Orioles Team Report Apr 19, 2008

If anyone doesn’t understand the good feelings the Orioles have about the close games they played so far this season, they only need to look back to the results of the American League high 44 one-run games they played in 2007.

The Orioles were a dismal 13-31 in those games that were close enough to go either way. And, if they could have reversed 15 of the 31 losses they would have had their first .500 record since 1997. But they didn’t get the run or two needed to do that.

On Friday, they were engaged in a 1-1 tie through five innings against the Yankees before erupting for their highest scoring inning of the season. The seven runs they scored were more typical of how the team has responded to close games this season.

In six one-run games this season, the Orioles are 5-1 and, just as amazing, that they have come from behind to win two games in the ninth or 10th innings.

“It shows we’re not going to give up and we’re not going to give in. You can’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do it,” manager Dave Trembley said after Thursday’s come-from-behind 6-5 win.” You’ve got to find a way to do it and find a way to get it done. It takes an effort from everybody on the ball club.

“We’re going to do whatever we can to put our guys in position. I’ve got confidence in them. We may be outmanned from the standpoint of position players, but we’re certainly not going to back down,” the skipper added. “It’s pitching, defense and timely hitting in that order and we got it.”

Orioles 8, Yankees 2: Seven runs in the sixth inning broke open a 1-1 deadlock Friday as Nick Markakis had two hits in the uprising, while Luke Scott, Adam Jones, Jay Payton and Melvin Mora also had hits in the inning that sent Yankees’ starter Phillip Hughes to the shower. Daniel Cabrera enjoyed his best outing and first win after three no-decisions in the young season, as he allowed one run before the game-breaking rally and another on a home run to the first batter after the long inning.

Notes, Quotes

• RHP Daniel Cabrera got his first win of the season on Friday as he allowed only two runs, the second on a home run after sitting through an extremely long sixth inning rally that accounted for the victory. The AL walks leader of the past two seasons issued only two bases on balls to continue a decline by one in each of his four starts.

• PH Jay Payton ran his hitting streak to three straight games and all were pinch-hit singles, twice while batting for Luis Hernandez and once for Brandon Fahey. His sixth-inning hit on Friday was good for two RBIs in the middle of the Orioles’ seven-run rally.

• LF Luke Scott remained among the most productive hitters in the AL on Friday when he had two more hits giving him team high 21, including nine doubles. His average is up to .389 after hitting in six consecutive games.

• RHP Randor Bierd gave up hits to the first two batters he faced on Friday, but retired the next two batters before giving way to Jamie Walker who got out of the inning unscathed. Bierd has given up eight hits but nary a run in 10 2/3 innings over six appearances.

• RHP Steve Trachsel, who will start on Saturday against the Yankees, has a lifetime 3.63 ERA in 10 starts against the Pinstripers. He has a 4-4 record, but has given up 11 home runs, more than any other AL team has hit off him.

By The Numbers: 2—Home runs off the bat of the Rays’ Carlos Pena, marking the first time since 1998 that Jamie Walker gave up home runs in back-to-back appearances (Friday and Saturday). Both game-tying shots came in the eighth inning.

Quote To Note: “When you come in here and play this team, you better get as many runs as you can because you’re probably never going to have enough. … Every time you get an opportunity to tack on, you have to tack on.”—Manager Dave Trembley talking about playing the Rays at Tropicana Field.