After enduring a 13-game losing streak, the Orioles won their fourth straight game – and the penultimate one of the season – 5-4, thanks to an unbelievable 11th inning where the Orioles used two bunts aided by back-to-back errors by Toronto reliever Brandon League.
League, who was on the mound in the deciding frame, threw away two balls – one by Lou Montanez and the other by Jeff Fiorentino – to stun the crowd.
It goes without saying that the Blue Jays literally gave away the game on Sunday.
After the drama last week, and the re-hiring of Dave Trembley as manager, the Orioles started off as hot they took a 2-1 lead thanks to Nick Markakis’s two-run homer (his 18th), plus he was able to cross the 100 RBI plateau.
However, the Jays got on the board first as Edwin Encarnacion homered in the first inning, and then they tied the game at two thanks to a Travis Snyder RBI-double. They upped their lead to 3-2 in the fifth inning off a Jose Bautista solo homer.
Baltimore took a 4-3 lead thanks to a two-RBI double by Justin Turner; however, the Jays’ John McDonald homered to left.
Jeremy Guthrie started the game for the Orioles, and went 7 2/3 innings, but was plagued by the homer ball – again. He gave up 35 in the 2009 season, and while he’s looked a lot better in the second half, overall, his year was a complete disappointment. The man works hard, and cares immensely about his work, therefore, I’m sure Guthrie will get himself in order, see where he went wrong, and try to correct the errors that led him to a 10-17 record.
His opponent, J.C. Romero, capping a solid year, gave up four runs in seven innings of work. Brandon League took the loss thanks to his horrible inning — I guess he’ll be doing PFP (pitcher’s fielding practice) a lot in Florida.
Finally, it looks as if Melvin Mora has played his last game as a member of the Baltimore Orioles. The third baseman played the first half of the game, and then was pulled out in favor of Justin Turner. In the top of the sixth inning, he leaped to the top of the dugout and waved to the Oriole faithful perhaps for the final time.
And according to Sun and seeing what happened in person, it was short, sweet, but emotional.
Although his skills have declined greatly, and he was outspoken at times during his Oriole tenure, Mora served the team and the community well – I believe he lives up in Fallston during the year – so, I hope we all can wish him well in whatever life brings to him.
He was a good soldier, and he had one hell of a career as an Oriole. Godspeed, Melvin.
At some point during this week or next, we all can go over what has happened during the 2009 season, and more importantly, talk about what really needs to be done with the Orioles for them to be competitive again.
