and Molina is up. Molina gets another Rays single, but Keppenger only gets to second base. Two on, two out and now Joyce is up. Joyce strikes out and we go to the bottom of the 14th inning. The Orioles play "Take Me Out To the Ballgame Again", I guess that's for the 14th inning stretch.

Bottom of the 14th: Hardy, Ford and Jones will be up. Hardy fouls out to the shortstop. Lew Ford's stats aren't looking so good either. Predictably by his stats Ford is in an out. Come on Adam Jones, for everyone's sanity please come through with a home run! He didn't, but at least he got on base. Two outs, one on and my good friend Endy Chavez is up. Chavez doesn't have great stats either. But he comes through two on, two out. Come on Manny Machado! Machado is the hero, driving in the winning run. Orioles win 3-2 and now comes that hellacious stretch run.

I love pennant race baseball so much. Come on Boston score one for the American way and vanquish the Yankees.

themusicaddict