O's Slug Their Way to 1st Win of Season - N51_rob's Blog

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O's Slug Their Way to 1st Win of Season

Posted on April 16, 2012 at 02:06 PM.

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JJ Hardy rounds 1st following the first of his 2 HRs to help down the Twins

Baltimore, MD For the 28,000 fans who descended on Camden Yards hoping to see the first Orioles victory of 2012, it didn't start out the way they hoped, but baseball is a nine inning game.

Tommy Hunter got off to a rocky start allowing 4 Twin runs and 8 men to bat. It was an ominous start for the Orioles who were still looking for answers in the bull pen and the thought of having to turn to the pen early was not one that O's fans were looking forward too. Luckily for Hunter and the Orioles his teammates were up to the challenge. Shortstop JJ Hardy was able to dent the scoreboard with a solo home run off Twins starter Nick Blackburn. This left the score at 4-1 after just one inning and was just a taste of what was to come.

Hunter calmed down and sat down the Twins in order in the 2nd and 3rd innings. JJ Hardy would again hit a solo home run off Blackburn his second of the game, to bring Baltimore closer to the Twins at 4-2 after 3. The Orioles bats came to life in the 4th, 5th innings. Wilson Betemit hit a monster HR to left center that was measured at 418 feet. Betemit was fooled on a 2-0 change up, but was waiting for the change on 2-1 and didn't miss it. "He fool me with the pitch 2-0, but I had feelings he would try it again and I was ready." he said after the game. With a runner on first Robert Andino was hit by a pitch to put runners at 1st and 2nd. Endy Chavez making his first start in LF lined a single to left to drive in the tying run. JJ Hardy just missed his 3rd home run of the game on a deep fly out that allowed Andino to tag and reach 3rd. With the game tied and runners at 1st and 3rd Nick Markakis came through with a huge 2 out, 2 RBI double that gave Baltimore their first lead of the series at 6-4.

The bats continue to support Hunter in the 5th following another 3 up, 3 down inning Matt Wieters connected for the 4th Oriole's solo home run of the game, this would be the one to chase Blackburn from the game. Brian Duensing came in and quickly worked himself into trouble walking Andino the O's number 9 hitter, to load the bases. Chavez reached on an infield single to stretch the lead to 8-4. JJ Hardy hit into a fielders choice that got another run across. When the inning ended Baltimore had a 10-4 lead and was feeling good.

That is until the top of the 7th. Hunter got the first out of the inning before letting Ben Revere double into right. Hunter was taken out in favor of Luis Ayala who had pitched 1.1 innings of scoreless relief in the series. It would not last. After allowing another double to score Revere. Two singles later, Joe Mauer stepped up to the plate having a hit less game. He not only got his hit, but cleared the bases on a 3 run HR to right field to bring the score to 10-8. New lefty Zach Phillips was brought in and despite allowing Justin Morneau to single before getting the last out of the inning. Baltimore was holding on to a slim 2 run lead.

Matt Lindstrom came in to pitch the 8th and with little to no room for error hit pitched a perfect 8th getting a pop up, strikeout and groundout to end the inning. In the bottom of the 8th with one out, Agam Jones hit a double into left center, and Matt Wieters chased him home with a double of his own to stretch the lead, Wieters came home on a Betemit RBI single to extend Baltimore's lead to 12-8. Despite knowing that he may not have him available for the 1st game of the Yankee series, Buck Showalter let Lindstrom pitch the 9th, which was another scoreless inning. Allowing him to get the 2 inning save and Baltimore's first win of 2012. The O's slugged 19 hits in the game, and are 1-2 on the young season.

Ivan Nova, and Brian Matusz will face off in the first game of the series as the 3-0 New York Yankees come to town.

Highlights