Diplomatic Immunity

Ravens 16, Bears 13 : Week 11 – Recap & Grades : Offense – This group performs well despite missing some key starters, including Hollywood Brown & Lamar Jackson. The loss of Jackson was huge but Tyler Huntley was able to fill in admirably despite finding out he was starting on the way to the bus, as he leads a late 72-yard TD drive to seal the win. Huntley showed lots of command while in control, as he passes for 219 yards & an INT, also rushes for 40 yards on 16 carries, an average of 3.1 yards per carry. Devonta Freeman rushes for 49 yards on 16 carries, an average of 3.1 yards per carry, including the game winning TD. Mark Andrews hauls in 8 receptions for 73 yards, an average of 9.1 yards per reception. They total 299 yards of Offense on the day while using backups in key positions.This Offensive line does well in run blocking but is horrible in pass protection as they allow 6 sacks & force constant pressure all day on Huntley. The play has got to be better from a pass protection standpoint, that has really been one of the main issues all season & just continues to be a problem week in & week out. Missing the players that they were & still finding a way to score the go ahead TD in the final 2 minutes was impressive any way you slice it but the pass protection needs to improve for this unit to strive, the pass rush has just been overwhelming to them at times.
Grade : B-
Defense – This might of been the best effort by this unit all season, they hold Chicago to 353 total yards, including just 92 on the ground, also limiting Justin Fields to 79 yards passing & 23 yards rushing before he left w/ a rib injury. They force a huge fumble on a sack by Tyus Bowser which led to a huge FG before the half. Bowser has 2 sacks on the day. 1 of which seals the game on the final play as well as records 5 tackles. They do allow 2 TD passes to Andy Dalton, including a 60 yarder to Darnell Mooney on a screen in the 3rd quarter which gave the Bears their first lead & a 49 yarder to Marquise Goodwin that puts them ahead again late in the 4th, as Chris Westry was beat on a double move but those were the only 2 big plays allowed on the day, as for the most part this group got the job done. They hold Chicago to 2 for 11 on 3rd down, but also give up the big TD to Goodwin on 4th & 11. They register 3 sacks & perform well against the run w/ the secondary being the only weak link but only due to 2 big plays. No miscommunication on this day as despite only having 3 healthy CB’s this group still held up well & got some key stops when they needed too. The LB’s have their best performance of the season as well, as they were all over everything thrown their way & defended both the run & pass as well as they have all season, registering 4 tackles for loss as well.
Grade : B
Special Teams – Another solid performance by this unit as they prove to once again be the backbone of this team. Justin Tucker connects on all 3 of his FG attempts in a windy environment & sketchy field conditions as he connects from 35, 27 & 46 yards on his 32nd Birthday. Sam Koch punts it away 6 times for 260 yards, an average of 43.3 yards per punt & 1 touchback. Devin Duvernay totals 69 return yards, returning 2 kicks for 19 yards & 2 punts for 50 on the day. The kick coverage is solid again, as they allow only 21 total return yards on the day- 4 by Jakeem Grant Sr. & 17 by Khalil Herbert. Jaylon Ferguson partially blocks a punt by Pat O’ Donnell in the 4th that gives the offense good field position late to kick what at the time was the go ahead FG. This group continues to do it’s part as they have been a huge part of this teams success so far. Keeping them in games w/ solid coverage, clutch kicks & smart plays. No real room for any complaints here, it’s rare that this group has any issues, in fact they have made game changing plays like the block by Calais Campbell in Week 5 & Ferguson in this game.
Grade : A
Coaching – A great rebound game for this coaching staff as a whole, after the embarrassment of their last game & having to deal w/ some key injuries or illnesses to some major players, they were able to scheme up a game plan that got the job done despite the circumstances. They definitely had this short handed team ready to go in the elements & made some adjustments from last week that proved to be key in the end. The decision to run a cover zero on 4th & 11 that allowed the would be winning TD was crucial because it allowed the Offense more time instead of dying a slow death. This team was mentally & physically prepared this time around as they played w/ a different intensity & looked more rested coming off the 10 days of rest. There was focus & preparation this time around & the sense of urgency was there as well. The entire coaching staff was on the same page & was ready for whatever was thrown at them, they were able to lead this team to victory w/ some crucial decisions & that comes down to communication by all the coaches, they never wavered when things got dark & that was passed over to the entire team. This was a coaches game in every sense of the word, they were tested but when the time came to coach, they did just that.
Grade : A
Overall Grade : A-
🏈🏈🏈
GO RAVENS!!
#GutsAndGlory

Dolphins 22, Ravens 10 : Week 10 – Recap & Grades : Offense – Just a terrible performance by this group, as there were no adjustments made all night long by the coaching staff in terms of the play calling, when they knew what to expect coming into this game. Lamar Jackson rushes for 39 on 9 carries, an average of 4.3 yards per carry & passes for 238 through the air, including a TD & an INT, he is also sacked 4 times. He is flustered all night by a Cover Zero Defense that for some reason baffled the entire Offense & coaching staff. Devonta Freeman rushes for 35 on 10 carries, an average of 3.5 yards per carry but the Offense is stagnant all night long, as they are never able to make any adjustments to the Cover Zero coverage that Miami ran 40 times! Yes, 40 times!! Rashod Bateman grabs 6 passes for 80 yards, an average of 13.3 yards per grab. The Offensive line was paper thin, as the Miami Defense just kept Blitzing & Blitzing all night long, while the coaching staff once again had no answers.
Grade : D
Defense – This group played well enough to keep them in the game despite a couple huge breakdowns in coverage that led to scores. This continues to be a an issue & has been all season, the continuous lack of communication & breakdowns have led to big plays nearly every single week & it never gets better. They generated a little more pass rush wise registering 4 on the night, including another by Odafeh Oweh has one of sacks & they allow 350 total yards, including 290 yards combined by 2 different QB’s & fail to force a turnover again. They did well to stop the run, allowing only 60 yards on the ground but Miami ran it sparingly as the air attack was working better. The major problem was the 2 breakdowns in coverage which ended up being the difference in the game. More work to do for this group, they simply aren’t forcing turnovers or getting many sacks & that is not the recipe for success.
Grade : B-
Special Teams – This group was good but could of been better. Justin Tucker misses a huge 48 yard FG that would come back to haunt him, Sam Koch punts it away 8 times for 321 yards, an average of 40.1 yards per punt, including 4 inside the 20. Devin Duvernay returns 1 kick for 21 yards & 1 punt for 9 yards, as the return game was never really a factor on the night. Solid coverage as well as Miami totals just 10 punt return yards on 2 returns – 6 by Jalen Waddle & 4 by Jovan Holland. No trick plays allowed like last week but the missed FG loomed large all night as a 2 score loss could of been cut to 1 & who knows what the outcome would have been. Overall, just an ordinary day for this unit, as it usually is. The lack of a big play but this group has been the theme all season w/ the exception of the kicking game.
Grade : B-
Coaching – This is where all the criticism lies this week. The lack of preparation & planning as well as the game plan left so much to be desired, I don’t even know where to start. This team was clearly overlooking the Dolphins & made the crucial mistake of thinking about 2 years ago & the blow out win instead of concentrating on the task at hand & treating this just like any other game. Then on top of that there were no adjustments made to the strategy being employed by Miami despite them using the same Defense over & over & the offense not being able to stop it. In weeks past this staff has been great at making in-game adjustments but this time they seemed lost & confused w/ no answer as to how to counter punch despite having the personnel to do so. The entire staff needs to take a look in the mirror & do some soul searching as does this entire team. When you are as banged up as this team is, you cannot afford to lose games that you just give away because you couldn’t adjust mid game. This was a winnable game that became a nightmare because the coaching staff didn’t give this team the best chance to win.
Grade : D
Overall Grade : D+
🏈🏈🏈
GO RAVENS!!
#SomethingFishy

Ravens 34, Vikings 31 (OT) : Week 9 – Recap & Grades : Offense – Another spectacular day for this group after another slow start as Lamar Jackson leads the charge as he rushes for 120 yards (his 10th career 100 yard rushing game, tying Micahel VIck) on 21 carries, an average of 5.7 yards per carry & passes for 266, as well as 3 TD’s & 2 INT’s – 1 of which was a tipped pass by OLB Anthony Barr which he also intercepted in Overtime. The offensive line had a solid day, despite allowing 3 sacks & pressure most of the but was very strong in the run game as Devonta Freeman rushes for 79 yards on 13 carries, an average of 6.1 yards per carry & Le’Veon Bell rushes for 48 yards on 11 carries, an average of 4.4 yards per carry & also rushes for a TD. The passing game is once again solid, as Marquise Brown has another fantastic game – hauling in 9 receptions for 116 yards, an average of 12.9 yards per reception. The running game wore down the Minnesota front like down the stretch & delivered when called upon to close the game out. Still work to be done in the trenches as this group looks to get healthy but overall a pretty good performance by this group. The slow starts have got to get fixed moving forward, this team already has 3 comebacks from double digits, can’t keep making that a habit.
Grade : A-
Defense – Oh man, so many things to fix w/ this group but the most glaring is that they continue to give up big plays in both the run & pass games. Dalvin Cook rushes for 110 yards on 17 carris, an average of 6.5 yards per carry, including a 66 yard burst early in the game as well as Justin Jefferson hauling in a 50 yard TD bomb from Kirk Cousins previously. They allow just 318 total yards but the 2 big plays were crucial in Minnesota taking the lead, despite holding Cook to just 44 yards rushing the rest of the way & Cousins to just 187 passing on the day, this group still continues to miss tackles & have communication issues on the back end. They sack don’t register any sacks & do not force any turnovers either, basically just getting key stops when they needed too. Coverage, tackling & getting pressure on the QB are the major issues that stand out w/ this unit. They will have to improve moving forward because the Offense cannot keep bailing this team out the way it has, it simply isn’t sustainable.
Grade : C
Special Teams – This group had an unusually rough day as they were outplayed for probably the first time all season. They allow a 98 yard kickoff return by Kene Nwangwu to start the 2nd half – he returned 2 kicks for 121 yards in the game, an average of 60.5 yards per return & runs 9 yards for a 1st down on a fake punt. Being a former special teams coach, John Harbaugh cannot like the way things unfolded w/ this usually solid unit. It’s rare that they have agame like this, so there should be no reason to panic moving forward but it is definitely something that stood out as it kept Minnesota in the lead. Justin Tucker connects on both of his FG attempts, including the game winner from 36 yards out. Sam Koch punts it away 3 times for 125 yards, an average of 41.7 yards per punt & Devin Duvernay totals 38 return yards.
Grade : B
Coaching – Another resilient win by this gutsy team & that is directly a testament to the entire coaching staff. They have been great at making adjustments in game but the slow starts are a little bit of a head scratcher. The preparation seemed good, things just didn’t go the way they were supposed to early but once again, the coaches were able to communicate what changes needed to be made & get the job done. There needs to be a little bit more urgency to start faster but that’s more or less on the players then the coaches. The evaluation of talent has also been there as the players who have been asked to step up continue to do so. The focus of this coaching staff moving forward will be to keep this team grounded no matter how much it continues to win. The injuries can show up at any time so it’s been a good job by this entire staff to keep this team focused & that showed up on Sunday.
Grade : A
Overall Grade : B-
🏈🏈🏈
GO RAVENS!!
#BreatheAgain

Bengals 41, Ravens 14 : Week 7 – Recap & Grades : Offense – Not one of the best performances by this group, as they were overmatched by a Cincinnati Defense that caused havoc all day long against an already undermanned O-line that also lost RT Patrick Mekari in the 2nd quarter w/ an ankle injury. Lamar Jackson runs for 88 yards on 12 carries, an average of 7.3 yards per carry & passes for 257, an average of 8.3 yards per pass but also sacked 5 times & constantly under pressure. The RB’s can get nothing going all day as they carry 11 times for just 29 yards on the day & the running game was almost non-existent, other than Jackson making plays w/ his legs. Jackson hits Marquise Brown on a 39 yard TD pass in the 3rd to give the Ravens their only lead of the game, which would be very short lived. Brown catches 5 passes for 80 yards on the day, including his TD, an average of 16.0 yards per reception. Too much passing & not enough emphasis on running the ball early to set up the passing game.
Grade : B-
Defense – This group had one of their worst performances of the season so far as they allow 520 yards of total offense on the day, Joe Burrow becomes the 2nd QB in 3 weeks to torch this secondary for over 400 yards, as he passes for 416 yards & 3 TD’s. He does throw a pick to CB Marlon Humphrey in the endzone, which ironically is the man that was torched all day by WR Ja’Marr Chase, who grabs 8 passes for 201 yards, an average of 25.1 yards per reception & a TD, including an 82 yarder from Burrow that would put them ahead for good in the 3rd. They get almost no pressure all day long, as they register only 1 sack & also allow over 100 yards on the ground as RB Joe Mixon runs for 59 yards on 12 carries, an average of 4.9 yards per carry & a 21 yard TD run in the 3rd. RB Samaje Perine also rushes for 52 yards on 11 carries, an average of 4.7 yards per carry, including a TD run of 46 yards in the 4th as well. Lots of work to do w/ this group as the tackling was once again terrible & continues to be an issue. The coverage on the back end has got to tighten up as well.
Grade : C
Special Teams – A pretty good day for this group, which is usually the case. Justin Tucker connects on his only FG from 45 yards, Sam Koch punts it away 6 times for 264 yards, an average of 44.0 yards per punt, including a touch back. Devin Duvernay collects 92 return yards, as he returns 2 kicks for 37 yards, an average of 18.5 yards per return & 2 totals 45 yards on 2 punt returns, an average of 22.5 yards per return. Darius Phillips returns 3 punts for 20 yards, an average of 6.7 yards per return as the coverage is solid all day long & there were no kick returns due to Justin Tucker booting into the endzone every kickoff. This group is solid as always but gets overlooked due to that same fact, when you don’t hear anything from a player or personal group most of the time that is a good thing as it means they are doing what they’re supposed to do. There were also some limited opportunities due to the offense going for it on 4th down in their own territory numerous times.
Grade : A-
Coaching – The coaching staff has work to do as much as the players do & should be held accountable because this loss is on them as well. They overlooked the Bengals & got a shock as the game plan did not go the way it was supposed to. There were times that they could of made adjustments in certain areas, yet the strategy stayed the same despite it clearly not working as the game wore on. The injuries have made things harder on the coaches & that’s understandable but to make no adjustments when everyone in the stadium knew what the weakness in the defense was is unacceptable. This goes down as a lack of communication or a lack of respect for an opponent that came up & caught the entire league by surprise, asserting their will & outplaying this team in every aspect. The coaching staff needs to get better & pay more attention to the things this team doesn’t do well right now. The Bye Week comes at the perfect time & it should be just what the team & the coaches need right now.
Grade : C
Overall Grade : C
🏈🏈🏈
GO RAVENS!!
#WakeUpCall

Ravens 34, Chargers 6 : Week 6 – Recap & Grades : Offense – This group got it going on the ground early, running for 187 yards as a team, led by 53 from Devonta Freeman on 9 carries, an average of 5.9 yards per carry & a TD. Lamar Jackson also rushes for 51 yards on 8 carries, an average of 6.4 yards per carry & passes for only 167 & a TD but hr didn’t need to do much through the air. He does throw 2 picks but 1 isn’t his fault as it bounces off the hands off Rookie WR Rashod Bateman, who grabs 4 passes for 29 yards, an average of 7.3 yards per catch w/ all 4 going for 1st downs as well. Mark Andrews leads all receivers w/ 68 yards on 5 receptions, an average of 13.6 yards per reception. The offensive line still needs improvement in pass protection as Jackson is sacked 3 times but that unit is making progress after being a patchwork line to start the year, they are finally starting to get some continuity playing together.
Grade : B
Defense – The stars of the day, this entire group was making plays all day, as they hold a potent Chargers offense to just 208 yards of total offense, including just 26 on the ground. Just a dominating performance by this unit that had not been playing well coming in to this week & was the unusual primary concern in this game. Austin Ekeler is held to just 7 yards on 6 carries, an average of just 1.2 yards per carry & the Chargers leading rusher was QB Justin Herbert w/ 12 yards on 2 carries, an average of 6 yards per carry. Herbert also passes for just 195 yards, a TD & an INT & is sacked twice by this tenacious group that played fired up all day. This was one of the best performances by this group in years & it reminded you of the vintage Defense from days of Ravens past.
Grade : A+
Special Teams : Justin Tucker connects on both of his FG’s from 52 & 39 yards out, Sam Koch punts it away 2 times for 86 yards, an avid 43.0 yards per punt & Devin Duvernay totals 114 return yards, 70 via kick return, an average of 35.0 per return & 44 on 3 punt returns, an average of 14.7 yards per return, as he continues to have solid games week in & week out. This group does allow 82 return yards on 5 kick returns, K.J. Hill Jr. returns 3 for 50, an averageof 16.7 yards per return & Jalen Guyton gets 32 yards on 2 returns, an averageof 16.0 yards per return. Overall another solid performance by this group though, as they remain a solid group that is always reliable & can be depended on.
Grade : A-
Coaching : Coach Harbaugh had this team more than ready to roll from the beginning as they came flying out of the gate like a bat out of hell & never took their foot off the gas. The entire coaching staff continues to do a magnificent job, just as they have done all season but this might be the most impressive win so far. A team that came in hot as well & has multiple weapons but failed to do any damage because the coaching staff had a great game plan from the beginning. They knew what needed to be done & were able to exploit some key weaknesses that they saw which indicates great attention to detail & game planning. This game was just another example of how good this entire staff can be & what they are capable of when they are all on the same page.
Grade : A
Overall Grade : A
🏈🏈🏈
GO RAVENS!!
#PowerOutage

Ravens 31, Colts 25 (OT) : Week 5 – Recap & Grades : Offense – This group tallies 523 total yards, including 499 by QB Lamar Jackson himself, as he runs for 62 on 15 carries, an average of 4.4 yards per carry & passes for 442 & 4 TD’s. He is sacked twice but the offensive line holds up for the most part all night despite losing another lineman in the 2nd quarter. The 3 Raven RB’s only combine to rush for 24 yards on 11 carries but Jackson makes up for the lack of production by gaining yards himself. Mark Andrews has a huge night, as he grabs 11 passes for 147 yards, an average of 13.4 yards per reception & 2 TD’s. Marquise Brown grabs 9 for 125 & 2 TD’s of his own, an average of 13.9 yards per reception.
Grade : A
Defense – Normally a solid unit, this group is having trouble so far this season & it’s mostly due to lack of personal because of injuries, especially the LB’s & CB’s as the lack of tackling continues to be an issue as well as the coverage ability. The only pass rush that was generated was once again due to blitzing as they register only 2 sacks despite getting constant pressure all night. The secondary had it’s issues as Anthony Averett was picked on pretty much all night & Carson Wentz passes for 402 yards & 2 TD’s. They allow 513 yards of total offense, including 123 on the ground but they do get a huge takeaway on a strip sack of Wentz by Odafe Oweh, their only one of the night. This group simply needs to get better all the way around, they simply struggled to get the Colts off the field all night.
Grade : C
Special Teams – Justin Tucker connects on his only FG of the night from 23 yards & Sam Koch punts it away 4 times for 198 yards, an average of 49.5 yards per punt. Devin Duvernay collects 111 yards on 5 kick returns, an average of 22.2 per return & the coverage is pretty solid but could of been better, as they allow 76 total return yards, 46 kick return yards to Ashton Dulin on 2 kick returns & 30 by Nyhiem Hines on 3 punt returns. Marlon Humphrey jumps offsides on a missed FG just before the half that allows a re-kick that was made, a huge mistake that could of made a huge difference but Calais Campbell also comes up w/ a huge block on a FG attempt in the 4th quarter to keep the game within reach. Just a few things to clean up on a unit that is normally solid every week.
Grade : A-
Coaching – The team came out flat to start the game but felt the sense of urgency as the game wore on. There were also some crucial time outs that were taken late in the game that displayed great clock management & allowed enough time to complete the comeback. You can tell the adjustments were made that needed to be made as the game continued on both sides of the ball. All the coaches seemed to be on the same page which means a lot communication was going on in crunch time. The blocked FG was a huge play call that had different personal on the field & Indianapolis never picked up on it. The combination of attention to detail, 2nd half preparation & clock management proved to be the deciding factor late in the game & that is a testament to the entire coaching staff.
Grade : A
Overall Grade : B+
🏈🏈🏈
GO RAVENS!!
#CardiacCity

Ravens 23, Broncos 7 : Week 4 – Recap & Grades : Offense – This group was able to continue it’s dominance of 100 yard rushing games, as they rush for 103 as a team & tie the Steelers record of 43 games in a row. Lamar Jackson was forced to air it out because Denver stacked the box to stop the run. He passes for 316 yards & a TD, while rushing for 28 yards on 7 carries, an average of 4.0 yards per carry & Latavius Murray gains 59 yards on 18 carries, an average of 3.3 yards per carry, plus a TD. The pass protection & run blocking wss actually pretty solid despite shuffling the lineup.
Grade : B+
Defense – This group allowed a 1st quarter TD but clamps down & pitches a shutout the rest of the way, allowing only 254 total yards. They register 5 sacks & get constant pressure on the QB, including 2 sacks on Teddy Bridgewater, knocking him out of the game w/ a concussion. Backup Drew Locke doesn’t fare much better, passing for 113 yards & a pick, while being sacked 3 times. The secondary plays lights out despite being banged up & missing some Birds & the run defense left a little to be desired, as they allow 106 yards on the ground on 17 rushes, for an average of 6.2 yards per carry.
Grade : B+
Special Teams – Once again, the strongest of the 3 units, this group got a chance to shine once again as Justin Tucker boots 3 FG’s of (40, 46 & 20) into the Denver altitude & the kicking game as a whole is solid all day. Sam Koch punts it away 7 times from 335 yards, an average of 47.9 yards per punt. Devin Duvernay returns 3 punts for 64 yards, an average of 21.3 yards per return. The kick coverage is solid as well – they allow just 22 yards on 3 returns. All snaps, holds & kicks were good.
Grade : A
Coaching – This was another great effort by coach Harbaugh & the staff to keep the same energy going & the momentum from last week flowing. This team came out on a mission from the beginning & it clearly showed, they played their game from the beginning & never got away from who they were. The coaching & preparation is more important now then it has been in awhile due to the injuries. You saw a team that was ready for anything on Sunday & could of played w/ any team in the league because the coaching & preparation was A-1 throughout the week. There was also some beef between coaches about the way the game ended, but once again coach Harbaugh had his team’s back.
Grade : A-
Overall Grade : A-
🏈🏈🏈
GO RAVENS!!
#MileHighMayhem

Finally Finished : The Orioles finally put an end to a merciful marathon of a season as they are swept away by the Blue Jays in Toronto but ironically the Jays are also eliminated from Playoff contention as they fall 1 game short of the final AL Wild Card spot after wins by the Red Sox & Yankees.

Game 1 : Blue Jays 6, Orioles 2 – Steven Matz pitches 7 strong innings to win his 5th straight decision & the Blue Jays continue to hang around in the AL Wild Card race w/ a win over the Orioles. Danny Jansen hits a 2-run blast in the 3rd & Corey Dickerson adds a solo shot before Jansen doubles home another & scores on a single by Cavan Biggio, who scores on a single by George Springer (the 5th straight 2-out hit) in a 4-run Toronto 6th & his 500th career RBI. Toronto leads the majors w/ 253 home runs, 4 short of their team record, set in 2010. Matz allows 2 runs on 6 hits, strikes out 5 & walks 1 in 7 innings, his longest outing of the season. Kelvin Gutierrez leads off the 8th w/ solo homer & the O’s would score 3 more times in the inning as Pat Valaika hits a 2-run blast & Trey Mancini adds a 2-run single as the O’s cut into the lead. Toronto hangs on to remain alive in the AL Wild Card race. Baltimore has lost 18 of their last 22 away from home.

Tor (89-71) Bal (52-108)

WP : Matz (14-7)
LP : Eshelman (0-3)
S : Romano (23)

Game 2 : Blue Jays 10, Orioles 1 – The Blue Jays pound the O’s in the 2nd to last game of the regular season to push their pursuit of an AL Wild Card spot. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hits a 2-run bomb & Teoscar Hernandez launches a solo blast in a 3-run 1st inning against O’s starter, John Means, who struggles all day long. He gives up 7 runs, 6 earned in just 3 innings of work, he strikes out just 2 & walks none. George Springer drills a 3-run blast in the 2nd – he has 4 hits & scores twice & Santiago Espinal doubles home another run to knock Means out of the game in the 3rd – he has 3 hits, Bo Bichette hits a solo shot & Danny Jansen adds a 2-run shot in a 3-run 5th to break the game wide open. Jays starter, Alek Manoah goes 7 innings, allowing just 1 run on 1 hit, he strikes out 10 & walks 1, he retires the final 12 batters he faces.
Toronto is 2-0 in October after going 20-9 in September. Baltimore has allowed a league best 254 long balls this season & has lost 19 of their last 23 on the road, they also finish the season losers on 10 of Means last 11 starts.

Tor (90-71) Bal (52-109)

WP : Manoah (9-2)
LP : Means (6-9)

Game 3 : Blue Jays 12, Orioles 4 : The Blue Jays homer 3 more times & Hyun-Jin Ryu tosses 5 innings to win for the 1st time since September 6th as the Jays win but watch their Playoff hopes get dashed after wins by the Yankees & Red Sox. George Springer homers twice including a solo shot to lead off the 1st, followed by RBI singles from Teoscar Hernandez & Santiago Espinal in a 3-run 1st inning for the Jays. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. launches a 2-run bomb in the 2nd to increase the lead.
Orioles Rookie Tyler Nevin hits a solo shot in the 3rd for his 1st career HR to get the O’s on the board in the 3rd but Springer hits a Grand Slam in the bottom of the 3rd to blow the game wide open. Hernandez adds an RBI single in the 4th & Marcus Semien launches a solo shot in the 5th, the 3rd Toronto homer of the day to cap the scoring. Pedro Severino adds a sacfly in the 7th & Austin Hays drives home 2 on another w/ an RBI single in the 8th. Toronto finishes 25-11 @ home but also watches on the jumbotron as their season was ended. Baltimore loses 20 of their last 24 on the road to end the season.

Tor (91-71) Bal (52-110)

WP : Ryu (14-10)
LP : Zimmerman (4-5)

The Orioles finish a rough season w/ 110 losses but they also did a lot of growing in the process. Some very good things happened & there are definitely some bright spots moving forward. The influx of youth has just begun & this team will start to improve year by year. It was another fun season, regardless of the outcome or record. See you next year!……
⚾️⚾️⚾️
GO O’S!!
#ThanxForTheMemories

Spoil Sports : The Orioles take 2 out of 3 from the Red Sox & deal Boston a crucial blow to their Playoff hopes, while playing some inspired Baseball to end the season on a high note.

Game 1 : Orioles 4, Red Sox 2 – Ryan Mountcastle homers & the Orioles rally to beat Chris Sale & humble a Red Sox team who needs every game they can get down the stretch. Kyle Schwarber hits a solo shot in the 2nd & Hunter Renfroe adds another in the 6th to back a great performance by Sale, who goes 5 1/3, allows 3 runs on 4 hits, strikes out 6 & walks 1 but loses for the first time this season & in his last 14 starts (Sale was 10-0 previous 13 starts against the O’s). Bruce Zimmerman tosses 4 innings of 1 run ball, he allows just 2 hits, strikes out 2 & walks 2 in his first appearance since June 13th. Mountcastle drills a 2-run shot to tie the game & Pedro Severino gives the Birds the lead on short single as they chase Sale from the game & take the lead. Ryan McKenna tacks on 1 more 8th w/ an RBI single & Cole Sulser closes it out in the 9th. Boston had won 12 of the last 13 games against the Baltimore, who still is on competition w/ Arizona for the #1 draft pick.

Bal (51-106) Bos (88-69)

WP : Diplan (2-0)
LP : Sale (5-1)
S : Sulser (8)

Game 2 : Red Sox 6, Orioles 0 – J.D. Martinez homers & drives in 3 to back a solid performance by Nathan Eovaldi as the Red Sox rebound from the night before & beat the Orioles. Martinez blasts a solo shot in 1st & drills a 2-run double in the 6th to add to the lead – he has 3 hits on the day, while Eovaldi pitches 6 shutout innings, allows just 4 hits, strikes out 7 & walks only 1. O’s starter – Rookie, Zac Lowther allows 2 runs but only 1 earned, on 8 hits, strikes out 4 & walks none. Alex Verdugo provides a 2-run single in the 8th & Hunter Renfroe hits a solo shot in the 9th to tack on even more. The Red Sox failed to score more than 3 runs in any game while getting swept by the Yankees & made it 4 games in a row before finally snapping that skid in this game. Boston snaps a 4 game losing streak & moves within 1 game of New York for the top spot in the AL Wild Card. Baltimore can still win the series & will look to do so in the finale.

Bos (89-69) Bal (51-107)

WP : Eovaldi (11-9)
LP : Lowther (1-3)

Game 3 : Orioles 6, Red Sox 2 – Ryan Mountcastle homers again & the Orioles use a 3-run 6th inning to put the Red Sox away & take 2 out of 3 to win the series against a Boston team that desperately needed to win this series to keep their Playoff hopes alive. O’s starter, Alexander Wells goes 6 strong innings, allowing just 1 run on 3 hits, walking 2 & striking out 2 – he entered the game w/ an ERA over 7. Kike Hernandez hits a solo shot in the 1st to give Boston the lead early but Mountcastle launches a 3-run shot in the 1st to put the Orioles on top for good. Boston starter, Nick Pivetta is roughed up for 3 runs on 4 hits in 4 2/3 innings, he strikes out 8 & walks 2 as he can never find his rhythm all day & takes the loss. Tyler Nevin adds a 2-run single & Trey Mancini hits a sac fly to add to the lead in a 3-run 6th. J.D. Martinez scores on a wild pitch by reliever Joey Krehbiel in the 7th but the Sox can get no closer. Boston has lost 5 of their last 6 to New York & Baltimore, scoring only 19 runs in the process. Baltimore finishes 27-54 @ home, the worst record in the majors.

Bal (52-107) Bos (89-70)

WP : Wells (2-3)
LP : Pivetta (9-8)

The O’s win the last home series & were able to play spoiler against one of their rivals in the process. They now head to Toronto to close out the season, looking to wreck the Blue Jays season as well.

⚾️⚾️⚾️
GO O’S!!
#SpoilingThePlans

Texas Toast : The Orioles split a 4 game series w/ the lowly Rangers, who just like the Orioles are playing out the string to end a rough season.

Game 1 : Orioles 3, Rangers 0 – Zack Lowther tosses 5 shutout innings to earn his 1st major league win, Ryan Mountcastle & Austin Hays both go deep & the Orioles take the first game of the 4-game series against the Rangers. After going winless w/ a 9.61 ERA in his first 6 appearances, Lowther allows just 3 hits strikes out 7 & walks 2 in his best outing as a major leaguer, while the bullpen only allows 2 hits by 3 relievers over the next 4 innings Mountcastle hits a solo blast in the 5th & Hays goes deep in the 8th on another solo blast, his 8th longball in September to add some more insurance. Glenn Otto allows 2 runs on 5 hits, he strikes out 7 & walks 1 in 5 innings of work. Texas has lost 5 in a row & now has 98 losses & is hasn’t lost 100 games in a season since 1973. Baltimore still has the worst record in the AL But they start off their final homestand of the season w/ a win.

Bal (49-104) Tex (55-98)

WP : Lowther (1-2)
LP : Otto (0-3)
S : Wells (4)

Game 2 : Rangers 8, Orioles 5 – Adolis Garcia hits a go ahead 2-run double in a 5-run Texas 9th inning as the Rangers snap a 5 game losing streak & rally for the win late against the O’s. Nathaniel Lowe hits a 2-run shot in the 1st to give the Rangers the early lead against O’s starter Alexander Wells. The Australian lefty goes 5 innings, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits, strikes out 1 & walks 1 but it’s the bullpen that falls apart late. Cedric Mullins hits a 3-run blast to become the 1st player in Orioles history to hit 30 HR’s & steal 30 bases in a season & gives the O’s the lead in a 4-run 2nd. Trailing 5-3 in the 9th, Willie Calhoun hits a sac fly, Garcia doubles home 2 more & steals home to score after an RBI fielders choice by Nick Solak to cap the 5-run outburst w/ 4 of the runs being charged to reliever Conner Greene, who took over after closer Tyler Wells, who left w/ an undisclosed injury. Texas wins for the first time in their last 6 games, while Baltimore is 2-4 in their last 6 & are battling it out w/ Arizona for the worst record in the majors.

Tex (56-98) Bal (49-105)

WP : Sborz (4-3)
LP : Greene (1-3)
S : Barlow (8)

Game 3 : Orioles 3, Rangers 2 – Kelvin Gutierrez goes deep in a 3-run 7th as the O’s get their 2nd win in 3 days against the
Rangers after a pitchers duel early turns into some late fireworks. Jordan Lyles goes 6 shutout innings before the O’s get to him for 3 runs in the 7th, he goes 6 2/3, allowing 7 hits, strikes out 4 & walks 1 but Pat Valaika doubles home the first Orioles run & scores the 2-run blast by Gutierrez that chases Lyles from the game. It’s the 1st homerun by Gutierrez as an Oriole, he was acquired from Kansas City on July 3rd. O’s starter, Chris Ellis allows just 2 hits over 3 shutout innings, striking out 2 & walking 1 but leaves after experiencing shoulder tightness. Jose Trevino hits a leadoff blast in the 8th & Nathaniel Lowe hits another solo shot in the 9th to cut the lead to 1 but reliever Dillon Tate still closes it out for the save. Texas has lost 9 of their last 11 & is headed towards it’s first 100 loss since 1973. Baltimore has won 3 of their last 6 & remains in a battle w/ Arizona for the worst record & #1 draft pick.

Bal (50-105) Tex (56-99)

WP : Kriske (2-1)
LP : Lyles (9-13)
S : Tate (3)

Game 4 : Rangers 7, Orioles 4 – Andy Ibanez hits a 2-run blast to help the Rangers avoid their first 100 loss season since 1973 for at least a day by beating the Orioles in a Sunday matinee in the 2nd to last home series of the year. Ibanez hits a 2-run shot in the 1st to give Texas the early lead but Anthony Santander ties it on a 2-run blast in the 4th for the Baltimore. O’s starter, John Means allows 3 runs on 7 hits in just 5 innings of work, he strikes out 8 & walks none but takes the loss. Adolis Garcia doubles home the go ahead run & has 2 hits on the day, sets a club record w/ his 256th total base & Isiah Kiner-Falefa singles home another run in the 7th to add to the lead & Willie Calhoun triples home 2 more in the 8th & scores on a double by Charlie Culberson. Pedro Severino hits a 2-run shot in the 9th for the Orioles but they cannot get any closer & drop the finale of the series to get the split. Texas has now won 2 out of 3 since losing 5 in a row & finishes 24-57 on the road, their lowest winning percentage since 1973 as well. Baltimore is now 3-4 in its last 7 & is 176-364 in over the last 4 seasons.

Tex (57-99) Bal (50-106)

WP : Cotton (2-0)
LP : Means (6-8)
S : Barlow (9)

The Orioles will now host the Red Sox for 3 in the final home series of the season before heading north of the border to play Toronto for the final 3 games as they look to close it out strong.

⚾️⚾️⚾️
GO O’S!!
#NearingTheEnd