The Birds rebounded from their disappointing sweep over the weekend in Wrigley in a huge way, taking three of four from the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Thanks to the Detroit Tigers taking two of three from the Yankees, the division lead that had dwindled from 9.0 games down to 6.0 games from Friday-Sunday is now back up to 7.0 games, and the Birds’ “magic number” has dropped to 24.
Let’s get to the highlights.
Monday
The Birds returned from “The Friendly Confines” of Wrigley to their own ACTUAL friendly confines and took advantage right away, bashing five home runs in a blowout 9-1 win Monday night.
Nine runs was great, but two would have been enough for Chris Tillman, who was dealing.
The defense showed up too, highlighted by not only this Jonathan Schoop play up the middle…
(Take that, stupid Zobrist.)
…but by this amazing double play by Adam Jones.
Tuesday
After mashing five taters Monday, in game 2, the Birds did something they had done only 11 times all season – won without hitting a dinger. They used a patient approach against Alex Cobb, running up his pitch count and chasing him after just 4.0 innings and 92 pitches.
In the first, Chris Davis and Steve Pearce combined to turn a sweet double play that kept the game scoreless, but required a replay reivew to be upheld.
The Rays were up 1-0 in the second, but Jones kept the score right there with another outfield assist. It’s like the Rays weren’t even at the game on Monday. What are you thinking, bro?
The Birds were still trailing 1-0 in the fourth, when Caleb Joseph knocked in two with two outs.
With the game tied at two in the sixth, Schoop had a clutch RBI single off Grant Balfour.
Nelson Cruz extended the lead in the seventh with a double to the wall.
Wednesday
Wednesday was the one game the Birds lost in the series, as Drew Smyly completely shut them down. The O’s managed just two hits all game, and Kevin Gausman struggled early, in the 3-1 loss.
The Rays struck for two in the first, but it could have been worse if not for this baserunning gaffe from Evan Longoria.
The O’s only run came on Chris Davis’ solo home run, his 23rd.
In the fourth, J.J. Hardy showed off his arm to double up Yunel Escobar.
Thursday
The going got good again on Wednesday, as the O’s erased deficits of 2-0 and 4-2 to pull out the 5-4 victory and take the series.
We’ll have the video highlights up once they become available, but in the meantime check out some GIFs here.
