A 27-run loss to Texas; And Orioles/Texas series review
The most amazing thing is the Orioles took a 3-0 lead to the fourth inning. It was a night game at Camden Yards. Texas was in town on this late August date. It didn’t really all that much anyway. The O’s were 17 games back of first place and Texas was 18 games out in the AL West.
It was a game in which Brian Roberts ripped his 37th double of the season. And right behind him came Nick Markakis who launched his 35th double. Other that that, it was a total disaster.
David Murphy was the lone ranger with 5 hits. Both Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Ramon Vasquez had 4 hits on the night. Both Vasquez and Saltalamacchia had 2 homers each. And both these guys drove in 7 runs on the day.
Daniel Cabrera had won 9 games entering the fourth inning. That’s when Texas scored 5 runs to take the lead. A nine-run sixth inning put this game away for Texas.
Wait there is more. Texas scored 10 runs in the eighth and 6 runs in the ninth. The final was 30-3. That’s even a respectable football score. Brian Burres, a decent left-hander, surrendered 8 runs in 2/3 of an inning. Former Indian, Paul Shuey, went 2 innings and allowed nine earned runs. Oh, gosh.
OK, our 2014 trip to Texas went better. It began on Tuesday night. Both Ubaldo Jimenez and Joe Saunders pitched well for their respective clubs. It was 2-2 heading to the seventh inning. And then a six-run Orioles eighth inning blew this game open. Were we worried that the beaning of Nellie Cruz would cause trouble for us? He answered that with a 3-run blast in the frame. Adam Jones had 4 hits in the 8-2 win. Markakis added 3 hits.
Our 30th win of the season came on Wednesday. On a rare Chris Davis homer, we had a healthy 5-2 lead in the top of the fifth. But danger loomed in the bottom of the fifth. Adrian Beltre had already taken Bud Norris deep for a two-run blast. Now he added a 3-run homer and this game was tied at 5-5. Markakis singled in the go-ahead run in the sixth. Zach Britton got the save and we won 6-5.
Thursday’s game had its moments as well. Chris Tillman had nothing and we were quickly down 5-0. A Markakis two-run shot gave us some hope. Jones and Davis brought us even closer. This game was tied up. And then JJ Hardy, so solid at shortstop, made some untimely errors. Jones added a late homer but we fell 8-6.
