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Friday, September 28, 2012

Chris Tillman Threw A Gem & Ryan Flaherty Hit A Grand Slam As O's Crushed Red Sox 9-1

How do you know your season should have been over months ago? When luminaries like Chris Tillman and Ryan Flaherty are having career-nights against you.

Baltimore (90-67, 45-34) simply crushed Boston (69-88, 35-41 away) 9-1 at Camden Yards tonight in a series opener that didn't feel nearly that close. The Orioles remain one game back of the Yankees and comfortably sitting two games ahead of the Angels (one ahead of the A's) for the top AL wild card.

The only hit for the Red Sox in the entire game was a lead-off bunt by Scott Podsednik-the first batter of the game. Not getting no-hit allows them to shoot for something in their last five painful games.

Even if nobody has ever heard of him, Tillman (9-2) seems like a promising young pitcher (24) that is having a nice season. He went eight innings, struck out four and walked two.

This was over in a rapid 2:23, I guess Boston wanted to enjoy that legendary Baltimore nightlife, but the O's did most of their work in the first inning. Chris Davis hit a two-run homer (his 29th of the season) then Portland, Maine's Ryan Flaherty hit his first career grand slam (6th homer of the season) to make it 6-1.

In what could have been his last start in MLB, Aaron Cook (4-11) pitched like a guy that has nothing left and should hang it up immediately. He went 1+ innings and was charged with six earned runs. Alfredo Aceves was happy to add some gasoline to that fire as he gave up the other three runs on six hits.

Manny Machado (2 for 4, 2 runs) and Flaherty added RBI doubles in the fifth and Taylor Teagarden had an RBI single. Jim Thome was 3 for 4 with a run and Mark Reynolds had a double, two runs and a walk. Gee, do you think the Orioles are a team of destiny or what?

Boston's only run came courtesy of Dustin Pedroia (walk, stolen base) who drove in Podsednik with a sacrifice fly in the first. Yes, the Red Sox led 1-0 for the briefest of moments.

Felix Doubront (11-9) faces something called Steve Johnson (4-0) tomorrow night (7:05 p.m., NESN) who I'm sure will be lights out. Be sure to not watch a second of it.





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