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06-29-2006, 11:16 AM
Hey! The Orioles won both of them!!! They've won 7 of the past 11, and are looking much better than they were earlier. Benson and Bedard made a good pitching team yesterday. :thumbsup: Bedard went first, and Benson pitched the second game.
Here's the update from the Baltimore Sun!
Orioles 7-12, Phillies 4-5
Orioles take two from Phils
Hernandez homers in each game, has 6 RBIs; O's have won 7 of 11
By Jeff Zrebiec
Sun Reporter
Originally published June 29, 2006
In preparation for a day-night doubleheader yesterday, many of the Orioles started filtering in the clubhouse at 10 a.m. after Tuesday's rainout. It was about 11 p.m. last night when a happy but tired group of Orioles trudged off the field at Camden Yards and into the home clubhouse for the final time.
Much had happened over the 13-hour span for the Orioles, and there were many contributors to a commanding sweep of the reeling Philadelphia Phillies, whose beleaguered pitching staff surrendered 19 runs and 31 hits in two games.
Erik Bedard was the star of the Orioles' 7-4 victory in the opener with seven shutout innings. The Orioles' offense took over in a 12-5 nightcap victory, with Ramon Hernandez breaking the game open with a three-run homer in the fourth, his second of the day, and Miguel Tejada and Nick Markakis collecting four hits each.
"It was a long day," said Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo, whose team has won seven of its past 11 games. "I am sure guys are a little tired, but you go to bed with two wins under your belt, it makes it a little easier. Our guys rose to the occasion."
Tejada had six hits in breaking out of a recent slump. Jeff Conine had five and his batting average rose 15 points. Markakis' average grew by 17 points after a five-hit day, including the first four-hit game of his career.
Over the two games, Hernandez had two home runs and six RBIs to give him a team-leading 59 for the season to go along with 15 home runs. Second baseman Brian Roberts counted his first home run since August among his four hits on the day.
"When we haven't played that well and our offense is limping a little bit, it's great to have two games back-to-back like that," said Conine, who is 9-for-15 after changing to a more erect stance, following the suggestion of his wife. "I attribute everything [to the new stance]. It was all my wife's idea."
The Orioles (37-42) will go for a three-game sweep of the Phillies tonight behind Rodrigo Lopez . The Phillies (35-42) have lost seven straight.
"It was a long day and that was an understatement," Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said.
The distractions keep mounting for the Orioles, with the mind-set of Tejada becoming the latest issue to divert attention from on-field matters. Lost among all the speculation is that for the first time in about two months, the Orioles are playing good baseball.
Their starting pitching has improved significantly, mostly because of Kris Benson and Bedard. In the first game yesterday, Bedard (8-6) allowed five hits over seven innings, picking up his third straight win. He has a 16-inning scoreless streak and a 1.29 ERA in his past three starts.
"He's throwing a lot of strikes," Hernandez said. "He's getting ahead of the count early. As hard as he throws, with the stuff he has, if he gets ahead, it's hard to hit him. He's in a good groove, and hopefully he continues doing it the way he has every time out."
Hernandez, who caught the young Oakland Athletics staff that included Barry Zito, Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson and then went to San Diego where he caught Jake Peavy, predicted that Bedard could be a 20-game winner before his career is over. Again yesterday, the 27-year-old left-hander relied on his off-speed stuff, keeping the Phillies off balance.
"It's only three games but I'll try to do that the rest of the year," Bedard said. "I was just throwing strikes with everything.'
Behind Bedard, the Orioles took a 7-0 lead into the eighth, when Pat Burrell and Shane Victorino each hit two-run homers off Orioles reliever Kurt Birkins, who hadn't allowed a homer all season. LaTroy Hawkins got the last out of the eighth and closer Chris Ray pitched a perfect ninth for his 20th save in 21 opportunities.
Hernandez delivered the big hit with a two-run, 395-foot homer off Phillies rookie left-hander Cole Hamels (1-4) in the third. Roberts also touched Hamels, who allowed a career-high seven earned runs and nine hits, for a two-run homer in the fourth, his first since Aug. 30. The Orioles second baseman was ribbed by teammates for his homerless streak after hitting 18 last season.
When he returned to the dugout after the homer, Roberts heard one teammate congratulate him and say, "Way to catch Benson," the Orioles pitcher who had hit a homer off New York Mets ace Pedro Martinez earlier this month.
On the mound, Benson (9-5) struggled in the nightcap after the game was halted for a 41-minute rain delay in the bottom of the third after Markakis' triple had given the Orioles a 5-1 lead. Benson allowed four runs and three home runs, including one of Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard's two in the game. Howard leads the majors with 27 homers.
Todd Williams relieved Benson with the bases loaded and no outs in the sixth and didn't allow a run. That was Philadelphia's last threat during a long day when it was overmatched.
"Definitely a big game, a big day for the team," Markakis said. "Great pitching and great hitting, you put two together and good things happen."
Copyright © 2006, The Baltimore Sun
Here's the update from the Baltimore Sun!
Orioles 7-12, Phillies 4-5
Orioles take two from Phils
Hernandez homers in each game, has 6 RBIs; O's have won 7 of 11
By Jeff Zrebiec
Sun Reporter
Originally published June 29, 2006
In preparation for a day-night doubleheader yesterday, many of the Orioles started filtering in the clubhouse at 10 a.m. after Tuesday's rainout. It was about 11 p.m. last night when a happy but tired group of Orioles trudged off the field at Camden Yards and into the home clubhouse for the final time.
Much had happened over the 13-hour span for the Orioles, and there were many contributors to a commanding sweep of the reeling Philadelphia Phillies, whose beleaguered pitching staff surrendered 19 runs and 31 hits in two games.
Erik Bedard was the star of the Orioles' 7-4 victory in the opener with seven shutout innings. The Orioles' offense took over in a 12-5 nightcap victory, with Ramon Hernandez breaking the game open with a three-run homer in the fourth, his second of the day, and Miguel Tejada and Nick Markakis collecting four hits each.
"It was a long day," said Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo, whose team has won seven of its past 11 games. "I am sure guys are a little tired, but you go to bed with two wins under your belt, it makes it a little easier. Our guys rose to the occasion."
Tejada had six hits in breaking out of a recent slump. Jeff Conine had five and his batting average rose 15 points. Markakis' average grew by 17 points after a five-hit day, including the first four-hit game of his career.
Over the two games, Hernandez had two home runs and six RBIs to give him a team-leading 59 for the season to go along with 15 home runs. Second baseman Brian Roberts counted his first home run since August among his four hits on the day.
"When we haven't played that well and our offense is limping a little bit, it's great to have two games back-to-back like that," said Conine, who is 9-for-15 after changing to a more erect stance, following the suggestion of his wife. "I attribute everything [to the new stance]. It was all my wife's idea."
The Orioles (37-42) will go for a three-game sweep of the Phillies tonight behind Rodrigo Lopez . The Phillies (35-42) have lost seven straight.
"It was a long day and that was an understatement," Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said.
The distractions keep mounting for the Orioles, with the mind-set of Tejada becoming the latest issue to divert attention from on-field matters. Lost among all the speculation is that for the first time in about two months, the Orioles are playing good baseball.
Their starting pitching has improved significantly, mostly because of Kris Benson and Bedard. In the first game yesterday, Bedard (8-6) allowed five hits over seven innings, picking up his third straight win. He has a 16-inning scoreless streak and a 1.29 ERA in his past three starts.
"He's throwing a lot of strikes," Hernandez said. "He's getting ahead of the count early. As hard as he throws, with the stuff he has, if he gets ahead, it's hard to hit him. He's in a good groove, and hopefully he continues doing it the way he has every time out."
Hernandez, who caught the young Oakland Athletics staff that included Barry Zito, Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson and then went to San Diego where he caught Jake Peavy, predicted that Bedard could be a 20-game winner before his career is over. Again yesterday, the 27-year-old left-hander relied on his off-speed stuff, keeping the Phillies off balance.
"It's only three games but I'll try to do that the rest of the year," Bedard said. "I was just throwing strikes with everything.'
Behind Bedard, the Orioles took a 7-0 lead into the eighth, when Pat Burrell and Shane Victorino each hit two-run homers off Orioles reliever Kurt Birkins, who hadn't allowed a homer all season. LaTroy Hawkins got the last out of the eighth and closer Chris Ray pitched a perfect ninth for his 20th save in 21 opportunities.
Hernandez delivered the big hit with a two-run, 395-foot homer off Phillies rookie left-hander Cole Hamels (1-4) in the third. Roberts also touched Hamels, who allowed a career-high seven earned runs and nine hits, for a two-run homer in the fourth, his first since Aug. 30. The Orioles second baseman was ribbed by teammates for his homerless streak after hitting 18 last season.
When he returned to the dugout after the homer, Roberts heard one teammate congratulate him and say, "Way to catch Benson," the Orioles pitcher who had hit a homer off New York Mets ace Pedro Martinez earlier this month.
On the mound, Benson (9-5) struggled in the nightcap after the game was halted for a 41-minute rain delay in the bottom of the third after Markakis' triple had given the Orioles a 5-1 lead. Benson allowed four runs and three home runs, including one of Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard's two in the game. Howard leads the majors with 27 homers.
Todd Williams relieved Benson with the bases loaded and no outs in the sixth and didn't allow a run. That was Philadelphia's last threat during a long day when it was overmatched.
"Definitely a big game, a big day for the team," Markakis said. "Great pitching and great hitting, you put two together and good things happen."
Copyright © 2006, The Baltimore Sun