Birds fly past Bombers

A hard fought series between two great division rivals.  Unfortunately Mike has the 68 "Year of the Pitcher" Yanks who it appears will struggle at the plate this season.  Likewise, the O's appear like they will struggle to get a starter into the 6th inning (fortunately a decent pen is available), which will challenge my ability to manage the pen usage.  All the games were competitive and were a great way to kickof KOD27!

Game 1

Camden Yards

Stottlemyre vs. Chen

Baltimore 10 NYY 3

Baltimore got off to a quick start with 3 in the bottom of the first on a double, two singes and a walk.  RBIs were delivered by Baltimore's 4-5-6 hitters (Adam Jones, Davis Wieters.)  Once Stottlemyre settled down after the 1st, he and Chen locked horns for the next 3 innings at which time Chen, beginning to tire, gave up a 2 RBI single to Andy Kosco. Joe Pepitone led off the top of the 6th for the Yanks with a solo HR to tie up the game at 3 each.  Joe Verbanic entered the game in the bottom of the 7th and the Orioles immediately loaded the bases.  Verbanic then hit Ryan Flaherty (Baltimore's #9 hitter) with a pitch and the brawl ensued!  both Flaherty and Verbanic were tossed and steve Hamilton came in to throw for NY.  Unfortunately fo NY things went from bad to worse as Baltimore put 5 more runs on the board and after 7 lead 9-3.  Baltimore would get one more, but by then  this one was as good as in the books.

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Game 2

Camden Yards

Bahnsen vs. Hammel

NYY 5  Baltimore 2

A tight pitchers dual most of the way as Bahnsen went 6 2/3 and Hammel 7, each giving up two runs.  In the NY 7th Rocky Colavito hit a solo HR that tied the game at 2.  NY went ahead for good with 3 in the top of the 9th as it was now the Baltimore pen's turn to implode.

Game 3

Yankee Stadium

Tillman vs. Peterson

Baltimore 3  NYY 1

Off to the Big Apple and another tight game as the starters clamped down even harder on the hitters in this one.  IN the top of the 6th two walks and two hits produced 2 runs for the O's who would add another run in the 7th which is all they would need on this day.  Chris Tillman threw 7 scoreless innings for the O's before Pedro Strop through a scoreless 8th for Baltimore and Darren O'Day came on for the save in the 9th, though he did yield an unearned run to the Yanks on a Robert Andino fielding error that started the inning.

 

Game 4

Yankee Stadium

Gonzalez vs.Barber

Baltimore 5  NYY 4

After 5 1/2 innings the Baltimore hitters staked Miguel Gonzalez to a 4-0 lead.  Gonzalez faltered in the bottom of the 6th giving all 4 runs back to the Yanks on 4 singles and 2 walks.  The game would be won by Baltimore SS J J Hardy's solo HR in the top of the 8th inning and the Baltimore pen closed out the game with Jim Johnson getting his first save of the KOD despite the Yanks outhitting the O's in this one 7-6.

Side note:  Fun series, all the games but game 1 were tight, and it was until the very end.  One issue for DKS:  Mike continually received RT errors between games....has anyone else still seeing this issue?

--submitted by Mark Nixon--