Hunt For an Orange October

I was about to write this post earlier today, but I decided to wait until the conclusion of the Angels Rangers game, and I am so very glad I did.

McLouth teeing off in the 1st to start
the O's in the right direction early. 

The Orioles came out of the gate today, acting like they had something to prove. Nate McLouth (left) started the bottom half of the first inning with a lead off home run. This was the one and only "lead-change" of the game. With a 1-0 lead the O's never looked back. By the end of the 1st inning it was 3-0 Orioles. From here on out Boston was playing damage control, trying to limit the Orioles offense, while praying their own could catch fire. It simply did not work that way for Boston's starter Zach Stewart. Hardy lead off the 3rd inning with another solo home run. With two outs in the 3rd, Jim Thome singled, scoring Adam Jones, and that was it for the struggling Boston starter.

Jim Johson celebrating his 50th
save of the season with Wieters.

Boston homered in the 4th, making it now a 5-1 game in favor of the O's. But the Orioles quickly responded in the 5th with Chris Davis' 5th home run in the last 4 games, and 31st of the season. Boston would try and mount a rally in the 7th, but would ultimately fall short again. Jim Johnson (right) came on in the 9th to seal an O's victory, and his 50th save of the season. Jim Johnson is only the 10th player in major league history to have 50 saves in a single season. Jim Johnson, along with the rest of the O's bullpen has been instrumental in the success of the Orioles this season.



To go along with Jim Johnson's history making performance, this weekend would set several new land marks for both teams. This loss clinched a series sweep for the O's, the 10th time they have done that this season. It also was the 90th loss of the season for the Red Sox, their first 90 loss season since 1966, obviously a disappointment. Back to the bright side, this weekend's attendance rates boosted the O's over the 2,000,000 mark for the first time in a season since 2007. Over the past 4 games the O's offense has exploded, scoring 31 runs, 24 of them off home runs.

Now as I alluded to in the opening, I am extremely excited that I waited until after the Angels Rangers game.

The Angels lost game 2 of their double header with the Rangers tonight, which means for the first time since 1997, the Orioles have clinched a playoff birth. Obviously the team will celebrate their success tonight, but Manager Buck Showalter is not the type of person to take his foot off the gas pedal. The Orioles begin the final series of the season tomorrow against Tampa Bay. The Orioles are pleased with a playoff birth, but they will not be truly happy until they have clinched the AL East pennant. BUCKle up everybody, Baltimore is in for one crazy ride these next 3 days!