Saturday September 10 vs the Blue Jays

Opponent: Toronto Blue Jays
Outcome: W
Score: 7-4
Streak: W1
Record: 50-90
Rank: 7th
GB: 28.5

Toronto got things going this evening early.  For the second consecutive game George Bell got an RBI in the top of the first - tonight it was an RBI single rather than a two run home run.  And for the second consecutive evening the Orioles got a run in the bottom of the first - this time it was an RBI single by Eddie Murray.  The score was tied 1-1 after one.

Toronto went ahead 2-1 in the top of the sixth on an RBI groundout by Tony Fernandez but the Orioles came back big time in the bottom of the inning.  Jim Traber led off the frame with a double and Rick Schu followed with a single.  Pete Stanicek then knocked in Traber with the tying run with a single.  With Bill Ripken at the plate the O's pulled a double steal with both Schu and Stanicek moving up a base.  Ripken then hit a ground ball to third baseman Kelly Gruber who made an error on his throw to first that allowed Ripken to make it all the way to second.  Schu scored on the play to give the O's the lead although Stanicek only made it to third.  Cal Ripken was intentionally walked to load the bases and Eddie Murray lofted a sacrifice fly that was deep enough to not only score Stanicek from third but also allowed both Ripkens to move up a base.  Toronto starter Jeff Musselman's last act in the game was then to intentionally walk Mickey Tettleton to re-load the bases.  Musselman was then replaced by Frank Willis who was greeted with a double by pinch hitter Joe Orsulak that scored both Ripkens and sent Tettleton to third.  A sacrifice fly from Ken Gerhart plated Tettleton with the O's sixth run of the evening before Traber ended the inning he had started with a double with a line out.  Baltimore now lead 7-2.

Toronto made it a little interesting in the ninth.  Orioles closer Tom Neidenfuer came in to pitch despite it not being a save situation.   Fred McGriff and Gruber hit back-to-back solo home runs to start the inning and after Tony Fernandez singled following a Manny Lee strikeout, Orioles manager Frank Robinson decided to replace Neidenfuer with Mark Thurmond who got Lloyd Moseby to groundout and move Fernandez to second.  Robinson again went to the bullpen and brought in Mark Williamson to get the final out - a line out from pinch hitter Rick Leach.

I was at this game - I spent the weekend in Delaware and Sabra and I came down to Baltimore for the game.  I don't have any newspaper clippings for this game for some reason - I'm guessing I came back home too late on Sunday to get that day's Sun paper.