Thursday July 28 at Cleveland

Opponent: Cleveland Indians
Outcome: W
Score: 5-2
Streak: W1
Record: 32-68
Rank: 7th
GB: 27

The Orioles managed to avoid being swept in Cleveland this night but even so managed to find a unique way to kill a rally.  With one out in the second Mickey Tettleton drew a walk and then moved to second on ground out by Ken Gerhart.  Jim Traber then singled to bring in Tettleton with the first run of the ballgame.  The Orioles loaded the bases when Rene Gonzales and Joe Orsulak followed with singles of their own.  Pete Stanicek followed with the Birds' fourth consecutive single which scored Traber but Gonzales stumbled and fell rounding third.  He got up and retreated back to third with the help of a push from Orioles third base coach Mike Hart.  That of course is interference and Gonzales was called out which ended the inning.  But the Orioles had a 2-0 lead.

An out on the bases ended the next inning for the Birds as well.  With two outs Eddie Murray singled and went to second on third baseman Brook Jacoby's throwing error.  Tettleton followed with a single to left but somehow Murray got himself thrown out at third on the play to end the inning.  He made up for his base running gaffe a few innings later when he hit his 17th home run of the year, a solo shot in the sixth to make it 3-0.

The Birds had yet another rally end on a base running out in the seventh.  With two outs Stanicek singled and stole second.  Bill Ripken singled to bring him in but was thrown out at second attempting to take an extra base to end the inning.  Ripken's brother Cal led off the top of the eighth with a solo home run to give the Birds a 5-0 lead.

Meanwhile Oswaldo Peraza had been pitching a pretty good game.  He had held the Indians to only four hits and two walks over the first eight innings but things got a little interesting in the ninth.  With one out, the Tribe picked up a run on three consecutive singles by Joe Carter, Mel Hall and Jacoby.  Orioles manager Frank Robinson lifted Peraza and brought in Tom Niedenfeur, the team's closer.  Niedenfeur was able to get the final two outs although he gave up a hit to Carmelo Castillo that scored Hall with the Indians' second and final run.