Diplomatic Immunity

Ravens 36, Chiefs 35 : Week 2 – Recap & Grades : Offense – Lamar Jackson rushes for 107 yards on 17 carries, for an average of 6.7 yards per carry & 2 TD’s, also passes for 239 & a TD, while throwing 2 crucial picks. Ty’Son Williams rushes 13 times for 77 yards, an a average of 5.9 yards per carry & Marquis Brown hauls in 6 receptions for 113 yards & a TD as the offense was moving the chains all night. The Offense line played much better than a week ago, even w/ Alejandro Villanueva playing LT instead of Ronnie Stanley & Patrick Mekari holding down the RT position. They rush for 251 yards as a team, while finally staying their nemesis. They also seal the game on a crucial 4th down w/ under a minute left on a 2-yard run by Jackson.
Grade : A

Defense – This unit performed better than anyone could have expected as CB Anthony Averett holds WR Tyreek Hill to 3 catches for 14 yards & they make some huge plays late in the game to seal it. They allow 405 total yards, including 343 to QB Patrick Mahomes & yards rushing as a team 18 rushes, for an average of 3.4 yards per carry. They register 1 sack & 2 interceptions, including a huge pick by Tavon Young on a silly pass by Mahomes in the 4th. Rookie LB Odafe Oweh, who beats former Raven Orlando Brown Jr. & makes a huge play force a fumble by RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire & seal the win after the Ravens recover. DT Brandon Williams & SS Deshon Elliot left the game in the 2nd half & didn’t return but this group still found a way to make enough plays to win.
Grade : B+

Special Teams – This is once again the strong point of this team, as they continue to just play sound. Justin Tucker hits on his only kick from 43 yards, Sam Koch punts it away 2 tims for 95 yards, an average of 47.5 yards per punt. Devin Duvernay returns 1 kick for 16 yards & the kick coverage is solid all night despite allowing 5 returns for 83 yards, as 4 different players carry the ball for Kansas City on special teams, including a 13 yard punt return by WR Mecole Hardman. This group still has some new birds getting used to their role but they have fared well so far.
Grade : A

Coaching – The entire coaching staff had a game plan & excuted it perfectly, they played to this team’s strength & they all seemed to be on the same page. You could definitely see the sense of urgency by the entire the coaching staff, who knew what was on the line in this game.
Everyone felt what was at stake & responded in the moment when needed. Going for it on 4th & 1 from their own 40 was a gutsy call in itself & showed the whole world on national television that this team was going for the win & not another heartbreaking loss to a team that had owned them & was at full strength while this team was missing some key parts was huge. Everyone seemed to buy into what this team was doing & they all got in sync which led to an unbelievable win @ home in front of the raucous Flock.
Grade : A
Overall Grade : A-
🏈🏈🏈
GO RAVENS!!
#SomeHomeCooking

That Sweeping Statement – The Orioles are swept away in their last trip of the season to Fenway Park as Boston continues to stay in control of their own destiny in the AL Wild Card race.

Game 1 : Red Sox 7, Orioles 1 – Chris Sale returns from his 2nd stint on the COVID list to pitch 5 innings of 1 run ball, allowing 2 hits, strikes out 1 & walks none & hits a batter as the Red Sox beat the O’s. The big lefty only allows a leadoff single to Cedric Mullins in the 1st & a solo homer to Austin Hays in the 2nd but nothing else the rest of the way as he picks up his 4th win of the season. Former Oriole, Jose Iglesias drives in run on an RBI double & Kike Hernandez adds a sac fly in a 2-run Red Sox 1st to give Sale all the run support he would need. Bobby Dalbec hits a solo homer in the 4th, J.D. Martinez doubles in a run in the 5th & Hunter Renfroe clears the bases w/ a 3-run double in the 6th. O’s starter Keegan Akin allows 4 runs on 6 hits & 3 walks & strikes out none in 4 innings of work, he loses for the 10th time this season. Boston as won 3 in a row & remains in 1 of the 2 Wild Card spots w/ New York, while Toronto is a .5 game back. Baltimore loses for the 100th time on the season, their 3rd consecutive 100+ loss season in a 162 game format.

Bos (84-65) Bal (47-100)

WP : Sale (4-0)
LP : Akin (2-10)

Game 2 : Red Sox 9, Orioles 3 – Xander Bogaerts homers & drives in 4 runs to carry the AL Wild Card leading Red Sox to another win over the Orioles. Ryan Mountcastle hits a 2-run shot in the 1st for the O’s (his 30th of the year) but the Red Sox strike back quickly as Rafael Devers singles home a run & scores on a 2-run double by Bobby Dalbec in a 3-run 1st inning for the Red Sox, Devers also has 3 hits. Austin Wynns hits a solo homer in the 2nd to toe the game against Boston starter Nick Pivetta, who allows 3 runs on 7 hits in 3 2/3 innings, he walks 1 & strikes out 3, earns a no decision. O’s starter, Zach Lowther allows 3 runs on 5 hits, strikes out 2 & walks 2 in 3 1/3 innings, he also gets the no decision. Bogaerts singles in a run in the 5th to put the Red Sox ahead & Hunter Renfroe doubles in a run & scores on a 3-run blast by Bogaerts to break the game open. Boston has now won 4 in a row & they are 1 game ahead of Toronto & 1.5 games ahead of New York in the AL Wild Card race. Baltimore has dropped 11 of their last 12 against Boston, despite sweeping the Red Sox @ home to open the season, they have a league-leading 101 losses.

Bos (85-65) Bal (47-101)

WP : Houck (1-4)
LP : Baumann (1-1)

Game 3 : Red Sox 8, Orioles 6 – Kike Hernandez sparks a 3-run late inning rally w/ a single off the 2nd base bag in the 7th after the Orioles had scored 3 times to take the lead. The Red Sox score 3 times in the 1st inning against O’s starter Alexander Wells as Bobby Dalbec is hit by a pitch w/ the bases loaded & Kevin Plawecki singles home 2 to put Boston ahead early & Hernandez drives in another on an RBI double in the 2nd, he has 2 hits, scores twice & drives in 2 on the day. Anthony Santander doubles home a run & scores on a 2-run single by Austin Hays as the O’s rally to cut the lead to 1. J.D. Martinez puts the Red Sox ahead on a solo shot in the 3rd but Trey Mancini clears the bases w/ a 3-run double down the left field line to give the O’s the lead in the 7th before Hernandez singles home a run & scores on a double by Hunter Renfroe, who scores on a single by Rafael Devers. Boston has won 5 in a row & leads Toronto by 1 game & New York by 2.5 in the AL Wild Card race. Baltimore has lost 12 of their final 13 meetings against the Boston & has a league leading 102 losses w/ Arizona close behind.

Bos (86-65) Bal (47-102)

WP : Sawamura (5-1)
LP : Greene (1-1)
S : Richards (3).

The Orioles run into buzzsaw & are swept by a Red Sox team that is really locked in right now & is chasing a Playoff Berth. The Birds will now head south Philadelphia to play the Phillies for 3.

⚾️⚾️⚾️
GO O’S!!
#BirdsOnAWire

Baby Steps : The O’s avoid the sweep w/ after losing the first 2 games w/ a walk off win in extras in the finale to record their 8th victory in 19 games against the Yankees, the most wins against New York since 2016.

Game 1 : Yankees 7, Orioles 2 – The Yankees homer 5 times to account for all of their runs on longballs & Gerrit Cole pitches 5 innings as New York wins back to back games for the first time since September 1st & 3rd. Cole allows 1 run on 4 hits, strikes out 7 & walks 3 as he returns from left hamstring tightness in his last start on September 7th. Aaron Judge launches a 2-run bomb in the 1st, Giancarlo Stanton adds another 2-run bomb in the 3rd & Luke Voit follows up w/ a solo blast as the pair goes back to back. Joey Gallo hits a solo shot in the 8th & D.J. LeMahieu caps the homerun derby w/ a solo dinger in the 9th as New York ties it’s season high for HR’s. Gallo & Judge become just the 4th pair of teammates to hit their 34th homeruns in the same game.
Ryan Mountcastle drives in a run on a double in the 5th & Kelvin Gutierrez singles home a run in the 9th for the O’s only runs.
New York wins for the 3rd time in 11 games & is tied w/ Toronto in the AL Wild Card race. Baltimore has lost 5 of it’s last 6.

NYY (81-64) Bal (46-98)

WP : Cole (15-7)
LP : Wells (1-3)

Game 2 : Yankees 4, Orioles 3 – Brett Gardner bloops a 2-run single in the 9th inning to give the Yankees the lead after a double steal & Aroldis Chapman closes it out as the Yankees take the series & keep pace w/ Toronto & Boston in the AL Wild Card race. Gio Urshela launches a 2-run bomb in the 3rd to give Yankees starter Nestor Cortes Jr. the early lead but Austin Hays hits a solo shot to get the O’s on the board against Cortes in the 6th. Cortes allows 1 run on 3 hits in 6 1/3 innings, he strikes out 11 on the night & walks 2. Hays hits a 2-out, 2-run bomb to put the O’s ahead in the 8th but the Yankees rally late to come from behind as Gardner’s 2-run single does the trick after a double steal by Tyler Wade & Gleyber Torres. New York clinches it’s 29th straight winning season, the 2nd most in major-league history, behind it’s own 39 year streak from 1926-64. Baltimore has lost 6 of it’s last 7.

NYY (82-64) Bal (46-99)

WP : Peralta (5-3)
LP : Wells (2-3)
S : Chapman (27)

Game 3 : Orioles 3, Yankees 2 (10 innings) – Yankees reliever Clay Holmes throws a wild pitch w/ 2 outs in the 9th, allowing the tying run to score & Austin Hays walks it off in the 10th as the O’s avoid the sweep & play spoiler to the Yankees Wild Card chances. Joey Gallo hits a solo shot & Gio Urshela drills an RBI double in a 2-run 2nd inning against O’s starter Chris Ellis. Ellis goes 4 2/3 innings, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits, he strikes out 3 & walks 4 but keeps the O’s in the game. Meanwhile, Yankees starter Jordan Montgomery dazzles as he strikes out a career high 12 in 5 2/3 innings, he allows 1 run on 6 hits & walks 1. Ryan Mountcastle hits a solo shot off of Zimmerman to become the Orioles rookie HR record w/ 29 & cuts the lead to 1 before Holmes wild pitch in the 9th. Hays chops a single though the drawn in infield in the 10th to score pinch-runner Jahmai Jones as the O’s walk it off. New York had won 4 in a row coming in & is now falls .5 behind idle Toronto & Boston in the AL Wild Card chase. Baltimore snaps a 5 game losing streak, they are 12-22 in 1 run games this season.

Bal (47-99) NYY (82-65)

WP : Sulser (5-4)
LP : Peralta (5-4)

The Orioles hang tough for most of this series against a team who needed to win & is loaded w/ talent, a good measuring stick to where this team is. The O’s now travel to Boston for 3 & then head off to Philadelphia for 3 more as they continue to play hard while playing out the string.

⚾️⚾️⚾️
GO O’S!!
#BetterDaysAhead

Raiders 33, Ravens 27 (OT) : Week 1 – Recap & Grades : Offense – This group performed well under duress as the offensive line was getting mauled & Lamar Jackson was running for his life all night as he rushes for 86 yards on 12 carries for an average of 7.3 yards per carry & passes for 235 & a TD but fumbles 3 times, losing 2 of them. Ty’Son Williams rushes for 65 yards on 9 carries, also an average of 7.3 yards per carry & 1 TD. The offensive line was on their heels all night as they could not contain the pass rush on either side & Jackson is sacked 3 times.
Grade : C
Defense – This unit played well early in the 1st half, but got gashed in the 2nd half as Derek Carr passes for 435 yards & 2 TD’s, he is sacked only 3 times despite constant pressure as this unit just could not consistently get home all night. They allow 491 total yards & had no answer for TE Darren Waller, who grabs 10 passes for 105 yards, the secondary also gave up some big plays including the game winning TD pass to a wide open WR Zay Jones for 31 yards. Josh Jacobs rushes for 34 on 10 carries & a TD, but this group does hold Las Vegas to only allow 82 yards on the ground.
Grade : C
Special Teams – This was one of the lone bright spots on the night & as usual was the strong point of this team. Justin Tucker connects on both of his FG attempts from 40 & 47 yards out & Sam Koch punts it away 4 times for 179 yards, an average of 44.8 yards per punt. Devin Duvernay totals 67 punt return yards, also recovers his own fumble when he drops a punt & there were no kick returns. Henry Ruggs returns 2 kicks for 33 yards & Hunter Renfrow 2 punts for 10 yards for the Raiders as the coverage is solid all night long.
Grade : B+
Coaching : John Harbaugh has always done more w/ less but this team is very depleted & it showed, yet no adjustments were made when needed, including bringing someone over to help out Alejandro Villanueva due to his inability to contain Maxx Crosby which was one of the main issues all night long. Ty’Son Williams was used early on & then forgotten about later as he was barely even used in the 2nd half. Greg Roman looked exactly the same & although the sense of urgency seemed to be there, the lack of game planning & adjusting to what was happening left a little bit to be desired.
Grade : B-
Overall Grade : C
GO RAVENS!!
#JustNotEnough

Pecking Order : The Orioles lose 3 out of 4 to the Blue Jays, getting outscored 47-25 in the series, including a bloodbath of a blowout in the finale as Toronto continues to surge towards an AL Wild Card spot.

Game 1 : Orioles 6, Blue Jays 3 – Cedric Mullins hits a solo shot, Austin Hays triples to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 16 games & Ryan McKenna blasts a 2-run shot off of Jays starter Robbie Ray in the 1st inning to get the O’s on the board early & give starter Chris Ellis some early run support. Ray allows 3 runs on a season high 8 hits, in just 4 1/3 innings, he strikes out 8 & walks 2 – it’s his shortest outing since June 18th against the Orioles. Ellis goes 5 innings, allows 1 run on 5 hits, he strikes out 4 & walks 4. Bo Bichette singles home a run in the 5th to get the Jays on the board against Ellis & Marcus Semien doubles home the tying run in the 6th as the Blue Jays rally back against the O’s bullpen. Anthony Santander launches a 3-run bomb in the 7th to give the O’s the lead for good & snaps Toronto’s 8 game winning streak. Baltimore has won 5 games in September, 1 more than they won in August.

Bal (46-94) Tor (77-63)

WP : Greene (1-0)
LP : Merryweather (0-1)
S : Sulser (7)

Game 2 : Doubleheader (Game 1) – Blue Jays 11, Orioles 10 – George Springer hits a 2-out, 2-run homer in the 7th to give Toronto it’s first lead of the game & the Blue Jays rally to get an important win in Game 1 of a Doubleheader. Anthony Santander hits a 2-run shot in the 1st & Lourdes Gurriel ties it on a 2-run shot in the 2nd & the scorefest was on as Austin Hays extends his hitting streak to a career-high 17 games on a 2-run bomb in a 3 run O’s 2nd. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hits his 43rd homer as he closes in on the Triple Crown w/ a solo shot in the 3rd for the Jays but the O’s would keep the pressure on as Ryan McKenna drills a 2-run double to add to the Orioles lead & the Birds score 3 more times in the 4th as Hays homers for the 2nd time, Ryan Mountcastle follows w a solo shot as the pair goes back to back & Pedro Severino singles home another to add to the lead. Baltimore has homered 50 times @ home since the All-Star Break, best in the majors. Jake Lamb delivers a 2-run single in the 5th, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. drives home a run on an RBI single in the 7th, Lamb hits a sac fly to cut it to 1 & Springer’s 2-run bomb puts the Jays in front for good. Toronto is 23-6 when hitting 3 or more HR’s this season. Baltimore looked to avoid the DH sweep in Game 2.

Tor (78-63) Bal (46-95)

WP : Pearson (1-1)
LP : Wells (2-2)
S : Romano (17)

Game 3 : Doubleheader (Game 2) – Blue Jays 11, Orioles 2 – Bo Bichette & Alejandro Kirk each hit 2-run homers in an 11 run 7th innings the Blue Jays bust loose to take control after being shutout for the first 6 innings. Cedric Mullins hits a solo bomb in the 3rd to put the O’s ahead, as he joins the 29/29 club & inches ever so closer to 30/30. O’s starter Keegan Akin goes 5 shutout innings before being pulled in the 6th after giving up the lead on a 2-run blast by Bichette, as he & Kirk hit a pair of 2-run bombs. Akin allows 3 runs on 3 hits, strikes out 3 & walks 2, he came in w/ 2 wins & a no-decision in his last 3 starts & the Orioles had won all 3. Breyvic Valera brings home a run on a sac fly, Marcus Semien launches a 3-run shot & Teoscar Hernandez launches another 3-run bomb to cap the scoring, as the Jays tie a team record for an inning w/ 11 runs, 11 hits & 4 HR’s Thomas Hatch pitches 5 innings, he allows 1 run on 3 hits, strikes out 3 & walks 2. Toronto has now won 10 of their last 11 games & will go for the sweep on Sunday. Baltimore has now lost 4 of their last 7.

Tor (79-63) Bal (46-96)

WP : Richards (7-2)
LP : Akin (2-9)

Game 4 : Blue Jays 22, Orioles 7 – The Blue Jays hit 5 homeruns, including 2 Grand Slams, go on to pound the Orioles & finish 2 runs short of the franchise record in a game that was over before it started. Toronto scores 5 times in the 1st as Teoscar Hernandez is hit by a pitch w/ the bases loaded by O’s starter Zac Lowther & Lourdes Gurriel Jr. launches his 4th Grand Slam of the season, setting the franchise record & Vladimir Guerrero Jr. adds a solo shot, his 44th of the year to tie him w/ Shohei Ohtani & blow the game open. Lowther allows 7 runs on 4 hits, strikes out 4 & walks 3 in only 2 innings of work against a murderers row of hitters & nobody else would fare any better. Spenser Watkins is shelled for 7 runs in a 1/3 of an inning & Michael Baumann allows 6 runs in 3 innings of work. Danny Jansen drills a 2-run double & scores on a single by Breyvic Valera, Jake Lamb hits a solo shot & Teoscar Hernandez launches the 2nd Grand Slam of the game for Toronto & Valera adds 2-more as he drives in 3 runs on 2 at bats in the 3rd inning alone & Toronto scores 10 runs, 1 short of the 11 they scored in the 7th inning the previous night. Gurriel Jr. hits a 2-run bomb in the 5th & walks w/ the bases loaded in the 6th – he drives in 7 runs on the day & Danny Jansen also adds a 2-run single in the 6th, he has 4 hits, including 3 doubles & 4 RBI. Anthony Santander blasts a solo shot in the 6th & Austin Wynns launches a solo shot in the 7th but this game was way out of reach by then. Toronto has now won 11 of 12 & is heating up just in time for a Playoff push. Baltimore has now lost 5 of their last 8.

Tor (80-63) Bal (46-97)

WP : Matz (12-7)
LP : Lowther (0-2)

The Orioles will now host the Yankees for 3, looking to play spoiler again. New York is also in the AL Wild Card chase but needs to take care of business against the Orioles to keep pace.

⚾️⚾️⚾️
GO O’S!!
#EverydayStruggle

A Royal Pain : The O’s split a 4 game series w/ the Royals as they continue to play hard down the stretch despite a rough season, including an unbelievable 8th inning rally in Game 3.

Game 1 : Royals 3, Orioles 2 – Andrew Benintendi hits a go ahead single in the 8th & reaches above the left field wall to take away a game tying homerun in the 9th as the Royals take the opener to win for the first time @ Camden Yards since August 2019. Austin Hays singles home a run in the 3rd to put the Orioles ahead & increase his hitting streak to a career high 13 games but former Oriole Hanser Alberto drills a solo shot in the 5th to tie it for Kansas City. Cedric Mullins puts the Birds back on top w/ a solo homer in the bottom of the 5th, his 2nd in as many days, as he inches closer to the 30/30 mark but Salvador Perez singles home a run on a blooper to tie it in the 8th & scores on the go ahead single by Benintendi. Anthony Santander leads off the 9th w/ an apparent game tying homer but Benintendi robs him at the left field wall w/ a leaping grab. O’s starter Zack Lowther allows 1 run on 3 hits, strikes out 2 & walks 2 over 6 innings in just his 2nd major-league start. Baltimore is now 1-79 when trailing after 8 innings this season.

K.C. (62-75) Bal (43-93)

WP : Tapia (2-0)
LP : Sulser (4-4)
S : Barlow (11)

Game 2 : Orioles 7, Royals 3 – Cedric Mullins homers for the 3rd consecutive game, DJ Stewart & Austin Hays join him as the O’s homer 3 times & Michael Baumann picks up his first career win in his major-league debut as the O’s beat the Royals. Anthony Santander drives in a run on an RBI single & scores on a 2-run blast by DJ Stewart in a 4-run Orioles 1st & Hays adds a solo shot in the 3rd to extend his hitting streak to a career high 14 games as the O’s get to Royals starter Jackson Kowar for 6 runs on 5 hits in 6 innings, Kowar strikes out 7 & walks 3. Carlos Santana hits a solo blast in the 4th to cut the lead to 4 but Mullins drills his 3rd homer in as many games as he continues to chase the 30/30 club, drilling a solo shot in the 7th. Orioles starter, Alexander Wells goes 4 innings, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits, walks 2 & strikes out 2 & Baumann relieves him in the 5th & works 3 2/3 innings, allowing 1 run on 2 hits, strikes out 1 & walks 1 & retires the 11 of the last 14 batters he faces. Kansas City is now 9-4 in their last 13 road games after going 19-37 in their first 56.

Bal (44-93) K.C. (62-76)

WP : Baumann (1-0)
LP : Kowar (0-3)

Game 3 : Orioles 9, Royals 8 – The Orioles rally from a 5-0 deficit, as they explode for 9 runs in the 8th to beat the Royals in dramatic comeback fashion. Andrew Benintendi singles home a run in the 1st, Whit Merrifield scores on an error by C Pedro Severino in the 3rd & Nicky Lopez doubles home another run in a 2-run 5th. Salvador Perez hits a solo shot in the 7th to increase the lead but the Orioles put up a furious rally in the 8th as Austin Hays doubles in a run as he extends his hitting streak to 15 games, Anthony Santander singles home another, Ramon Urias singles to score Hays, Kelvin Gutierrez drives home 2 more on another single & 2 more runs score on a dropped pop fly by RF Hunter Dozier as the O’s take the lead for good & Ryan Mountcastle drills a 2-run bomb to cap the scoring outburst. Benintendi launches a 3-run blast to cut the lead to 1 – his 3rd hit in the 9th (he drives in 5 on the night) but Dillon Tate is relieved by Tyler Wells, who records the final out for his 2nd save. Kansas City has not won a series in Baltimore since 2014, Baltimore matches it’s largest comeback of the season, joining an 8-7 win against Miami on July 28th.

Bal (45-93) K.C. (62-77)

WP : Barreda (1-0)
LP : Staumont (3-3)
S : Wells (2)\

Game 4 : Royals 6, Orioles 0 : Carlos Hernandez delivers another brilliant outing as the Royals win to earn the split in the series & close the game out without incident this time. Hernandez allows 3 hits in just 6 shutout innings, he walks 3 & strikes out 1, he has allowed only 3 runs over his last 24 2/3 innings, over his past 4 appearances. Since July 29th he is 5-0 w/ a 1.68 ERA. O’s starter John Means allows 2 runs on 5 hits, he strikes out 5 & walks 2- Nicky Lopez drills a solo shot in the 1st & singles home another run in a 3-run 8th as the Royals pull away late. Andrew Benintendi singles home a run, his 6th RBI in the last 2 nights & Carlos Santana brings home another run on a groundball to 3rd. Hunter Dozier blasts a 2-run shot in the 9th to add 2 more for Kansas City & the bullpen closes it out this time, unlike the night before. Domingo Tapia works 2 innings of relief & Scott Barlow wraps it up in the 9th as the bullpen combines for 3 hitless innings. Kansas City wins for just the 5th time in the last 19 games in Baltimore.

K.C. (63-77) Bal (45-94)

WP : Hernandez (6-1)
LP : Means (5-7)

The O’s split the 4 game set @ home & will host Toronto for 4 more, including a double header on Saturday as the Blue Jays come in Red Hot & look to remain in the hunt in the AL Wild Card chase.

⚾️⚾️⚾️
GO O’S!!
#PlayingOutTheString

New York State Of Mind : The Orioles go into New York & take 2 out of 3 from a Yankees team that was desperately trying to keep alive in the AL Wild Card race as they continue to play their spoiler role for the rest of the season.

Game 1 :Yankees 4, Orioles 3 (11 innings) – Giancarlo Stanton homers & singles in the game winning run in the 11th inning as the Yankees beat the O’s to win for the 15th time in their last 19 games. O’s starter John Means allows only 2 runs on 3 hits in 5 innings, he strikes out 5 & walks 2, earning a no decision. Stanton hits a solo blast in the 4th & D.J. LeMahieu adds a sacfly in the 5th to extend the lead for New York but Trey Mancini hits a solo shot in the 6th & Jorge Mateo adds another in the 7th to tie the game. Nestor Cortes pitches 5 2/3 innings, allowing 1 run on 4 hits, he strikes out 7 & walks 2, keeping the Baltimore bats in check all night. Ryan Mountcastle gives the O’s the lead in the 10th on an RBI single but LeMahieu ties it again w/ a single in the bottom of the inning & Stanton walks it off w/ a single in the 11th. Both teams combine to use 12 pitchers as each team uses 6 each in relief but the Orioles bullpen gives in first in the 11th. Baltimore has lost 6 of their last 7.

NYY (78-56) Bal (41-92)

WP : Holmes (6-2)
LP : Tate (0-6)

Game 2 : Orioles 4, Yankees 3 – The O’s get back in the win column w/ some strong pitching & timely hitting as they rebound to beat the Yankees behind 5 No-Hit innings from starter Chris Ellis. Yankees starter Jordan Montgomery walks Jorge Mateo w/ the bases loaded in the 2nd to give the O’s the early lead & Ellis makes it stand up all the way to the 5th before departing, he strikes out 3 & walks 2, also throws 2 wild pitches on the day & Cedric Mullins doubles home a run & scores on an infield single by Austin Hays in a 2-run Baltimore 7th. Gleyber Torres reaches on an infield single that scores Anthony Rizzo in the bottom of the inning & Joey Gallo hits a 2-run bomb to tie the game in the 8th to snap an 0-17 skid & send Yankee stadium into a frenzy. Closer Arnold’s Chapman comes on the 9th & allows the go ahead sac fly to Pedro Severino as the O’s take the lead back for good & spoil the Yankees comeback hopes. Cole Sulser records the last 4 outs to close it & out in the 9th for the O’s. New York had won 15 out of 19 but they now cling to a 1.5 game lead over Boston in the AL Wild Card race. Baltimore records it’s 2nd win in their last 8 games.

Bal (42-92) NYY (78-57)

WP : Sulser (4-3)
LP : Chapman (5-4)

Game 3 : Orioles 8, Yankees 7 – Gary Sanchez homers twice, including a Grand Slam & drives in 6 runs but it’s still not enough as the Orioles rally to beat the Yankees & win their first series in New York since 2019. Austin Hays hits a solo shot in the 2nd to get the O’s on the board, but Sanchez smashes a Grand Slam to put New York up by 3 in the bottom of the inning. Anthony Rizzo singles home a run in the 5th for the Yankees, but Cedric Mullins hits a 2-run in the 6th to become the 3rd 25/25 man in Orioles history. Sanchez hits his 2nd blast of the day in the bottom of the 6th, but the O’s rally for 4 in the 7th to take the lead for good. Jahmai Jones delivers a 2-run double, Jorge Mateo singles home another run & Kelvin Gutierrez provides the go ahead single to score Jones & put the O’s ahead, then the bullpen tosses 3 scoreless frames to lock it down, including a 1-2-3 9th inning by Tyler Wells to record his first career save. New York drops to 9-7 against Baltimore this season. Following a 13-game winning streak, the Yankees lose for the 6th time in 8 their last games & is now 49-29 in 1 run games on the season. Baltimore has now won back to back games, but only 3 of their last 9.

Bal (43-92) NYY (78-58)

WP : Diplan (1-0)
LP : Heaney (8-9)
S : Wells (1)

Baltimore will now return home to host Kansas City for 4 games starting w/ a matinee on Labor Day as they look to keep up their good play of late & finish the final month of the season on a high note.

⚾️⚾️⚾️
GO O’S!!
#SpoilSports

For The Birds : The O’s manage to salvage a game in Toronto to avoid another sweep but still lose the series to a Blue Jays team trying to stay alive in the Wild Card chase.

Game 1 : Blue Jays 7, Orioles 3 – Vladimir Guerrero Jr. homers twice to increase his total to 38 & Robbie Ray goes 7 innings to earn the win for the first time in his last 6 starts as the Jays take Game 1 to extend their winning streak to 3 in a row. Ray allows 2 runs on 4 hits, strikes out 10 & walks only 1 to earn his first non-split decision in his last 5 outings. Ryan Mountcastle hits a solo shot in the 1st to give the O’s the early lead but Guerrero Jr. ties it on his first homer of the game, a solo blast in the 4th. The O’s led 2-1 when the Jays score 6 times in the 6th to take the lead for good. Bo Bichette singles home a run & scores on a 2-run double by Teoscar Hernandez, Guerrero drills a 3-run bomb in the 7th, his 2nd of the night to give Toronto a comfortable advantage, it’s the 7th multi-homer game of his career & the 5th of the season. Pedro Severino singles home a run in the 9th for the O’s & Mountcastle drives in 2 on the night in the loss. Baltimore slips to 3-24 now in the most of August.

Tor (69-61) Bal (40-90)

WP : Ray (10-5)
LP : Tate (0-4)
S : Romano (14)

Game 2 : Orioles 4, Blue Jays 2 – Keegan Akin allows just 1 run over 5 innings & wins consecutive starts for the first time as the O’s win for the 3rd time in their last 7 games since snapping a 19 game losing streak. Akin gives up 2 hits, strikes out 5 & walks 3 to win for the 2nd time in a row & the bats give him enough run support despite being No-Hit by Jays starter Hyun-Jin Ryu for the first 5 innings. Danny Jansen hits a solo shot in the 3rd to put Toronto ahead against Akin but the O’s crack the hit column & chase Ryu in the 6th as Austin Hays singles home Ryan Mountcastle & then scores on a 2-run double by Ramon Urias. Ryu allows 3 runs on 3 hits in 5 2/3 innings, he strikes out 6 & walks 3 – losing for the first time in 7 career games against the O’s. Guerrero Jr. tees off for the 3rd time in 2 days as he drills a solo blast in the 6th to cut the lead to 1 but the O’s bullpen holds on as Jorge Lopez, Tyler Wells & Cole Sulser combine for 4 scoreless innings of relief to seal the victory. Jahmai Jones delivers an RBI single to add a huge insurance run in the 7th. Toronto has scored 3 runs or less in 10 of it’s last 12 games despite riding a 3 game winning streak coming into this game. Baltimore finishes 4-24 in the month of August & will look to win the series in the finale.

Bal (41-90) Tor (69-62)

WP : Akin (2-8)
LP : Ryu (12-8)
S : Sulser (6)

Game 3 : Blue Jays 5, Orioles 4 – Randal Grichuk hits a sac fly to put the Blue Jays ahead late as Toronto wins the series @ home against the O’s. Marcus Semien’s solo homer in the 1st to put the Jays ahead, Cedric Mullins & Ryan Mountcastle both walk w/ the bases loaded against Toronto starter Stephen Matz, who allows 2 runs on 5 hits in 5 innings, he strikes out 5 & ties a season high w/ 4 walks. Teoscar Hernandez singles to tie the game & scores on a 2-run single by Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in a 3-run Toronto 4th. O’s starter Matt Harvey gives up 4 runs on 6 hits in innings, walks 1& fails to strike a batter for the first time in 27 starts all season & just the 2nd time in his career. Austin Wynns singles in a run in the 6th & Trey Mancini doubles home the tying run in the 7th for the O’s but Grichuk’s sac fly gives the Blue Jays the lead for good & Jordan Romano closes it out for the 2nd time in the series.
Toronto scores more than 3 runs for 3rd time in their last 13 games & has now won 5 of 6 is 4.5 games behind Boston for the 2nd AL Wild Card spot. Baltimore is 3-5 in their last 8 games.

Tor (70-62) Bal (41-91)

WP : Mayza (5-2)
LP : Tate (0-5)
S : Romano (15)

The O’s are playing just below .500 Baseball since snapping their 19 game losing streak, they will now have the day off before heading to New York to play the Yankees for 3 as the final month of the season is here.

⚾️⚾️⚾️
GO O’S!!
#BirdBattle

Same Old Story – The Rays sweep the O’s to run their record to 18-1 on the season against Baltimore & extend their lead in the AL East as well in the process.

Game 1 : Rays 6, Orioles 3 – Shane McClanahan wins his 5th start in a row, Mike Zunino hits a 3-run blast & the Rays beat the Orioles again, also setting the team record for wins in a season against a single opponent. McClanahan tosses 6 innings, allowing 2 runs on 8 hits, strikes out 4 & walks none to earn move to 4-0 on the season against the O’s. Yandy Diaz singles home a run & scores on a 2-run single by Manuel Margot in a 3 run Tampa Bay 1st against O’s starter Matt Harvey, who retires 16 in a row after that. Austin Hays drills a 2-run shot in the 4th to cut the lead to 1 but Zunino’s 3-run blast in the 7th opens the lead to 4. Chris Mazza works 3 innings of relief to record his first save but does allow a solo homer to Cedric Mullins in the 9th. The Rays tie a major-league record that it already co-owns w/ 12 pitchers earning a save in the same season. Tampa Bay has now won 6 in a row & continues to peak. Baltimore loses for the 19th time in their last 21 games.

TB (80-48) Bal (40-87)

WP : McClanahan (9-4)
LP : Harvey (6-14)
S : Mazza (1)

Game 2 : Rays 4, Orioles 3 – Randy Arozarena hits a good ahead 2-run blast in the 8th to put Tampa Bay on top late as the Rays beat the O’s again to extend their winning streak to 7 in a row & 11 in a row against Baltimore. Ryan Mountcastle hits a sac fly in the 5th to break a scoreless tie, Pedro Severino doubles home a run & Jorge Mateo singles home another in a 2-run 6th inning to add to the lead. O’s starter John Means goes 6 1/3 innings, allows just 2 runs on 5 hits, strikes out 5 & walks none as he keeps the Rays bats in check for most of the game, leaving in the 7th w/ the lead. The O’s bullpen cannot hold that lead though, as Joey Wendle doubles home a run in a 2-run 7th & Arozarena hits a 2-run blast in the 8th that gives the Rays the lead for good, giving them their 10th comeback win against the Orioles this season. Tampa Bay has also outscored Baltimore 51-12 in the 7th inning or later & 38-6 @ Camden Yards. Tampa Bay continues to sit a atop the AL East, thanks in part to a now 17-1 against the Birds & has won 7 in a row. Baltimore has now lost 20 of their last 22.

TB (81-48) Bal (40-88)

WP : Chargois (4-0)
LP : Sulser (3-3)
S : Kittredge (4)

Game 3 : Rays 12, Orioles 8 – Joey Wendle homers twice, including a Grand Slam & drives in 6 as the Rays complete the sweep & nearly complete a season sweep of the O’s as they finish up 18-1 against Baltimore on the season. Randy Arozarena singles home a run & scores on a single by Joey Wendle in a 2-run 1st for Tampa Bay. Austin Hays singles home a run & the 1st to get the Orioles on the board in the bottom of the inning but Jordan Luplow drills a solo blast in the 2nd for the Rays & Ryan Mountcastle hits a solo blast in the 3rd, he ties a career-high w/ 4 hits as the Birds would try to keep pace but Austin Meadows hits a 2-run blast & Joey Wendle adds a solo shot in the 6th as the Rays begin to pull away. Jorge Mateo hits a solo shot in the 6th for the Orioles but Wendle’s Grand Slam in the 7th puts the game away & Wander Franco adds 2 more on an RBI single in the 8th, he has reached base in 29 straight games – the longest active streak in the majors. Cedric Mullins connects on a 2-run homer in the 9th but the Birds cannot get any closer. Tampa Bay defeats Baltimore for the 12th straight time, tying a record they set in 2008 & has scored 10 or more runs against Baltimore 6 times.

TB (82-48) Bal (40-89)

WP :Chargois (5-0)
LP : Watkins (2-7)

The Orioles will now head to Toronto for 3 as they go to Canada for the 1st time this season, after playing the Blue Jays in Buffalo before the Canadian Border re-opened.

⚾️⚾️⚾️
GO O’S!!
#TheDogDays

Angel Eyes : The Orioles snap their 19 game skid & avoid being on the wrong side if history, taking 2 out of 3 from the L.A. Angels.

Game 1 : Angels 14, Orioles 8 – The Angels extend the Birds losing streak to 18 games as they score 5 times in the 2nd & 4th innings in a blow out win & run their record to 4-0 on the season against the O’s on the season. Brandon Marsh singles home a run & scores on a triple by Jo Adell, who scores on a 2-run shot by Juan Lagares to give L.A. a 4-run lead in the 2nd. Jose Iglesias doubles home a run & scores on a 2-run single by Adell in the 3rd & singles home another in the 4th. Max Stassi adds an RBI double & Marsh adds a single that score Iglesias & scores on a single by Lagares. David Fletcher singles home another to cap the scoring in the 5-run 4th inning & blow the game wide open. The O’s get 3 back in the 5th as Anthony Santander doubles home a run & scores on a 2-run single by Ramon Urias to cut into the lead, Ryan Mountcastle hits his 2nd solo homer of the game & Santander adds a 2-run blast in a 3-run 6th to cut the lead to 5, he goes 3-4 w/ 3 RBI – but the rally would stop there for the O’s. Baltimore has been outscored 163-55 during their 19 game losing streak & is winless since August 2nd, they are just 2 losses short of matching the franchise record 21 losses in a row.

LAA (63-64) Bal (38-86)

WP : Guerra (4-2)
LP : Watkins (2-6)

Game 2 : Orioles 10, Angels 6 – The losing streak is over as the Orioles snap the 19 game skid in come back fashion to take down the Angels & put an end to historic futility. Cedric Mullins & Anthony Santander each hit solo blasts in the 1st against Angels starter & All-Star Shohei Ohtani to give the O’s the early lead but Brandon Marsh’s 2-run single ties it in the 2nd. Jared Walsh hits a solo homer to put the Angels on top & Marsh connects on his 1st career HR w/ a 3-run shot to increase the lead in a 4-run 4th inning. That’s when the O’s mount their furious rally – DJ Stewart hits a 2-run shot in the 4th, Ramon Urias & Kelvin Gutierrez both walk w/ the bases loaded to give the O’s the lead, Austin Hays adds a 2-run, bases loaded double & Mullins’ sacfly caps the scoring in a 5-run 8th to complete the rally. Ohtani goes 5 innings, allows 4 runs on 5 hits, strikes out 7 & walks none – he also allows 3 longballs & strikes out 3 times at the plate. He earns a no decision as he leaves in the 6th & the Angels bullpen isn’t able to hold the lead. Baltimore gets back in the win column for the first time since August 2nd & will now look to win the series tommorow.

Bal (39-86) LAA (63-65)

WP : Scott (5-4)
LP : Petricka (0-1)

Game 3 : Orioles 13, Angels 1 – After ending their 19 game losing streak the night before, the Orioles make it 2 in a row, taking out some frustration on the Angels pitchers & starting a winning streak this time. After Shohei Ohtani hits a solo shot in the 1st to Los Angeles ahead, Kelvin Gutierrez singles home a run in the 3rd to tie it & the floodgates would open from there – the Birds then score 5 times in the 5th, as Trey Mancini singles home a run, DJ Stewart doubles in another & Pedro Severino caps the explosion w/ a Grand Slam to blow the game wide open, the 2nd if his career & the 3rd on the season for the Orioles. O’s starter Keegan Akin allows only 1 run on 3 hits in 7 innings, he strikes out 6 & walks 2 to pick up his 1st win of the season & just the 2nd of his career. Ramon Urias singles home a run in the 7th & the O’s bust loose for their 2nd 5-run inning of the day as they score times more times in the 8th. Mountcastle delivers a 2-run single, Urias doubles home another & scores on a 2-run single by Severino, who drives in a career-high 6 runs on the day. Los Angeles has lost 5 of their last 6, while Baltimore has won for the 2nd game in a row after their 19 game losing streak, their first wins in a row since July 30-31 & wins their first series since a 3-game sweep of Washington from July 23-25.

Bal (40-86) LAA (63-66)

WP : Akin (1-8)
LP : Peguero (0-1)

Now that the losing streak is over, the O’s can back to just playing Baseball again but it won’t get any easier as they will now host Tampa Bay for 3, whom they have only beaten once this season & then head to Toronto for 3.

⚾️⚾️⚾️
#Cleansing