BOOM! How’s that for an answer to a slightly disappointing series loss over the weekend in Cleveland? The O’s traveled to The Windy City for six against the White Sox and Cubs, and quickly acquitted themselves very nicely to the local scene. With Toronto splitting two n Milwaukee, and the Yankees losing the first two of three to Houston at home, the O’s now have a 9.0-game lead in the AL East (TEN in the loss column), and the beer is mighty, mighty cold.
Monday
Monday, the Birds sent Bud Norris to the bump hoping for back-to-back quality starts. Bud gave them just that and more, as he allowed just a single hit and faced the minimum through six innings, before the Sox finally got to him for two runs in the seventh.
The White Sox countered with ace Chris Sale, but the O’s, who found the boom sticks late in Sunday’s game, were undeterred. J.J. Hardy opened the scoring with a solo shot in the 2nd:
With the Birds up 1-0 in the 5th, Steve Pearce laced a two-rbi double.
Nelson Cruz added HR number 32 in the 6th.
After the Sox had pulled to within 3-2 in the 7th, it looked as if Connor Gillaspie had given them the lead. Nick Markakis, though, was having none of it, making a highlight-reel catch.
The very next inning, Markakis showed Gillaspie how it’s done.
Before that though, Jonathan Schoop had come through in the clutch, smacking a bases-clearing double with the sacks full.
In the 8th, Cruz showed off his glove a bit.
After the game, Norris, Buck, and Nick talked about the outfielder’s catch.
Tuesday
Chris Tillman took the bump for the O’s on Tuesday night, and was nothing short of masterful. Tilly had all of his pitches working, including impeccable fastball command and a brilliant curveball. He went 8.0 strong innings, allowing just a single run on a 1st inning homer to Jose Abreu, striking out nine and allowing three hits.
In the first, Adam Jones knocked in Pearce with an RBI single.
With the game tied at one in the sixth, Delmon Young came through with a clutch two-out base hit to score Jones, who started the two-out rally with a double.
After a Hardy single moved Young to third, Chris Davis came through with a big two-out RBI double to score both baserunners.
Nick Hundley added a solo home run in the 7th to make it 5-1 Birds.
After the game, Hundley talked with the MASN crew about his night at the dish and behind it.
Wednesday
(check back for more Wednesday highlights as they become available)
Wei-Yin Chen took the bump on “hump day” hoping to lead the way to a sweep. He fell behind early, allowing a two-run homer in the bottom of the first, before settling in and pitching into the eighth, allowing just three runs.
With the Birds trailing 2-1 in the 4th, Cruz smashed his 33rd of the year, tying a career high and scoring Jones to give the O’s a 3-2 lead they would never relinquish.
After the game, Buck talked about Chen and the win…
…as did Chen himself, Cruz, and O’Day.
And here’s Jones, with some words of his own.
