Friday, August 31, 2018

Wednesday August 31 at the Angels

Opponent: California Angels
Outcome: L
Score: 5-7
Streak: L1
Record: 46-86
Rank: 7th
GB: 29

The Orioles made a trade before the game today, sending veteran outfielder Fred Lynn to the Tigers in exchange for three players to be named later.  Lynn had joined the Orioles as a free agent prior to the 1985 season after 10 years playing with the Red Sox and Angels.  He played OK for the Birds but he was frequently injured during his almost four seasons with the team.  The most games he ever played in a season for Baltimore was 124 in 1985.  He had been one of my favorite players when he was with the Red Sox - the first year I followed baseball was 1975, the season in which he became the first player to ever win the Rookie Of The Year and MVP awards in the same season (Ichiro Suzuki is the only other player to do it) - and I was sad to see him leave the Orioles but I understood the move.  He would spend the 1989 season in Detroit before returning to southern California in 1990 with the Padres for the final season of his career.

"Later" in the case of the three players the Orioles received for Lynn turned out to be September 9th when it was announced that they had received catcher Chris Hoiles and pitchers Cesar Mejia and Robinson Garces from Detroit.  Neither Mejia or Garces ever played in the majors - in fact each of them only spent one season in the Orioles' organization (1989) and both were out of baseball (at least as active players) after 1990.  Hoiles on the other hand became the regular catcher for the Birds during most of the 90's and was elected to the Orioles Hall Of Fame in 2006.

Tonight's game was exceptionally frustrating.  The Orioles would get 16 batters on base tonight behind 14 hits and two walks but would only score five runs.  They managed to only have six guys left on base however.  How did they achieve this feat?  They grounded into four double plays and had a runner picked off.

The Orioles came out of the gate swinging this evening.  Joe Orsulak led off the game with a double and Brady Anderson followed with a bunt single.  A Cal Ripken sacrifice fly brought Orsulak in with the first run of the game.  After Eddie Murray popped out, Anderson stole second which allowed him to score on Larry Sheets' single.  Jim Traber then connected for a two run home run to make it 4-0.  Terry Kennedy followed with a single before Rene Gonzales grounded out to end the inning.

Orioles starter Jay Tibbs pitched very well over the first six innings of the game.  He walked one batter and gave up two hits but ended up only facing one batter over the minimum through six innings due to Jim Eppard of the Angels grounding into two double plays.  Unfortunately as I mentioned before the Orioles were having similar offensive issues of their own.  A Cal Ripken lead off single in the third was immediately erased when Eddie Murray ground into a double play.  In the fourth the Birds got two on with one out when Kennedy and Gonzales had back-to-back singles but Bill Ripken hit into an inning ending double play.  The fifth inning was exceptionally egregious.  Orsulak led off the inning with a single but was picked off of first immediately by Angels starter Wille Fraser.  Anderson then walked but Cal Ripken followed with a ground ball to shortstop that the Angels converted into their third double play in three innings.  The Orioles had gotten a single and a walk in the inning and yet still managed to finish the inning with having only sent three men to the plate.

Things fell apart for the Orioles in the bottom of the seventh.  Johnny Ray broke up Tibbs' shutout by leading off the inning with a home run.  Wally Joyner followed with a single and after Brian Downing popped out Chili Davis his a single as well to chase Tibbs from the mound.

Sometimes when a team makes a defensive replacement you'll sometimes hear announcers talking about how the ball will find the new guy.  I'm not sure I've heard it with pitchers before but the ball found new Orioles reliever Doug Sisk - the first batter he faced (Tony Armas) hit a ground ball that Sisk fielded and made a bad throw to first on. Armas was safe and the bases were now loaded.  Eppard made up for hitting into two double plays by lining a two RBI single.  Orioles manager Frank Robinson pulled Sisk from the game and replaced him with Mark Thurmond who hit Jack Howell with a pitch to load the bases back up.  Out went Thurmond and in came Mark Williamson.  Dick Schofield greeted the new pitcher with a two RBI single to put the Angels up 5-4.  Williamson managed to get Mark McLemore to line out and Ray to fly out to end the inning.  The Angels sent 10 men to the plate and scored five runs on five hits, an error and a hit by pitch.

The Orioles came back in the eighth.  George Hendrick had come in to play left field this inning and the ball immediately found him - Cal Ripken lined a shot into the gap between left and center field that Hendrick somehow misplayed.  Cal ended up at third and was given credit for a double and Hendrick was charged with an error that allowed Cal the extra base.  After Murray had a shallow fly out Pete Stanicek (who had replaced Sheets in left the previous inning) singled to score Cal with the game tying run.  But Jim Traber grounded into the Birds' fourth double play of the evening to end the threat.

Joyner led off the Angel's half of the eighth with a double and moved to third on Downing's ground out.  Williamson issued an intentional walk to Davis to set up a double play but Armas foiled that plan by lining a double to put the Angels back on top.  After Darrell Miller (who had run for Eppard in the previous inning) struck out for the second out Williamson issued his second intentional walk of the inning - this time to Jack Howell.  This loaded the bases for Schofield who was able to work a walk to force in a run and extend the Angels' lead to two.  Finally Williamson got McLemore to fly out to end the inning.

The Orioles would manage to get a couple runners on base in the ninth but they failed to score.  On the plus side though they at least failed with out the benefit of yet another double play.

The loss brought what had been the Orioles best month by far of the season to an end on a sour note.  The Birds almost managed to break even in August, going 14-15 on the month.  They actually outscored their opponents 120-117 this month.  Unfortunately they would not sustain this improvement over the final month of the season.

My friend Steve had moved from Delaware to Boston without having introduced me to Sabra, the woman that he thought I should meet.  But he gave me her phone number and told me that he told her that I would be calling.  I'm a fairly shy person and the thought of cold calling someone like this terrified me but I called her this evening and she turned out to be very nice.  We ended up talking on the phone for almost two hours and set up a date to go out to dinner on Friday up in Delaware.

Thursday, August 30, 2018

Tuesday August 30 at the Angels

Opponent: California Angels
Outcome: W
Score: 5-2
Streak: W1
Record: 46-85
Rank: 7th
GB: 28

It apparently was solo home run night out at the Big A this evening as the two teams combined to hit four solo shots.  Luckily for the Orioles they got some runs from other sources as well.

Eddie Murray kicked off the scoring with a lead off home run in the top of the second.  Mickey Tettleton and Fred Lynn (in his last game as an Oriole) followed with back to back singles and Brady Anderson moved them up to third and second respectively with a sacrifice bunt.  Rene Gonzales brought them both in to score on a single.  After Bill Ripken lined out for the second out of the inning Gonzales stole second with Joe Orsulak at the plate, putting him into position to score on Orsulak's single two pitches later.  After Pete Stanicek walked Cal Ripken grounded out to end the inning - the Orioles had batted around though, scoring four runs on five hits and a walk.

All the rest of the scoring in the game was on the other three solo home runs.  The Angels cut the Birds' lead in half with solo shots from Chili Davis and Wally Joyner in the second and third innings but the Orioles extended their lead to three with a home run off the bat of Orsulak in the fourth.

Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Monday August 29 at the Angels

Opponent: California Angels
Outcome: L
Score: 2-4
Streak: L1
Record: 45-85
Rank: 7th
GB: 29

The Orioles made a trade before today's game, sending Jim Dwyer to the Minnesota Twins for a player to be named later (who was announced as pitcher Doug Kline two days later).  Dwyer had joined the Orioles as a free agent prior to the 1981 season and established himself as one of the best pinch hitters in baseball.  The highlight of his Orioles career was probably the home run he hit in Game One of the 1983 World Series.

Tonight's game featured a somewhat rare event - both pitchers throw complete games although since the Orioles lost Jeff Ballard only threw eight innings.  The Angels drew first blood in this game.  They loaded the bases with one out in the third inning on two singles (by Dick Schofield and Jack Howell) and walk (to Devon White).  Johnny Ray then hit a ground ball up the middle that Bill Ripken fielded and then stepped on second to force White.  But he threw the ball away when trying for the double play which allowed Howell to score and Ray to end up on second.  The Angels led 2-0.

The Orioles cut California's lead in half in the fifth.  Fred Lynn led off with a single and went to third on Terry Kennedy's single.  Rene Gonzales then grounded into a double play but Lynn was able to score on the play.  Brady Anderson followed with a single but was thrown out at second trying to extend it to a double to end the inning.

A Tony Armas solo home run leading off the seventh pushed the Angels lead back up to two but the Orioles managed to score a run on a ground out again in the eighth.  The Angels picked up a final run in the ninth on a pair of singles by Thad Bosley and Brian Downing that were separated by a couple ground outs that allowed Bosley to get to third.

Tuesday, August 28, 2018

Sunday August 28 at the Athletics

Opponent: Oakland Athletics
Outcome: W
Score: 2-1
Streak: W1
Record: 45-84
Rank: 7th
GB: 29

This game had almost no offense until the late innings.  The Orioles got a couple runners on with non outs in the fifth on a double by Eddie Murray and a Mickey Tettleton hit-by-pitch but they failed to score.  Other than that neither team managed to get more than one base runner on in any inning.  The A's only had two hits until the eighth inning while the Orioles only had three (including Murray's double).

Terry Steinbach led of the bottom of the eighth with a walk and Mike Gallego came in to run for him.  Glenn Hubbard then sacrificed him to second and after pinch hitter Ron Hassey struck out Luis Polonia singled to score Gallego with the first run of the game.  It could have been worse for the Orioles but Tettleton threw out Polonia attempting to steal second for the third out of the inning.

A one run lead for the A's meant that Dennis Eckersley would be coming in to close out the game.  Eck would get 45 saves this season but today would not be one of them.  Pinch hitter Joe Orsulak led off the ninth with a single and then stole second.  A ground ball to first base by Pete Stanicek allowed Orsulak to move to third and he then scored the tying run on a sacrifice fly by Bill Ripken.  Cal Ripken then grounded out to end the inning but the game was now tied.

The game remained tied until the top of the eleventh.  With two outs Orsulak (who had remained in the game) tripled and then scored on Stanicek's single.  This was the only inning the entire game that either team had more than one hit.  The A's did get two base runners on in the bottom of the eleventh on a walk and single but Orioles closer Tom Neidenfuer managed to get three outs without giving up a run and notch his 14th save of the season.

Monday, August 27, 2018

Saturday August 27 at the Athletics

Opponent: Oakland Athletics
Outcome: L
Score: 1-5
Streak: L2
Record: 44-84
Rank: 7th
GB: 30

For the second straight game the Orioles got on the board first and for the second straight game the lead didn't hold.  The Orioles got a run in the first inning on a solo home run from Cal Ripken.

Dave Parker led off the bottom of the second for the A's with a single and after Mark McGwire struck out Carney Lansford hit another single.  Terry Steinbach followed with a double that scored Parker with the tying run and next Glenn Hubbard singled to score McGwire with the go-ahead run.  After Walt Weiss flew out Luis Polonia singled to knock Lansford in with the third run of the inning.  The A's extended their lead two innings later on three consecutive singles by Hubbard, Weiss and Polonia - the third one scoring Hubbard - and a sacrifice fly from Dave Henderson. 

Oddly enough these were the only two innings where Oakland had much offense - Oswaldo Peraza and Doug Sisk held the A's to only one hit in the other seven innings.  Unfortunately the Orioles couldn't get anything going themselves despite getting 7 hits and 6 walks - including getting the bases loaded with no one out in the sixth inning and not getting any runs out of it.  They left 10 men on base and went 0-6 with runners in scoring position.

Sunday, August 26, 2018

Friday August 26 at the Athletics

Opponent: Oakland Athletics
Outcome: L
Score: 5-8
Streak: L1
Record: 44-83
Rank: 7th
GB: 30

After three games against the team with the second worst record in the American League the Orioles traveled to Oakland for three games against the team with the best record in all of baseball (79-49).  The Birds got on the board first though.  With one out in the fourth inning Cal Ripken and Eddie Murray hit back-to-back singles and moved up on a passed ball with Larry Sheets at the plate.  Sheets singled to left, scoring Cal and when left fielder Luis Polonia misplayed the ball Murray was able to score as well.  Jim Traber followed with a two run home run and all of a sudden the Orioles had a 4-0 lead.

The lead only lasted for a couple innings.  In their half of the fourth the A's cut the lead in half on a solo home run from Dave Henderson and an RBI single from Mark McGwire.  In the sixth a two run home run from Jose Canseco tied the game at four.  Later in the inning Glenn Hubbard hit a single with the bases loaded that scored two runners and made the score 6-4.

The Orioles cut the lead to one run in the top of the seventh on a solo home run by Terry Kennedy.  In the bottom of the inning Oakland got three consecutive singles to start the inning from Polonia, Henderson and Canseco although Polonia was thrown out at third trying to advance on Henderson's single.  Dave Parker hit a ground ball to Murray at first who threw to Cal Ripken covering second for the force out on Canseco but Cal made an error on the throw to first attempting to get Parker for an inning ending double play.  Instead Henderson scored and Parker was safe at first.  Next McGwire walked and Carney Lansford lined a double to left, scoring Parker.  Cal made up for his earlier error though by relaying Sheet's throw from left to nail McGwire at the plate.  But Oakland was now up 8-5 and that was how it ended.

With two outs in the top of the ninth and a runner on first Jim Dwyer pinch hit for Rene Gonzales.  He struck out to end the game.  This would be his last at bat in an Oriole uniform.

Saturday, August 25, 2018

Thursday August 25 - Off Day

The Orioles were off today which gave them a chance to get some rest after playing 21 innings the previous day.  They were preparing to go to the West Coast for a ten day, nine game, three city road trip.  They wouldn't return to Baltimore until Labor Day.

Friday, August 24, 2018

Wednesday August 24 vs the Mariners (2)

Opponent: Seattle Mariners
Game 1
Outcome: W
Score: 4-3
Streak: W1
Record: 43-82
Rank: 7th
GB: 29
Game 2
Outcome: W
Score: 4-3
Streak: W2
Record: 44-82
Rank: 7th
GB: 29

I'm not sure when I first starting hearing it but at some point this summer the PA system at Memorial Stadium had started playing "Good Times" by the Hoodoo Gurus.



The song is about a guy trying to get back together with his ex-girl friend which has nothing to do with the 1988 Orioles.  But the chorus was very appropriate:
All the good times we had we'll have again.
Some good times were had tonight - the Orioles swept a double header from the Mariners and they won each game by a score of 4-3.  What's more both victories were of the walk-off variety.

It wasn't looking very promising for the Orioles in the opener.  Going into the bottom of the seventh the Mariners had built a 3-0 lead on a solo home run by Henry Cotto in the third, an RBI double play grounder by Rey Quinones in the fourth and a suicide squeeze bunt by Cotto in the seventh.  Mark Langston was on the mound for Seattle and he had held the Orioles to only two hits over the first six innings.

The Birds finally broke through against Langston in the bottom of the seventh.  Cal Ripken led off with a single and Eddie Murray followed with a double to put runners on second and third.  Mickey Tettleton knocked in Ripken with an RBI single.  Murray moved to third on the play which allowed him to score on Fred Lynn's sacrifice fly.  The Orioles had cut the Mariner lead to just one run.  But Langston was able to get out of trouble by striking out Ken Gerhart and getting Jim Traber to fly out to end the inning.

The Orioles threatened in the bottom of the eighth.  Rene Gonzales singled to start the frame and two batters later Bill Ripken singled, moving Gonzales all the way to third.  After only giving up two hits in the first six innings Langston had now given up five in an inning and a third and with the meat of the Orioles lineup coming up Mariners manager Jim Snyder decided it would be best to go to his bullpen.  Mike Jackson came in and struck out Cal Ripken for the second out although Bill Ripken stole second on strike three.  With first base open the Mariners elected to walk Murray to load the bases.  Jackson then got Tettleton to fly out to end the threat and preserve the Mariners one run lead.

Lynn singled to start the bottom of the ninth which kicked off a flurry of replacement activity.  Brady Anderson came in to run for Lynn and Jim Dwyer came in to pinch hit for Gerhart.  On the Seattle side Mike Schooler came in to relieve Jackson.  Dwyer flew out for the first out of the inning.  With Traber at the plate Anderson stole second and then went to third on Traber's ground out.  With the tying run on third Orioles manager Frank Robinson sent up Larry Sheets to pinch hit for Gonzales.  Sheets came through with a two run home run to win the game 4-3.

The nightcap was more of the same.  The Orioles got on the board first in their half of the first inning on a Cal Ripken sacrifice fly but the Mariners scored two in the second on an RBI single from Jim Presley.  A Joe Orsulak solo home run in the fifth tied the game at two and that's how it stayed until the ninth.

The Mariners took the lead 3-2 in the top of the ninth on an RBI double by Mario Diaz but the Orioles tied it back up in the bottom of the ninth on a solo home run from Murray.

The game rolled on into extra innings.  The Mariners got a couple runners on on walks in the top of the tenth but failed to score while the Birds got a couple runners on in the eleventh and also failed to score.

Sheets walked to lead off the bottom of the twelfth inning and Gerhart came in to run for him.  Terry Kennedy followed with a single and Gonzales laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners up.  Dwyer pinch hit for Bill Ripken and was walked intentionally by Jackson who had just come into relieve Rod Scurry one batter earlier.  That loaded the bases with one out for Orsulak who lofted a sacrifice fly to center to bring in Gerhart with the winning run.

Thursday, August 23, 2018

Tuesday August 23 vs the Mariners - Rained Out

The Orioles game on August 23rd was rained out and would be made up as part of a double header the next day on August 24th.

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Monday August 22 vs the Mariners

Opponent: Seattle Mariners
Outcome: L
Score: 3-7
Streak: L2
Record: 42-82
Rank: 7th
GB: 31

After seeing the Mariners the previous week in Boston I was getting a chance to see them again tonight in Baltimore - it was "Three Buck Night" of course.  And unfortunately I got to see the Mariners score seven runs against the home team for a win again.

The Mariners got on the board in the top of the second.  With one out Darnell Coles singled and then stole second.  He then scored on Scott Bradley's single.  With Jay Buhner at the plate Orioles starter Oswaldo Peraza balked to move Bradley to second.  Peraza then walked Buhner (which would have moved Bradley to second anyway) but he struck out Jim Presley for the second out.  Rey Quinones lined a single to left then to bring in Bradley with the M's second run of the inning before Bruce Fields grounded out to end the inning.

The Orioles came back in their half of the second.  With two outs they loaded the bases on a Rene Gonzales single, a Bill Ripken hit-by-pitch and a Joe Orsulak walk.  Fred Lynn unloaded the bases with a double that put the Orioles up 3-2.

Seattle regained the lead for good in the fifth.  Fields led off with a single and moved to second when Peraza balked for the second time in the game - this time with Harold Reynolds at the plate.   Reynolds then laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Fields to third before Mickey Brantley lined a double to left to tie the game at 3.  Brantley moved to third when Alvin Davis singled and scored on a ground ball from Coles that forced Davis at second.  Bradley grounded out to end the inning but the Mariners now led 4-3.

The Mariners picked up single runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth inning on RBI singles by Brantley, Presley and Coles respectively.  Meanwhile the Orioles weren't getting much in the way of timely hitting - they ended up leaving eight men on base and had only one hit (Lynn's three RBI double) out of six at bats with runners in scoring position.

Another loss by the Birds was so unremarkable that Ken Rosenthal's game story from the next day's Evening Sun was mostly about a complaint that Mariners manager Jim Snyder made about the fact that the Mariners relief pitchers were being shown warming up on the large video screen (the "Diamond Vision") while the Orioles pitchers were not.  Somehow Snyder thought the Orioles were doing some sort of high tech spying on his pitchers.  If so, it didn't do any good tonight.






Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Sunday August 21 vs the Angels

Opponent: California Angels
Outcome: L
Score: 2-3
Streak: L1
Record: 42-81
Rank: 7th
GB: 31

Both teams must have been a little tired this afternoon after the previous night's late inning dramatics as neither team mounted much of a threat through the first half of the game.  Finally the Angels scored a couple runs in the sixth inning on an RBI double by Jack Howell and a Thad Bosley sacrifice fly.  Joe Orsulak led off the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run to cut the Angels' lead in half but California put another run on the board in the next inning on a sacrifice fly from Chili Davis.  The Orioles got one more run in the bottom of the ninth on a sacrifice fly of their own by Pete Stanicek but they couldn't get any closer than that one run.  With the 3-2 loss their modest 3 game winning streak came to an end.

I spent this weekend up in Delaware at my parent's house.  My friend Linda had had a party at her house on Saturday night and my friend Steve was going to be DJ-ing it.  I was hoping that he'd bring the woman he'd wanted me to meet - Sabra - with him but she had family in town and wasn't able to come.  I was wondering if I'd ever get to meet her as Steve was moving to Boston at the end of the month which was now about ten days away.

Monday, August 20, 2018

Saturday August 20 vs the Angels

Opponent: California Angels
Outcome: W
Score: 3-2
Streak: W3
Record: 42-80
Rank: 7th
GB: 30

The Orioles were either behind the Angels or tied with them up until the last batter of the game but it all turned out all right in the end.  Devon White led off the game for the Angels with a home run to put the Angels up 1-0 after one.  The Orioles tied it in the fourth on an RBI single from Jim Traber.  And that's the way it stood through the remainder of the first nine innings.  Both teams mounted threats - the Angels left the bases loaded in the fifth while the O's had runners on second and third with one out in the seventh - but neither team could put another run on the board until extra innings.

In the top of the eleventh inning Chili Davis hit a single to lead off for the Angels and Thad Bosley sacrificed him to second.  Orioles pitcher Mark Williamson issued an intentional walk to Jack Howell to set up a force play but instead of hitting a ground ball Dick Schofield flew out to center, deep enough for Davis to move up to third.  Pinch hitter Jim Eppard then doubled, scoring Davis and moving Howell to third.  Williamson issued his second intentional walk to White, loading the bases for Mark McLemore who grounded out to end the inning.  But the Angels now led 2-1.

The Angels' closer, Bryan Harvey, had pitched the previous couple innings so Angels manager Cookie Rojas brought Greg Minton in to pitch the bottom of the eleventh.  Minton had been the closer for the Giants in the early 80's so he was no stranger to save situations.  He struck out Cal Ripken to start the inning but then issued a walk to Eddie Murray.  When Terry Kennedy hit a ground ball to McLemore at second it looked like it would be an easy game ending double play but McLemore booted the ball, leaving Murray safe at second and Kennedy safe at first.  Pinch hitter Larry Sheets followed with a single that scored Murray with the tying run and moved Kennedy to third.  Minton walked Traber intentionally to load the bases and set up a force at any base.  But like Schofield in the top of the inning, instead of a ground ball pinch hitter Jim Dwyer lifted a fly ball to the outfield - left field in this case - that was deep enough to bring in Kennedy with the winning run.

This was the Orioles fifth walk off victory of the year but their first in over two months - their last one was June 17th against the Red Sox.  The game winning RBI was the last one for Dwyer in an Orioles uniform.  His nearly eight year career as a pinch hitter extraordinaire for Baltimore would end with a trade before the end of the month.

Sunday, August 19, 2018

Friday August 19 vs the Angels

Opponent: California Angels
Outcome: W
Score: 3-1
Streak: W2
Record: 41-80
Rank: 7th
GB: 30

Kind of an odd first inning tonight - both teams scored a run with only getting one hit and neither hit was a home run.  Devon White led off the game for the Angels with a double and went to third on a fly ball by Mark McLemore.  This allowed him to score on Wally Joyner's ground out.  In the Orioles half of the inning they got a lead off triple by Joe Orsulak.  A fly ball to center from Brady Anderson was not deep enough to score him but a ground ball by Cal Ripken that Jack Howell couldn't handle at third did allow him to score the tying run.

The Orioles went ahead for good in the bottom of the fifth.  Orsulak doubled to start the inning and Anderson put down a sacrifice bunt to move him to third.  After a walk to Cal Ripken Eddie Murray singled to bring in Orsulak with the Birds' second run of the night.  Mickey Tettleton walked to load the bases and Fred Lynn followed with a ground ball to first baseman Joyner that the Angels were not able to turn a double play on although Tettleton was forced at second.  On the play Cal scored to put the Birds up 3-1.

The Angels had their only other threat of the game in the seventh when they loaded the bases with two outs on a Thad Bosley double, a Dick Schofield walk and a Darrell Miller hit-by-pitch.  But Mark Williamson came in to relieve Orioles starter Dave Schmidt and struck out White to end the threat.

Saturday, August 18, 2018

Thursday August 18 vs the Athletics

Opponent: Oakland Athletics
Outcome: W
Score: 10-1
Streak: W1
Record: 40-80
Rank: 7th
GB: 30

I was at this game - it was "Three Buck Night" after all - but I don't have a scorecard from it.  I have no idea why not.

It was a good night to be out at the stadium.  The Orioles got off to a roaring start, scoring five in the bottom of the first of Oakland starter Bob Welch.  Welch was having issues with his command this evening as he walked Brady Anderson and Fred Lynn to start the game.  Cal Ripken followed with a double to knock both of the base runners in.  Welch then walked Eddie Murray and gave up a single to Jim Traber to load the bases.  Ripken scored on a sacrifice fly by Larry Sheets and a single by Terry Kennedy brought Murray in.  After Rene Gonzales struck out Bill Ripken lined a single to left that brought Traber in with the fifth run but Kennedy was thrown out at third to end the inning.

Oakland got on the board in the fourth on a solo home run from Mark McGwire but the Birds buried the A's in the bottom of the inning.  With one out Lynn launched a solo home run.  Cal Ripken followed with a single and Murray then walked.  Traber hit an RBI double scoring Ripken and knocking Welch out of the game.  Rick Honeycutt came into pitch and he got Sheets to ground out for the second out.  But Kennedy singled to score both Murray and Traber and after Gonzales drew a walk Bill Ripken singled to score Kennedy with the tenth run of the game.  Anderson, who had flown out to start the inning, struck out to end it.

Meanwhile Orioles starter Jeff Ballard was throwing a pretty good game.  He held the potent A's lineup to only four hits although he walked five and hit a batter.  He ended up with a complete game victory, his second consecutive one after beating Milwaukee on the 13th.

Friday, August 17, 2018

Wednesday August 17 vs the Athletics

Opponent: Oakland Athletics
Outcome: L
Score: 4-10
Streak: L3
Record: 39-80
Rank: 7th
GB: 30

This was a game that the Orioles had a lot of opportunities in.  They outhit the A's 14 to 11 but only scored 4 runs.  They left 11 men on base and went 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position.  On the other hand Oakland had several opportunities to blow this game open that they didn't take.  They had at least one baserunner on in every inning until the ninth.  They ended up leaving 10 men on base and were only 3-12 with runners in scoring position.  Orioles pitchers issued 10 walks to Oakland hitters this evening - four of those walked batters came in to score.

The Birds got on the board in the bottom of the first.  Singles by Pete Stanicek and Eddie Murray and a walk to Mickey Tettleton loaded the bases with two outs and a single by Ken Gerhart brought in Stanicek and Murray to put the O's up 2-0. 

Oakland loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the second but didn't score.  In the third however with one out Dave Henderson drew a walk.  Jose Canseco then tied the game up with a two run home run, his 32nd of the season.  The Orioles went back ahead in the bottom of the inning when Jim Traber had an RBI single that scored Cal Ripken.

The Athletics went ahead for good in the fifth.  Canseco doubled to lead off the inning and Mark McGwire knocked him in with a single.  Orioles pitcher Doug Sisk (who had relieved starter Gordon Dillard a couple batters after Canseco's home run in the third) then loaded the bases by walking Terry Steinbach and Don Baylor.  Glenn Hubbard then doubled, scoring McGwire and Steinbach and putting Oakland up 5-3.  Orioles manager Frank Robinson made his second pitching change of the game, bringing in Mark Thurmond who gave up a sacrifice fly to Luis Polonia that not only allowed Baylor to score but allowed Hubbard to move up to third.  After Walt Weiss grounded out for the second out, Tony Phillips walked and Henderson doubled, bringing in Hubbard to make the score 7-3 A's.  Finally Thurmond got Canseco, who had led off the inning, to fly out to end the damage.  Oakland sent 10 men to the plate and scored five runs on four hits and three walks.

A solo home run by McGwire leading off the sixth inning extended Oakland's lead to 8-3.  They added a couple more in the seventh.  With two outs, Phillips tripled and Henderson walked.  Stan Javier came in to pinch run for Henderson.  Canseco hit a ground ball back to Thurmond who threw the ball down the right field line while throwing to first.  Phillips and Javier both scored and Canseco ended up on third.  It was now 10-3 in favor of the A's.

The O's got their first two runners on in the bottom of the seventh on back-to-back singles from Murray and Tettleton - Murray going from first to third on Tettleton's hit.  Murray scored the Orioles fourth run of the game on a sacrifice fly by pinch hitter Larry Sheets but the Birds were not able to score any further runs.

I'm fairly confident that I must have flown home from Massachusetts this evening but I honestly have no memory of doing it.

Thursday, August 16, 2018

Tuesday August 16 vs the Athletics

Opponent: Oakland Athletics
Outcome: L
Score: 3-6
Streak: L2
Record: 39-79
Rank: 7th
GB: 30

This was one of those game that there's not a whole lot to say about it.  Oakland got on the board in the second by loading the bases on a single and a pair of walks and then scoring on a sacrifice fly, a single and another sacrifice fly.  They added two more in the fifth on a Dave Henderson single, a Jose Canseco double and a Mark McGwire single.  The A's added one more run in the ninth on Dave Henderson's leadoff solo home run.

Meanwhile Oakland's pitchers - starter Storm Davis and relievers Greg Cadaret and Dennis Eckersley - were holding the O's offense in check.  The Birds only got six hits and two walks all night.  Half of those hits and walks came in the sixth inning.  After Bill Ripken's leadoff single was erased on a ground ball double play off the bat of Joe Orsulak, Fred Lynn walked and Cal Ripken doubled.  Eddie Murray then hit a three run home run for the Orioles only runs of the evening.

I was still up in Massachusetts and spent the evening in the right field bleachers at Fenway Park with my friend Jeff.  Unfortunately the Mariners beat the Red Sox that evening 7-0

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Monday August 15 at the Brewers

Opponent: Milwaukee Brewers
Outcome: L
Score: 1-4
Streak: L1
Record: 39-78
Rank: 7th
GB: 30

This was one of those frustrating games that given a couple of breaks the Orioles could have won but breaks for the Birds were hard to come by in 1988.

Early on it looked like things might be going the Birds' way this evening despite them not scoring in the first inning for the first time in the four game series in Milwaukee.  Paul Molitor lead off the bottom of the first with a triple but the Orioles managed to keep the Brewers from scoring in the inning.  With one out Molitor tried to score on a ground ball from Robin Yount to Rene Gonzales at third but Gonzales threw him out at the plate.  Orioles starter Jose Bautista struck out Greg Brock to end the inning.

The bottom of the fourth however showed that it would not be the O's night.  Jeffrey Leonard and Yount hit back-to-back singles to start the frame.  Greg Brock hit a ground ball to Bill Ripken at second that he couldn't field properly - once the dust settled Leonard had scored and Yount and Brock were safe at second and first respectively.  Bautista got Rob Deer and BJ Surhoff to fly out for the first two outs of the inning but Jim Adduci hit a double that knocked in Yount and Brock before Jim Gantner grounded out to end the inning.  3-0 Brewers.

Meanwhile Ted Higuera had been pitching an outstanding game through the first six innings, giving up just one hit (a single to Joe Orsulak in the third) while striking out six.  Since Orsulak had been thrown out attempting to steal, Higuera had only faced the minimum number of batters in the first six innings.  He ran into some issues in the seventh however.  Pete Stanicek led off with a single and Bill Ripken got some redemption for his earlier error when he hit a ground ball that Milwaukee first baseman Brock misplayed, allowing Ripken to reach and Stanicek to make it to third.  Cal Ripken followed with a single, scoring Stanicek and putting runners on first and second with no one out for Eddie Murray.  But Higuera got Murray to ground into a double play and then struck out Mickey Tettleton to end the inning.  3-1 Brewers.

The Orioles mounted another threat in the eighth.  With one out Orsulak and Gonzales hit back-to-back singles which put the tying runs on base.  But Higuera got Ken Gerhart and Stanicek to fly out to end threat.

The Brewers would pick up another run in the bottom of the eighth.  Molitor reached on a throwing error by Cal Ripken to lead off the inning and two batters later he moved to second on a fly out by Yount.  Brock was intentionally walked to set up a force but a wild pitch to Deer allowed both runners to move up.  Deer then singled to score Molitor with Milwaukee's fourth and final run.  Mark Thurmond came on in relief of Bautista to get Surhoff to ground out to end the inning.  The Orioles went quietly in the ninth against Brewers reliever Dan Plesac and Milwaukee wrapped up the 4-1 victory.

I passed the evening in an interesting manner.  I was still in Massachusetts for training and I had discovered that Ellis Burks and Kevin Romine of the Red Sox would be signing autographs at a car dealership just over the state line in Nashua, New Hampshire that evening.  I went over, stood in line for about an hour talking to other Red Sox fans and got a baseball autographed by the two players.  I still have it:


Tuesday, August 14, 2018

Sunday August 14 at the Brewers

Opponent: Milwaukee Brewers
Outcome: W
Score: 11-9
Streak: W2
Record: 39-77
Rank: 7th
GB: 30

This was a wild one.  The Orioles took a commanding early lead but the Brewers fought back late and came close to tying it up.

For the third day in a row the Orioles took a lead in the first inning.  An RBI double by Eddie Murray and a two run home run from Joe Orsulak gave them a three run lead after the first.  A second two run shot - this time by Murray in the third - put the Birds up 5-0.

The Brewers scored an unearned run in the bottom of the third when an error by Cal Ripken allowed Robin Yount to reach base instead of being the third out - Dale Sveum scored from third on the play.  Ripken atoned for the error with a solo home run in the fifth to make the score 6-1.  The Birds added a couple more in the sixth on an RBI single by Rene Gonzales and an RBI ground out by Bill Ripken.  A two run home run by Jim Adduci in the bottom of the inning made the score 8-3 after six.

Things started to get interesting in the eighth inning.  In the top of the inning the Orioles added two more runs on a Bill Ripken RBI double.  But in the bottom of the inning the Brewers got four consecutive one out singles from Rob Deer, BJ Surhoff, Adduci and Jim Gantner to bring in a couple runs.  The Orioles replaced Doug Sisk (who had relieved starter Dave Schmidt the previous inning) on the mound with closer Tom Neidenfuer.  Neidenfuer gave up a run scoring single to the first batter he faced (Sveum) before getting Paul Molitor and Jeffrey Leonard to each ground out to end the inning.  The Orioles still had a comfortable 10-6 lead.

They padded the lead a little in the top of the ninth.  Mickey Tettleton and Larry Sheets hit singles to start the inning and Orsulak hit a ground ball to third baseman Molitor who threw to shortstop Sveum at second to force Sheets but Sveum made a bad throw to first which allowed Tettleton to score and Orsulak to reach second.  The Birds might have been able to get more that inning but Orsulak was thrown out trying to steal third and Gonzales struck out to end the inning.  The score was 11-6 Orioles.

Neidenfuer got Robin Yount to ground out to open the bottom of the ninth but ran into issues immediately after that.  Greg Brock doubled and Deer hit a two run home run to make the score 11-8.  Surhoff singled and then stole second, putting him in position to score when Adduci singled.  Gantner followed with a double to move Adduci to third.  Gantner represented the tying run on second with only one out.  Orioles manager Frank Robinson decided that after five consecutive hits it was time to relieve his closer and brought in Mark Thurmond.  Thurmond got Sveum to pop out and Molitor to fly out to end the game.

Monday, August 13, 2018

Saturday August 13 at the Brewers

Opponent: Milwaukee Brewers
Outcome: W
Score: 5-0
Streak: W1
Record: 38-77
Rank: 7th
GB: 30

It was a somber day for the Orioles - Edward Bennett Williams, who had been the owner the team since 1980, passed away from cancer at age 68.  Williams was a high profile Washington lawyer who had represented many big name clients.  His connections to the powers-that-be were so numerous that at one point he was rumored to be Deep Throat, the source of information for Woodward & Bernstein in "All The Presidents Men" (which turned out to be Mark Felt).  Willams had been part owner of the Washington's NFL team from the 1960's to 1985 which was the source of some consternation in Baltimore.  It was feared that he would move the team to Washington, especially as he had removed "Baltimore" from the team's away jerseys.  As it turned out one of his last acts as owner was to sign a long term lease for the new ballpark that the state was building for it in in downtown Baltimore - what would become Oriole Park At Camden Yards.

Meanwhile in Milwaukee the Orioles shut out the Brewers 5-0 behind the pitching of Jeff Ballard.  Ballard threw a complete game shut out, holding the Brewers to just three hits (although he gave up seven walks!).

For the second day in a row the Orioles took a lead in the first inning - tonight Eddie Murray had an RBI double that scored Cal Ripken from first.  A sacrifice fly by Cal in the third scored his brother Bill with the second run and a Joe Orsulak three run home run in the seventh completed the scoring.

I was still up in Massachusetts for training.  I had finished the first class which had been Tuesday through Friday of the past week and had a second class that would be from Monday to Wednesday of the following week.  I spent the day bumming around Boston with my friends Chuck and Jeff (Jeff lived in the area but Chuck had come up from New Jersey for the weekend).  I don't remember completely what we did but I know that we went to the New England Aquarium and the Computer Museum.

Sunday, August 12, 2018

Friday August 12 at the Brewers

Opponent: Milwaukee Brewers
Outcome: L
Score: 3-8
Streak: L5
Record: 37-77
Rank: 7th
GB: 31

The Orioles came out of the gate strong in this game.  Joe Orsulak led off the game with a double and Brady Anderson knocked him in with a single.  After Cal Ripken struck out Eddie Murray and Mickey Tettleton hit back-to-back RBI doubles.  The Birds were up 3-0 with only one out in the first inning.

Unfortunately that was the high point of the evening for the team.  They had opportunities to add more runs the rest of the game - they had six more hits and a walk after the first inning - but they left all seven runners on base.

The Brewers meanwhile started chipping away at the lead.  They picked up a couple runs in the bottom of the second.  Rob Deer led off with a single and then BJ Surhoff hit a ground ball to first baseman Murray that he couldn't handle.  Surhoff was safe at first on the error and Deer made it all the way to third.  Surhoff then stole second to put two runners into scoring position.  After Joey Meyer flew out Jim Gantner grounded out to first - Deer scored from third on the play and Surhoff moved up to third.  Dale Sveum drew a walk and Paul Molitor followed with a single that scored Surhoff and sent Sveum to third.  Molitor then stole second but Jeffrey Leonard flew out to end the inning.   The Brewers had scored two unearned runs on two hits, a walk, an error and two stolen bases.

The Brew Crew took the lead for good in the fourth.  With one out they loaded the bases on a walk to Meyer and singles by Gantner and Sveum.  Molitor drew a walk to force in Meyer with the tying run and a ground out by Leonard that forced Molitor at second scored Gantner to give the Brewers the lead.  Robin Yount followed with a double that scored Sveum and Leonard and knocked Orioles starter Oswaldo Peraza out of the game.  Gordon Dillard came in and got Greg Brock to fly out to end the inning.  But the Brewers now led 6-3.

Milwaukee added two more runs in the seventh on RBI singles by Deer and Meyer.

The loss was the Birds' fifth in a row.  This was their longest losing streak since the 21 game streak to open the season.

Saturday, August 11, 2018

A Comment On The 2018 Orioles

Last night the Orioles lost to the Red Sox and were mathematically eliminated from winning the AL East.  Being eliminated on August 10th ties them for the earliest elimination date ever with the 1962 Mets and the 1932 Red Sox.   They had 46 games remaining after last night - that's the most games left by an eliminated team in the divisional play era in MLB history (since 1969).

In contrast the 1988 Orioles weren't eliminated until Labor Day, September 5th (and also at the hands of the Red Sox).  This year's Orioles were 35-81 when eliminated - the 1988 team was only four games better (39-77) after 116 games.  The difference is that the first place team this year (the Red Sox) are playing at a historically high level - they were 82-35 after last night's game, a .701 winning percentage.  The AL East champions in 1988 (also the Red Sox) had a much lower winning percentage of .549. 

So it's not just that the Orioles are historically bad this year - they have the misfortune of playing in a division with a team that's historically good.

I do need to point out that they have not been eliminated from the Wild Card yet.  They are currently 27 1/2 games behind Oakland for the second Wild Card spot.  Their "wild card elimination number" is 13.  I don't know the earliest date that a team has been eliminated from the Wild Card but I suspect we will find out in another 10 days or so.

Thursday August 11 at the Royals

Opponent: Kansas City Royals
Outcome: L
Score: 5-6
Streak: L4
Record: 37-76
Rank: 7th
GB: 31

The last time Mike Morgan started a game against the Royals was on April 22nd and it didn't go well - he gave up singles to the first six batters before being lifted and all six runners scored as part of a nine run inning.  It went better tonight but only slightly - he gave up singles to the first two batters (Kurt Stillwell and Kevin Seitzer) before striking out George Brett.  But when Pat Tabler walked to load the bases, Orioles manager Frank Robinson decided to quit while he was ahead and lifted Morgan in favor of Jay Tibbs.  It didn't do any good - Danny Tartabull hit Tibbs' first pitch over the left field wall for a grand slam.  Tibbs got the next two batters to ground out but the Royals were up 4-0.

The Orioles got on the board in the fourth inning.  With one out Cal Ripken doubled and then scored when Eddie Murray followed with a double.  Larry Sheets followed with a single to move Murray to third and a Terry Kennedy double scored Murray and moved Sheets to third.  Jim Dwyer was then intentionally walked to load the bases.  Sheets scored on a sacrifice fly by Rene Gonzales before Bill Ripken grounded out to end the inning.  The Orioles had cut the Royals' lead to 4-3.

The Birds tied the game in the eighth inning when with two outs Murray followed a Cal Ripken single with a triple.  Murray was left stranded at third though and the Royals took the lead again in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Stillwell.  But the Orioles took advantage of a couple of Royals errors in the ninth to tie it back up.  With one out Ken Gerhart hit a ground ball that third baseman Seitzer couldn't handle.  The ball went into left field and left fielder Bill Pecota (who had just come into the game as a pinch runner in the previous inning) also misplayed the ball which allowed Gerhart to get to second base.  Both Seitzer and Pecota were charged with errors on the play.  Pinch hitter Mickey Tettleton struck out for the second out of the inning and the Birds were down to their last out.  But Jim Traber singled to score Gerhart with the tying run.

Both teams had opportunities to score over the next few innings.  The Royals left the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth and left runners on first and third in the tenth.  The Orioles had back-to-back singles from Tettleton and Rick Schu with two outs in the eleventh but failed to score.  Finally in the twelfth inning with one out the Royals got a single from Pecota followed by a single Stillwell that moved Pecota to third.  Seitzer then hit a walk off sacrifice fly to bring Pecota in with the game winning run. 

This was the twelfth and final game the Orioles would play against the Royals in 1988.  They lost all 12 games.  They had lost their last game against the Royals in 1987 and their first two against them in 1989 so in all they lost 15 in a row to the Royals between July 26, 1987 and April 11, 1989.

This was Mike Morgan's final appearance in an Orioles uniform.  I'm not quite sure how he spent the last month and a half of the 1988 season - if he went on the disabled list or if he was sent to the minors - but he never appeared in another game for Baltimore.  He went 1-6 with a 5.43 ERA in 22 games in 1988, his only season with the Orioles.  He had been acquired from the Mariners in December of 1987 in a deal for Ken Dixon and would be sent to the Dodgers in March of 1989 for outfielder Mike Devereaux who would be an important part of the Orioles magical 1989 season.

Friday, August 10, 2018

Wednesday August 10 at the Royals

Opponent: Kansas City Royals
Outcome: L
Score: 3-4
Streak: L3
Record: 37-75
Rank: 7th
GB: 30.5

It was not as heartbreaking as the previous night's game but it was still a game that the Birds could have won.  The Royals took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on an RBI double by Jamie Quirk.  The Birds tied it in the fifth on a run scoring single from Rene Gonzales.  The two teams posted single runs in each of the next four half innings - the Royals scored in the bottom of the fifth on when Kurt Stillwell tripled and scored on Kevin Seitzer's ground out; the Birds retied it in the top of the sixth on Cal Ripken's twentieth home run of the season; the Royals scored again in the bottom of the inning on a Bo Jackson RBI single and the O's tied it up again in the top of the seventh on a run scoring Bill Ripken single.

Jose Bautista had started the game for Baltimore and was still pitching into the eighth inning.  Pat Tabler drew a walk to start the frame.  Danny Tartabull followed with a ground ball to second baseman Bill Ripken which could have potentially been a double play but Ripken made an error on the ball and both runners were safe.  Brad Wellman came in to pinch run for Tabler.  Frank White attempted to sacrifice the two runners up a base but Wellman was thrown out at third for the first out of the inning.  Bo Jackson followed with a single that scored Tartabull from second with the go-ahead run.  White was thrown out at third trying to advance on the single however so there was now two men out.  The Birds went to their bullpen at this point and brought Mark Thurmond in to pitch to Quirk who singled to move Jackson to third.  Doug Sisk then replaced Thurmond on the mound to pitch to Nick Capra.  Quirk was thrown out attempting to steal second to end the inning.  It could have been worse for the Orioles but the Royals ran into two outs on the base paths in the inning.

Be that as it may - it was bad enough.  The O's got a one out double from Larry Sheets in the ninth but the tying run remained stranded at second for the remainder of the inning and the game.

Thursday, August 9, 2018

Tuesday August 9 at the Royals

Opponent: Kansas City Royals
Outcome: L
Score: 4-5
Streak: L2
Record: 37-74
Rank: 7th
GB: 29.5

Orioles closer Tom Neidenfuer had had a bad stretch back in May where he didn't pitch very well in a couple outings, especially the nightcap of the double header against the Angels on May 19th.  But he'd settled down of late - he hadn't allowed a run in his last 10 outings (the last time he had was June 27th against the Blue Jays) and he'd only allowed one inherited runner to score during that time period.

You can probably guess why I'm bringing this up now but let's hold off on that for now.  The Orioles built a 3-0 lead in this game by the fourth inning on an RBI single by Joe Orsulak in the first, a solo home run by Eddie Murray in the third and an RBI double by Orsulak in the fourth.  The Royals got a run back in the bottom of the fourth when Orioles third baseman Rick Schu threw a ground ball away with two runners on.  A Frank White solo home run in the sixth brought the Royals to within one but a Jim Traber RBI single in the seventh gave the Birds a two run lead again.

That's how it stood going into the bottom of the ninth.  Mark Thurmond (the third pitcher of the night for the O's following starter Dave Schmidt and reliever Doug Sisk) struck out Willie Wilson to start the inning but gave up first a bunt single to Kurt Stillwell and then a walk to George Brett to put the tying run on base.  Orioles manager Frank Robinson then brought in Neidenfuer to close it out but it didn't happen.  Neidenfuer first walked Danny Tartabull to load the bases (and put the winning run on base) and then gave up a bases clearing, game winning double to Pat Tabler.  The Royals won 5-4.

Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Monday August 8 - Off Day

The Orioles were off today as they prepared for a two city, seven game road trip.  I was on the road today as well, flying from BWI to Boston and then driving up to Westford, Massachusetts for a System Administration class at Masscomp Computers.  I'm a computer programmer and not a system administrator (although I'd be doing some of that on my new project hence the training) but it was good to get an understanding of that side of things.  Plus I got to spend about 10 days including the weekend in Massachusetts where I had a couple friends.  And I would get to a Red Sox game at Fenway.  Of course because I was going to Massachusetts I wasn't able to go to my grandfather's funeral this day in Kansas.

In other baseball news - tonight was to be the night of the first night game in Wrigley Field history.  Wrigley Field was the last major league baseball park without lights.  There was resistance to night baseball from the surrounding neighborhood but pressure from the team and MLB* finally won out and lights were installed during the season.  Tonight's game against the Phillies was the first scheduled night game.  The Cubs were leading 3-1 in the fourth inning when the skies opened up, causing the game to be called following a two hour rain delay.  The first night game in Wrigley FIeld history would end up being the NEXT night when the Cubs beat the Mets 6-4.

*MLB threatened to move any Cubs World Series home games to an alternate site if they didn't add lights - which means that the Cubs could have waited until 2016 before putting in the lights.  (In fairness the Cubs made the playoffs in 1989 and a number of times since then.  They also would not have hosted the All Star Game in 1990 if they had not added lights.)

Tuesday, August 7, 2018

Sunday August 7 vs the Brewers

Opponent: Milwaukee Brewers
Outcome: L
Score: 2-7
Streak: L1
Record: 37-73
Rank: 7th
GB: 29


Today was Old Timers Day and there would be a short game between the "Equitable All Stars" and the "Orioles Old-Timers" before the Orioles took on the Brewers.  I was out at the Stadium this afternoon - I had even bought a good seat in the lower deck for the game.  The "Equitable All Stars" had a strong 1970's Oakland A's theme as they were managed by Alvin Dark and featured Bert Campanaris, Joe Rudi and future Hall Of Famer Rollie Fingers.  The 1970's Pirates and Mets were well represented as well with Dave Cash, Dock Ellis, Richie Hebner and Al Oliver from the former and Wayne Garrett, Jerry Koosman, Jerry Grote and Ron Swoboda from the latter.  Bernie Carbo and Willie Davis were also on the team.  The Orioles Old Timers consisted of Steve Barber, Paul Blair, Don Buford, Al Bumbry, Terry Crowley, Mike Cuellar, Moe Drabowsky, Andy Etchebarren, Dick Hall, Larry Haney, Elrod Hendricks, Bob Johnson, Eddie Watt and Hall Of Famer Brooks Robinson.  Gene Woodling managed the team with current Orioles manager Frank Robinson assisting as a coach.  I do not know if Drabowsky called the opponents bullpen and using an imitation of Dark's voice got a pitcher warming but it had happened before.

The game was supposed to only go three innings but it was tied 1-1 after three so they decided to play one more inning.  Rules were a little lax.  Watt relieved Cuellar on the mound in third for the Birds and then again in the fourth.  The Orioles Old-Timers ended up with a walk off victory when Hendricks connected for a three run home run off of Fingers in the bottom of the fourth.  I'm fairly certain Fingers grooved the ball for Elrod - he met Elrod at third and ran home with him.

Here's the coverage about the festivities from the next day's Evening Sun:




There was still a regular game to be played but this one wasn't as much fun for the home crowd as the Old Timer Game was.  It looked promising early - the Brewers got a run in the top of the first off a Rob Deer RBI single but the Orioles got a two run home run from Cal Ripken in the bottom of the frame to take a 2-1 lead.  But then the top of the second happened.

It was another one of "those" innings that so frequently plagued the team this season.  Greg Brock singled off of Jim Traber's glove at first to start the inning and Charlie O'Brien followed with a ground ball that third baseman Rick Schu made a bad throw on.  Brock moved to second and O'Brien was safe at first.  It looked like the Orioles would get out of it when starter Jeff Ballard got the next two batters (Dale Sveum and Jeff Leonard) to fly out but Cal Ripken misplayed Juan Castillo's ground ball which allowed Brock to score the tying run.  Robin Yount untied it with a double that brought O'Brien and Castillo in to score.  The relay throw from Bill Ripken to Terry Kennedy at the plate attempting to catch Castillo got away from Kennedy which allowed Yount to move to third on the play.  Deer then hit a ground ball to Traber at first that he couldn't get a grip on - Deer ended up with an infield single and Yount scored the fourth run of the inning.  Finally Ballard got Paul Molitor to ground into a force out to end the inning.

The Orioles pretty much were done after that.  They only got two more hits the rest of the game off Brewers pitchers Mike Birkbeck and Odell Jones.  Meanwhile the Brewers scored a couple more runs off the bat of Deer with a solo home run in the fifth and an RBI double in the seventh.

Here's the game story from the next day's Evening Sun:





Monday, August 6, 2018

Saturday August 6 vs the Brewers

Opponent: Milwaukee Brewers
Outcome: W
Score: 7-2
Streak: W1
Record: 37-72
Rank: 7th
GB: 29

The Brewers took an early lead this evening on a two RBI single from BJ Surhoff in the second inning but that was all the runs they would score.  The Orioles tied the game in the third on a two run home run from Brady Anderson, his first career home run and the first of the 209 he would hit as an Oriole*.  The Birds took the lead in the sixth on an RBI double from Jim Traber and extended the lead in the seventh on a three run home run from Eddie Murray, his 20th of the season.  They got one more run in the eighth on a Joe Orsulak RBI double.

*Of those 209 home runs, nearly a quarter of them came when he hit 50 in 1996.  That 50 was more than twice his second highest total - 24 in 1999.  

I spent this evening in Hagerstown, Maryland, home of the Orioles Single A Carolina League affiliate the Suns.  It was only the fourth minor league game I'd ever been to.  Previously I had gone to a San Jose Bees-Fresno Giants double header in 1976 when I lived in Cupertino, California and was 11 years old and I had gone to a Charlotte O's game the previous year in 1987 when I had visited one of my sisters who lived in Charlotte.  Hagerstown was taking on the Lynchburg Red Sox that evening and I had a great time at the game, enjoying the closeness to the game at very inexpensive prices.  I don't remember a lot from the game itself.  I know I spent a while talking to a reporter for a newspaper in Georgia - he wasn't writing a story, he just happened to be in town.  I do remember that I saw Don Buford, Jr - son of former Oriole Don Buford Sr and brother of future Oriole Damon Buford - steal two bases - one on a pick off and the other on a pitch out.  Don Jr. never made the majors.  The Orioles GM Roland Hemond was at the game that night to check out Gregg Olson, Baltimore's number one pick in June's amateur draft.  Olson got the save by pitching a perfect ninth so I do remember that the Suns won the game.  The Orioles would be moving their Carolina League team to Frederick and moving their Double A team to Hagerstown and the Eastern League for the 1989 season.  For me this was ideal as from my apartment in Ellicott City just west of Baltimore I could be in Frederick almost as quickly as I could get to Memorial Stadium.  I started going to a lot of minor league games over the next few years.

Sunday, August 5, 2018

Friday August 5 vs the Brewers (2)

Opponent: Milwaukee Brewers
Game 1
Outcome: W
Score: 4-1
Streak: W3
Record: 36-71
Rank: 7th
GB: 29
Game 2
Outcome: L
Score: 1-3
Streak: L1
Record: 36-72
Rank: 7th
GB: 29

As you might expect, baseball did not rate very highly to me today.  The news about my grandfather was devastating and I didn't sleep much overnight.  Unfortunately I wasn't going to be able to take any time off from work.  Today I had to travel down to the DC suburbs for some sort of orientation class for the company I had started working for in June - in addition to the orientation that I did on my first day with them.  I also was going to be leaving on Monday to go to Massachusetts for training for a week and a half - I was going to learn to be a System Administrator on Masscomp computers.  If you've never heard of Masscomp it's because they were acquired by Concurrent computers later in 1988.  Because of this I wasn't going to be able to go to Kansas for my grandfather's funeral, something I regret to this day.

The Orioles were playing a double header tonight against the Brewers.  They were making up the game that had been rained out back on April 7th, almost four months earlier.   The Brewers had Ted Higuera on the mound for the opener - last time the Birds had faced him was their 12-0 Opening Day shellacking.  The outcome was a bit better for the O's tonight.  They took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on an Eddie Murray sacrifice fly.  The Brewers tied it in the top of the fifth - the Brewers loaded the bases with none out on a single and two errors.  Orioles starter Jose Bautista almost got out of it - he struck out BJ Surhoff and Dale Sveum - but Paul Molitor singled to tie the game up although the runner on second (Rob Deer) was thrown out at the plate to end the inning. 

The Orioles would go ahead for good in the sixth inning when they scored two runs on back-to-back RBI singles from Jim Traber and Ken Gerhart.  A Pete Stanicek home run in the seventh made the score 4-1 which was how it ended.  Baltimore had now won four straight which would end up being their longest winning streak of the season.

That streak ended with the night cap.  Both teams scored a run in the first inning on an RBI double (Greg Brock for the Brewers and Larry Sheets for the Birds) but the Brew Crew followed up with two more in the third on an RBI groundout by Robin Yount and an RBI single by Brock.  The O's on the other hand only got four more hits after the first.

One thing that happened tonight I didn't find out for a few weeks.  My friend Steve drove down from Delaware for the second straight night and made it out to the Stadium in time for Game Two.  He got seats in the lower deck on the first base side.  During the first inning, Eddie Murray hit a screaming liner into the stands.  Everyone in his section ducked except Steve.  He stood up and raised his hands to catch the ball, only to have it pass right through his hands.  It bounced off a nearby fan and rolled away.  The best part of this story is that the cable systems in Delaware were carrying the game so when Steve got to work on Monday, one of his co-workers gave him a hard time about him missing the ball.

Saturday, August 4, 2018

Thursday August 4 vs the Indians

Opponent: Cleveland Indians
Outcome: W
Score: 5-0
Streak: W3
Record: 35-71
Rank: 7th
GB: 28

It was "Three Buck Night" so I was of course at this game.  And I wasn't alone.  My brother-in-law was coming into town on business and we had arranged for me to pick him up at BWI Airport and head to the game.  We actually ran into my parents at the airport that afternoon - my 85 year old grandfather in Missouri was going to be undergoing emergency open heart surgery that evening and they were flying out to be with him.  So there was a cloud hanging over us as we made our way out to Memorial Stadium.  We met up with my friend Steve who was there with his former landlady Claire (Steve had rented a room in her house during our senior year in college) and her son Ben (who was ten-ish at the time but somehow unbelievably now is a 40-ish ex-Marine).  I had been hoping that Steve was going to bring this Sabra woman with him that he told me I should meet but it didn't happen.

The Orioles won this evening without getting an earned run.  In fact since the Indians were shut out there were no earned runs at all in this game.  The Birds got their first runs in the third inning.  Eddie Murray led off with a walk and Mickey Tettleton followed with a single.  A passed ball by Indians' catcher Chris Bando with Larry Sheets at the plate moved the runners up although Sheets ultimately struck out.  Murray scored when Ken Gerhart grounded out to shortstop Ron Washington.  The next batter Rick Schu also hit a ground ball to Washington who booted it, allowing Tettleton to move to rhird and Schu to reach first.  Bill Ripken followed with a single to center that scored Tettleton.  Indians center fielder then misplayed the ball for an error that allowed Schu to score and Ripken ended up at third.  Pete Stanicek then grounded out to end the inning.  The Orioles had scored three runs on two hits, two errors, a walk and a passed ball.

They picked up a couple more runs a few innings later.  With two outs Cal Ripken walked and Murray reached on a second error from shortstop Ron Washington.  Tettleton then doubled to bring both runners in and make the score 5-0.  The victory completed the Orioles' first three game series sweep of the season  Their modest three game winning streak was tied for the longest of the season.

My brother-in-law and I must have gotten to the game late because I didn't keep score and I don't have the newspaper clippings from the next day.  I dropped my brother-in-law off at his hotel in downtown Baltimore (which coincidentally was the hotel the Orioles' next opponent - the Milwaukee Brewers - would be staying.  They had a big banner up welcoming them) and headed home.  Shortly after I got home I got a phone call from my father in Missouri letting me know that my grandfather had passed away.  Apparently the surgery had been successful but there were complications from the anesthesia and he never regained consciousness.

Friday, August 3, 2018

Wednesday August 3 vs the Indians

Opponent: Cleveland Indians
Outcome: W
Score: 8-3
Streak: W2
Record: 34-71
Rank: 7th
GB: 28

It was a little rough early for the Birds but the game quickly turned around for them.  The Indians got on the board in the first inning on an odd play.  With one out Julio Franco singled and Joe Carter followed with another single that moved Franco to third.  Ron Kittle then popped out to first baseman Jim Traber in foul ground.  I'm not quite sure what happened but I think Traber attempted to throw out one of the two baserunners but ended up throwing the ball away.  Franco scored and Carter wound up on third base.  Cory Snyder then lined out to end the inning.  The Indians got a two run home run from Ron Tingly in the top of the second to take a 3-0 lead.

But that lead was short lived.  Larry Sheets led off the Orioles' half of the second with a solo home run and Terry Kennedy and Rick Schu followed with singles.  Bill Ripken moved the two base runners up with a sacrifice bunt and Joe Orsulak walked to load the bases.  Brady Anderson then hit a single that scored Kennedy and Schu and tied the game up at 3.  Orsulak moved to third on the hit as well.  Cal Ripken then hit a ground ball to Brook Jacoby at third who somehow didn't get anyone out - Orsulak scored, Anderson went to second and Cal reached first.  It was scored a fielders choice.  The Orioles now lead 4-3, a lead they would not relinquish.

A Kennedy solo home run in the third and an Eddie Murray two run shot in the fourth extended the Birds' lead to 7-3.  They would get an eighth and final run on an RBI single by Bill Ripken in the fifth.

Thursday, August 2, 2018

Tuesday August 2 vs the Indians

Opponent: Cleveland Indians
Outcome: W
Score: 5-2
Streak: W1
Record: 33-71
Rank: 7th
GB: 29

It wasn't a particularly pretty victory but the Orioles would take it tonight.  The Indians got on the board first in the top of the third on a Joe Carter RBI single but the Birds would take the lead in the bottom of the inning.  Ken Gerhart led off the inning with a double.  When he tried to steal third with Larry Sheets at the plate, Cleveland catcher Chris Bando threw the ball down the left field line allowing Gerhart to score the tying run.  Sheets then walked and Rick Schu followed with a double.  Brady Anderson then hit an infield single(?) that brought Sheets in with the second run.  The runners stayed put when Bill Ripken popped out to second for the first out but Cal Ripken hit a fly ball deep enough to bring Schu in from third.  Anderson then stole second with Eddie Murray at bat before Murray walked.  Anderson then came in to score the fourth run of the inning on Mickey Tettleton's single before Jim Traber grounded out to end the inning.

The O's got an insurance run in the eighth on a solo home from Larry Sheets.  Cleveland would get one last run in the top of the ninth when Cory Snyder led off with a triple and then scored on Willie Upshaw's sacrifice fly.

Oswaldo Peraza pitched a complete game to get the victory, scattering eight hits and two walks while striking out six.

Wednesday, August 1, 2018

Monday August 1 - Off Day

The Orioles were off on this day as they prepared for Cleveland to arrive for a three game series.