You know, it’d be easy for us to curse those Baltimore Orioles who have won six-in-a-row and who seem to have forgotten how to lose in extra innings. However, I wonder how the Orioles–and their fans–felt last night, after having won, after seeing that the A’s went ahead by four runs in extras against the Yanks only to have the Yanks pull it out.
With more than a little bit of luck.
Reading this description by Zach Schonbrun in the Times makes me wish I’d been there:
When the game seemed over, Ichiro Suzuki led off the bottom of the 13th inning with an infield single. A misty rain had begun to fall, like the soft spray in a carwash. The low sun through the clouds covered the stadium in a strange orange glow.
The game had started just after 1 p.m., before the long September shadows had started their slow march across the infield, but by the 13th, the stadium lights were on, and the scoreboard shined, and the game took on a surreal feel.
What a wild game it was. Did I mention Steve Pearce’s diving catch? And Raul Ibanez, not only with the two homers but a hustle double that brought Paul O’Neill to mind and a tough collision at home plate to boot.
Course the O’s could win again today, Yanks could lose and we’d end the weekend on a down note. But let’s face it, this is some good shit.
It is good shit.
I figure, if we just break even with the O's during this particular match-up, that's damn good. The rest of the schedule is identical, except we have a series against the woeful Twins and the Orioles get the Rays (not at the same time, but that's the only difference).
Thing is, I doubt Girardi will get to set up the rotation the way he wants for the postseason. Well, maybe. If the last game of the season is meaningless, I think he can do it.
Try to be good, hope to be lucky.
Watching this now, 14th inning. What a game!
Hope to wake up tomorrow to see another good one with a Yanks victory.
Oh, of all the craziness in this game..I think Pat Neshek's delivery will stick with me. WTF is going on there, looks like the pitching equivalent of Elaine Benes' dancing.
[0]That smile is priceless. Hope we see more of Melky Table down the line!
I was hoping the Rays would be closer to the O's. The play head-2-head the last 3 games of the season. If the Rays are eliminated by then, while the O's are still playing for the division, I wonder how hard TB will play, and what kind of team Maddon will put on the field.
The Rays need to be within 3 games of the O's for that series to have any meaning. Right now, they're 5.5 back (ouch)!
So...
root against the O's, but don't forget to root FOR TB.