Orioles left fielder Nolan Reimold sits in the dugout after the Orioles' 10-2 loss to the New York Yankees. (Baltimore Sun photo by Kenneth K. Lam / September 2, 2009) |
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The New York Yankees officially said goodbye to Camden Yards for another baseball season but not before providing one more display of dominance over an Orioles team whose annual late-season freefall is at full throttle.
In an unsightly top of the ninth inning for the home team that could serve as a microcosm for the Orioles' season series against their American League East rivals, the Yankees turned a one-run game into a rout by scoring seven times.
It got so bad that even the Yankees fans, who made up most of half-empty Camden Yards on Wednesday night, started to file out of the ballpark early. The Yankees' 10-2 victory before an announced 21,126 completed the three-game sweep and was their 10th straight against the Orioles this season.
The last time that happened was during the 1955 season, the second in the Orioles' modern-day existence.
"It's not easy for anybody," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "But I think we all have to handle it the very best that we can and give credit where credit is due. They have a tremendous team. And we tried to do everything that we possibly can, and our guys give everything they can and it just has not been measured up and allowed us to get a win."
In the three-game series, the Orioles were outscored 24-9. During the 10-game losing streak to the league-best Yankees, who have now won six straight, the Orioles have been outscored by an astonishing 70-30 margin.
And as good as it probably felt to get the Yankees out of town and look ahead to just their second day off in a 42-day span, the Orioles will head to New York in a little over a week for a three-game series at new Yankee Stadium, where the Orioles still haven't won. The Orioles are now 3-12 against the Yankees this season, just one more disturbing aspect of their trying 2009 season.
"It's more frustrating when you're 30 games behind," Orioles third baseman Melvin Mora said. "We can get beat by Cleveland 10 times, but when you look at the newspaper and you see you're 30 games behind, it's just not a good feeling."
The Orioles (54-80) are a season-worst 26 games under .500, just 14-32 since the All-Star break and two losses away from clinching their 12th straight losing season.
A pitching matchup that featured Yankees ace and former Cy Young winner CC Sabathia versus Orioles rookie Jason Berken led to a game that was very much in doubt until Alex Rodriguez's two-run single off Kam Mickolio broke a 1-1 tie.
Orioles rookie outfielder Nolan Reimold hit a solo homer off Brian Bruney in the eighth inning to cut the Orioles' deficit to 3-2. But any hopes of an Orioles comeback against the Yankees' bullpen ended in the top of the ninth inning, when the Yankees sent 12 batters to the plate. Seven of them hit singles, and two of them reached on walks.
Orioles closer Jim Johnson faced five batters and didn't get any of them out. Dennis Sarfate opposed six Yankees and retired two of them, but also gave up four hits.
"Sarfate has worked very hard," Trembley said. "He just doesn't look like the same guy as last year - plain and simple."
Brian Bass, the Orioles' season-high eighth pitcher to be used in a game, was then summoned from the bullpen to get the inning's final out.
"I don't think I commanded one pitch. Anytime I tried to throw a strike, it ended up a ball. Anytime I tried to throw a ball, it ended up right down the middle. I have to figure it out and put it behind me," said Johnson, whose ERA jumped from 3.12 to 3.86 after the outing. "Who knows what could have happened if we get a [perfect] outing out of me. Obviously, the floodgates opened and it's all my fault."
Berken provided one positive by turning in his third straight solid start, allowing just one run, on Eric Hinske's solo homer, over 5 1/3 innings. During his past three starts, he's 2-0 with a 2.81 ERA.
The Orioles' offense battled Sabathia early, scoring a run in the first inning on Nick Markakis' sacrifice fly. But after Sabathia got out of a bases-loaded jam in the second by striking out Brian Roberts and Cesar Izturis, he settled in to deliver seven strong innings. He struck out nine Orioles to win his sixth straight decision and pick up his 16th win, tying him with the St. Louis Cardinals' Adam Wainwright for the major league lead.
He is 3-1 against the Orioles with a 2.63 ERA this year after they battered him for six earned runs in 4 1/3 innings in their 10-5 victory on Opening Day.
The Orioles are 2-12 against New York since the Opening Day victory. Asked whether the Yankees are the best team in the league, Trembley said, "I don't know who would be any better."
In an unsightly top of the ninth inning for the home team that could serve as a microcosm for the Orioles' season series against their American League East rivals, the Yankees turned a one-run game into a rout by scoring seven times.
It got so bad that even the Yankees fans, who made up most of half-empty Camden Yards on Wednesday night, started to file out of the ballpark early. The Yankees' 10-2 victory before an announced 21,126 completed the three-game sweep and was their 10th straight against the Orioles this season.
The last time that happened was during the 1955 season, the second in the Orioles' modern-day existence.
"It's not easy for anybody," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "But I think we all have to handle it the very best that we can and give credit where credit is due. They have a tremendous team. And we tried to do everything that we possibly can, and our guys give everything they can and it just has not been measured up and allowed us to get a win."
In the three-game series, the Orioles were outscored 24-9. During the 10-game losing streak to the league-best Yankees, who have now won six straight, the Orioles have been outscored by an astonishing 70-30 margin.
And as good as it probably felt to get the Yankees out of town and look ahead to just their second day off in a 42-day span, the Orioles will head to New York in a little over a week for a three-game series at new Yankee Stadium, where the Orioles still haven't won. The Orioles are now 3-12 against the Yankees this season, just one more disturbing aspect of their trying 2009 season.
"It's more frustrating when you're 30 games behind," Orioles third baseman Melvin Mora said. "We can get beat by Cleveland 10 times, but when you look at the newspaper and you see you're 30 games behind, it's just not a good feeling."
The Orioles (54-80) are a season-worst 26 games under .500, just 14-32 since the All-Star break and two losses away from clinching their 12th straight losing season.
A pitching matchup that featured Yankees ace and former Cy Young winner CC Sabathia versus Orioles rookie Jason Berken led to a game that was very much in doubt until Alex Rodriguez's two-run single off Kam Mickolio broke a 1-1 tie.
Orioles rookie outfielder Nolan Reimold hit a solo homer off Brian Bruney in the eighth inning to cut the Orioles' deficit to 3-2. But any hopes of an Orioles comeback against the Yankees' bullpen ended in the top of the ninth inning, when the Yankees sent 12 batters to the plate. Seven of them hit singles, and two of them reached on walks.
Orioles closer Jim Johnson faced five batters and didn't get any of them out. Dennis Sarfate opposed six Yankees and retired two of them, but also gave up four hits.
"Sarfate has worked very hard," Trembley said. "He just doesn't look like the same guy as last year - plain and simple."
Brian Bass, the Orioles' season-high eighth pitcher to be used in a game, was then summoned from the bullpen to get the inning's final out.
"I don't think I commanded one pitch. Anytime I tried to throw a strike, it ended up a ball. Anytime I tried to throw a ball, it ended up right down the middle. I have to figure it out and put it behind me," said Johnson, whose ERA jumped from 3.12 to 3.86 after the outing. "Who knows what could have happened if we get a [perfect] outing out of me. Obviously, the floodgates opened and it's all my fault."
Berken provided one positive by turning in his third straight solid start, allowing just one run, on Eric Hinske's solo homer, over 5 1/3 innings. During his past three starts, he's 2-0 with a 2.81 ERA.
The Orioles' offense battled Sabathia early, scoring a run in the first inning on Nick Markakis' sacrifice fly. But after Sabathia got out of a bases-loaded jam in the second by striking out Brian Roberts and Cesar Izturis, he settled in to deliver seven strong innings. He struck out nine Orioles to win his sixth straight decision and pick up his 16th win, tying him with the St. Louis Cardinals' Adam Wainwright for the major league lead.
He is 3-1 against the Orioles with a 2.63 ERA this year after they battered him for six earned runs in 4 1/3 innings in their 10-5 victory on Opening Day.
The Orioles are 2-12 against New York since the Opening Day victory. Asked whether the Yankees are the best team in the league, Trembley said, "I don't know who would be any better."
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this is and are the worst team in baseball im tired of hearing there supose to lose well then keep them ive been a fan all my life but im tired of the lies the rebuilding they couldnt rebuild my dog house
ironrider (09/03/2009, 6:54 PM )