Orioles manager Buck Showalter asked the postgame media throng whether J.J. Hardy was named player of the night Friday for his game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth to give the Orioles a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.
When he was told yes, Showalter went silent, cocked his eyebrows and gave that patented "Really?" look we've seen so many times.
Nothing against Hardy, whose single was clutch, but the Orioles had a chance simply because right-hander Miguel Gonzalez was brilliant again -- and against the Rays.
"Miguel was the difference. That's impressive," Showalter said. "In the American League East, guys see him so much. There's no secrets. Miguel was as sharp as you want to see."
Gonzalez didn't get the win, but it would have been difficult for him to pitch much better. He allowed three hits, including a solo homer by Steven Souza Jr., in the second inning. He walked none, hit two batters and struck out six while throwing just 96 pitches in a season-high eight innings.
"It was tough not sending him back out there, but he had done his job at 96 [pitches]," Showalter said.
Gonzalez said his goal heading into the game was to save the bullpen, which had to absorb a doubleheader on Thursday. He also has a season-long goal of pitching 200 innings. Friday marked the fifth time he has gone at least seven innings this season.
"Every offseason, I try to do the same thing," he said. "And just coming [into] this year, my goal was to get to 200 innings and stay healthy, which is the most important thing for me."
Gonzalez now has thrown 62 innings this season in 10 starts. That puts him just outside of the top 10 innings-pitched leaders in the AL.