The Orioles were nine outs away from getting swept for the first time since 2022. Thanks to a late-inning comeback, they’re up to 96 straight series and counting.
Good morning, Camden Chatters.
All good things must come to an end — but not yet.
The Orioles’ streak of series without getting swept, which dates back to the pre-Adley Rutschman era, faced its biggest challenge of the season this weekend. The visiting Brewers inched nine outs away from winning the finale after taking the first two games of the set.
But the Orioles weren’t ready to give up their place in baseball history just yet. They stormed back with a seventh-inning deficit, held on for a well-played victory, and staved off a sweep for at least one more series. Tyler Young recapped all the action. And the streak continues.
most consecutive series of 2+ games without being swept:
1942-44 Cardinals: 125
1903-05 Giants: 106
2022-pres. Orioles: 96 ** active streak extended w/MIL seriesh/t @EliasSports
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) April 14, 2024
This is the second straight year that the Brewers have come dangerously close to snapping the Orioles’ streak. Last June, the O’s dropped the first two games of their three-game set in Milwaukee — which included eight shutout innings by Corbin Burnes in game two — and in the finale, the Brew Crew held a 3-0 lead in the seventh and a 3-1 lead with just five outs to go. But an eighth-inning rally turned the tide, thanks to an Anthony Santander RBI double and Gunnar Henderson go-ahead two-run homer, and the streak grew at that point to 59 in a row. History repeated itself for the Brewers, who again weren’t able to finish the job this weekend. Perhaps Milwaukee will get a third crack at ending it…if the Orioles continue their sweepless streak into 2025, the next time they play the Brewers. I’d be OK with finding out.
There was a lot to like in the Orioles’ win yesterday. The Birds scratched out some runs against a starting pitcher, something they’ve had trouble doing this year. They continued to blister opposing bullpens, something they’ve done quite a bit. They improved to 4-0 in games started by Burnes, who battled without his best stuff. And Jackson Holliday finally got off the schneid, recording his first major league hit to help key that seventh-inning rally.
The Orioles will try to keep the positive momentum rolling against the banged-up Twins, who head to Baltimore for a three-game series tonight. Will the streak hit 98?
Links
Jackson Holliday’s first MLB hit keys winning rally, O’s top the Brewers – Steve Melewski
Holliday’s first career hit powers winning rally vs. Brewers – MLB.com
Jackson Holliday’s first MLB hit important to Orioles’ 6-4 win over Brewers – Baltimore Banner
Poor Colton Cowser. And Cedric Mullins. And Ryan O’Hearn. They all hit dingers yesterday, and yet they can’t crack a headline.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! And happy 36th birthday to Chris Tillman, a former All-Star who spent his entire 10-year MLB career with the Birds, leading the O’s rotation during the Orioles’ successful 2012-16 stretch. Also born on this day was 2009 first baseman Michael Aubrey (42).
A number of notable Orioles events have happened on April 15, starting in 1954, when the club played its first ever game in its new home city of Baltimore. A capacity crowd of 46,354 packed Memorial Stadium to greet the Orioles, who enjoyed a 3-1 win over the White Sox behind Bob Turley’s complete game.
On this date in 1987, the Orioles were on the wrong end of a no-hitter thrown by Milwaukee southpaw Juan Nieves at Memorial. Nieves walked five but kept the Orioles out of the hit column for the first no-no in Brewers history.
And on this day in 2000, Cal Ripken Jr. joined baseball royalty by collecting his 3,000th career hit. Cal’s third hit of the day, a seventh-inning single against Twins reliever Hector Carrasco in Minnesota, made him the 24th member of the 3,000-hit club at the time (the list has since grown to 33). It also made him just the seventh hitter to reach both 3,000 hits and 400 home runs (now 11).