Saturday July 9 vs the Rangers

Opponent: Texas Rangers
Outcome: W
Score: 4-1
Streak: W1
Record: 27-59
Rank: 7th
GB: 26

The Rangers got 10 hits this evening off the Orioles' pitchers but somehow only managed to get one run.  The main reason for that appears to be the fact that they hit into three double plays.  In fact twice during the game the first two batters of an inning singled and both times a double play ground ball killed their rally.  The Rangers ended up leaving eight men on base and went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position.

Meanwhile the Birds only got six hits but made the most of their opportunities and scored four runs.  In the bottom of the third Rick Schu led off with a single and Bill Ripken attempted to bunt him to second.  The throw from catcher Geno Petralli pulled second baseman Curtis Wilkerson off the bag though and both Schu and Ripken were safe.  Pete Stanicek followed with a sacrifice bunt of his own that moved up the baserunners and Fred Lynn then hit a sacrifice fly to score Schu.  The next batter Cal Ripken doubled to knock in his brother Bill with the second run of the inning.

The Rangers cut the Birds' lead to 2-1 in the sixth inning.  With one out Cecil Espy singled.  He stole second with Scott Fletcher at bat and then scored a batter later on a Ruben Sierra single.  But the Birds extended their lead in the bottom of the inning when Jim Traber and Ken Gerhart hit back-to-back home runs.  The Rangers made it a little interesting in the eighth and ninth innings when they got two runners on in each inning but Orioles relievers Dave Schmidt and Tom Niedenfuer managed to keep them from scoring.