Game 68 Recap-
In the finale of an exciting and entertaining interleague series, the Pittsburgh Pirates came back after a back breaking game tying homer in the 9th to win in 10, 5-4 over the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards in Maryland Sunday. The series had added luster with ceremonies and the like with the 1979 World Series “rematch” angle. In each game, the Pirates built large leads and the Os came back. Just fun baseball from two of the more improved teams in MLB .
Pirates Manager John Russell agreed, saying “I’ve never seen nothing like it, two teams keep coming back at each other,” Russell said. “It was an amazing series.”
The game featured solid performances from 2 good young starters in Pirates LH Paul Maholm(4-5,4.45) & Os RH Daniel Cabrera(5-2,4.45).Cabrera, who has shown drastic improvement in both performance and approach this year, was wild(5 walks) for one of the few times this season. He lasted 6 innings, allowed 6 hits and 4 runs with 2 strikeouts. Maholm matched and surpassed the talented Cabrera, over 6 innings, he allowed 4 hits and 2 runs with 3 walks and 4 Ks. He was hurt by 2 solo homers(5th by Guillermo Quiroz, 6th by 3b Aubrey Huff) among his 4 hits.
The Pirates,as we have seen throughout the series, built a 4-0 lead by the 5th inning. They plated 3 in the 3rd after CF Nate McLouth homered and RF Jason Michaels added a 2 run single. Hot 3b Jose Bautista singled in another run in the 4th. The game settled down with the pens pitching well.
Then the game became about two slumping closers, Pirates RH Matt Capps (2.88,16 saves but 2 blown saves this week including the Saturday night game in this series) and Orioles LH George Sherrill(3.48, 22 saves). Capps had two outs in the 9th then 2b Brian Roberts hit a shocking 2 run shot to tie the game. Sherrill, who also blew a save Saturday, allowed a walk and single then the decisive rbi single by 1b Adam Laroche.
“I guess it just shows you he’s human. It happens to the best of them,” Orioles manager Dave Trembley said of Sherrill, whose ERA rose from 2.73 to 3.48 over the weekend.”I guess it just shows you he’s human. It happens to the best of them,” Orioles manager Dave Trembley said of Sherrill, whose ERA rose from 2.73 to 3.48 over the weekend.
Capps then showed tremendous fortitude and courage, taking the ball in the 10th. He struck out 2 of the 3 batters he faced in the 10th and gave the club a huge lift as well as a win He clearly wanted the ball, “I wanted it. Whatever the situation. Whether it was still tied or we had scored 10 runs or one run like we did, I wanted it,” the right-hander said. He also expressed remorse for letting the win get away from deserving starter Maholm, “Obviously it would have been a whole lot better to have the game end in the ninth inning,” Capps said. “But I am what I am. I am who I am.”
Star of the Game-
Maholm- Pitched a great game vs a good hitting club and in a launching pad. Deserves more than 4 wins.
Orioles Notes-
3b Melvin Mora was out with a swollen left leg, Huff took his spot at 3b and regular 1b Kevin Millar went to DH with call up Oscar Salazar playing 1b. Mora pinch hit and flew out in the 7th…. RH RP Dennis Sarfate(3.38) missed the game tending to his family with his wife giving birth Sunday Morning
Next Game-
Monday the team is off—
Tuesday they start a 3 game inter-league series vs the Houston Astros at Camden Yards, all games at 7:05
