The O’s were one out away from a devastating sixth straight loss until some Orioles Magic (and Yankees ineptitude) sent them into the All-Star break on a high note.
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
I don’t know about you, but I’m thankful for this four-day break from the Orioles’ season. My nerves just can’t handle this team right now.
Yesterday’s game was perhaps the most exhausting emotional roller coaster of the year. Clinging to a one-run lead in the ninth that would avert a six-game losing streak, the Orioles instead came to the brink of disaster. Closer Craig Kimbrel suffered his worst outing in months and coughed up a back-breaking three-run homer that seemed to be the cherry on top of the horrendous sundae of a homestand. All, it seemed, was lost. The Birds’ week-long collapse was to continue into the All-Star break and for who knows how much longer. Morale was at an all-time low.
And then: a miraculous turn of events. It was the Yankees who collapsed at the final turn, suffering a calamitous series of defensive miscues in the bottom of the ninth, first with shortstop Anthony Volpe booting a grounder that would have ended the game, and then left fielder Alex Verdugo hilariously misplaying a Cedric Mullins fly ball, running the wrong way before falling over, to gift the Orioles a walkoff win. It was a wild, ridiculous, extremely improbable sequence of events that ended with an ecstatic O’s dugout piling onto the field for a joyous celebration and a huge sigh of relief. The skid is over! WE ARE SO BACK.
John Beers recapped all the zaniness of the Orioles’ final game before the All-Star break, which pushed them a game ahead of the Yankees to reclaim sole possession of first place. My goodness, did the O’s ever need that win. And I don’t care that it only happened because the Yankees screwed up. If anything, that makes it all the more delightful. And now the Orioles can head into the All-Star break on a positive note instead of stewing over what would have been a devastating loss.
Of course, we’ll still be seeing quite a few Orioles over the next few days. Tonight, Gunnar Henderson will take his hacks in the Home Run Derby, which will air at 8 PM on ESPN. Henderson warmed up for the Derby yesterday by mashing his 28th home run, and he enters the contest with the most dingers this season of anyone who’s participating. Best of luck, Gunnar. And tomorrow, Henderson will start for the AL All-Stars alongside Adley Rutschman, with Corbin Burnes, Jordan Westburg, and Anthony Santander also likely to make appearances later in the game.
There’s off-the-field Orioles news, too, as last night was the first round of the 2024 MLB Draft. The O’s used their first-round pick (#22 overall) on UNC outfielder Vance Honeycutt, a prodigious power-and-speed guy who also comes with some swing-and-miss concerns. Check out Mark Brown’s bio of Honeycutt, as well as his profiles of the Orioles’ #32 pick, shortstop Griff O’Ferrall, and #61 pick, catcher Ethan Anderson, both from the University of Virginia.
It was a busy day. A chaotic day. But in the end, a very good day in Birdland.
Links
Orioles end losing streak with assist from Yankees in crazy 9th inning – The Baltimore Banner
The Orioles’ post-game quotes were a mix of excitement and disbelief, which are the only appropriate responses after a game like that.
Stowers on latest return to Orioles and home run record with Triple-A Norfolk – School of Roch
Kyle Stowers seems like a good dude, and he has a good attitude about being stuck at Triple-A longer than any player with his stats should be. Somebody, please trade for this guy so he can get a legitimate big league opportunity, because it probably won’t happen in Baltimore.
‘Lady in the Lake’ stars cheer on Orioles in Baltimore – The Baltimore Sun
Natalie Portman was at Camden Yards on Saturday to watch the O’s lose to the Yankees. Come on, Orioles, that was the best you could do for Queen Amidala?
Orioles star Gunnar Henderson flattered by Aaron Judge’s ‘MVP right now’ praise – New York Post
Certain media outlets consider it a foregone conclusion that Aaron Judge will win AL MVP over Gunnar Henderson, but you know who disagrees with that? Aaron Judge.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! The only Oriole with a July 15 birthday is right-hander James Baldwin (53), who pitched 20 games for the 2005 club and is no known relation to the author.
On this day in 1960, Brooks Robinson became the first Oriole to hit for the cycle, pulling off the feat in a 5-2 win over the White Sox at Comiskey Park. Brooks singled in the first and fifth, homered in the third, doubled in the seventh, and then capped it off with the toughest one, the triple, in the top of the ninth.
In 1996, the Orioles moved Cal Ripken Jr. back to third base, his original position, after 2,216 consecutive games at shortstop. The shift was meant to clear playing time for shortstop prospect Manny Alexander, but lasted only six games before Alexander (who went 1-for-18) headed back to the bench and Cal reclaimed his spot at shortstop. He did move to third base permanently a year later, when the Orioles signed free agent shortstop Mike Bordick.
And on this date in 2005, Rafael Palmeiro joined the 3,000-hit club, ripping a fifth-inning double off Joel Pineiro in Seattle during the Orioles’ 6-3 win. The Safeco Field crowd gave Palmeiro a long standing ovation while his O’s teammates poured out of the dugout to give him congratulatory hugs. It was a nice moment, but pretty much ruined two weeks later when MLB suspended Palmeiro for use of the banned steroid Stanozolol, an incident that dashed his Hall of Fame hopes.