The Baltimore Orioles beat the Boston Red Sox, 9-6, in 17 innings. This game was the most bizarre I’ve ever witnessed. I can’t even recap this. If there was a game that needed a combined team effort — this was it. Well, it only took six-plus hours to decide a winner, but this game was so fun to watch on TV. It is their first sweep of the Red Sox at Fenway since 1994.
Chris Davis tosses two scoreless innings and wins? Craziness. He actually looked very good, struck out two and mixed up his speeds on the pitches. I’m not sure if he even knew what he was doing, but hey it’s a win and he got the ball over the plate. For a guy who struck out five times in eight at bats, Davis sure came up big in a unexpected moment. Yes, folks, Chris Davis is a hero. Thank goodness he didn’t get hurt.
Every reliever was used. Even Kevin Gregg came in the game and threw two scoreless innings. I’m not sure if Buck Showalter planned things out this way – of course he didn’t – but it was a miracle that Baltimore won today.
The Orioles are making a joke of their so-called rough patch of the schedule. They are 5-0 in May, and won five out of six from the Yankees, plus the Red Sox.
Baltimore is winning games now that they would have lost years ago.
Adam Jones hits a three-run homer (his eighth of the season) off Darnell McDonald – a position player – in the top of the 17th inning to end the madness. The Orioles jump all over starter Clay Buchholz for five runs in the first four innings; however, they quickly saw the game off the rails as Tommy Hunter gave up five runs his outing.
The bullpens battle, and it sure became a memorable Sunday for the Birds.
J.J. Hardy – who had been scuffling — hit two homers early, and the defense while ugly came through big time in the 16th inning with a relay from left field that led to Marlon Byrd being tagged out at home. That play perserved the game for Baltimore and led to the deciding frame thereafter.
The Orioles are now an unthinkable 19-9 on May 6th and lead the American League East by 1/2 a game. They are now the hunted, instead of the hunters. This is crazy, but baseball has become fun in these parts again.
