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.
Friday, August 31, 2018
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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