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.