In this 4 vs. 13 match up out of the Robinson region features the rare feat of leading off a baseball game with three consecutive home runs. The O’s did that in 2012. The 14 seed is another O’s moment, this time in New York where the Yankees jumped out to a 5 run lead only to see the O’s come back the next half inning and score 7 to take the lead.
#4 – O’s Go Back To Back To Back To Start The Game Against Texas
As I said in the Podcast, this was one of the moments from the O’s season that really sticks with me, mainly because I missed part of it. I only caught the replay of Flaherty’s home run before settling in to watch Hardy and Markakis tee it up off Colby Lewis. After being unwilling participants in the Josh Hamilton fireworks show just two days earlier, this was some poetic justice for Baltimore.
The home runs were all a little different: Flaherty’s was the first in his major league career, a well struck shot to right center. Hardy got a fastball up and absolutely tattooed it to the concourse in left field. And after Lewis received the O’s message that his fastball wasn’t great that afternoon, Markakis hooked a down and in slider inside the foul pole to make history as the first back to back to back home runs in Baltimore Orioles history.
The Orioles would tack on two more home runs (from Adam Jones and Wilson Betemit) to win the game 6-5 in game that I’ll also remember for Colby Lewis’ extremely bizarre stat line (he pitched 7 innings, allowed 5 home runs, and struck out 12).
#13 – Yankees Score 5 In 1st, Orioles Score 7 In Top Of 2nd
I live with one of the more “confident” Yankees fans on the planet, and when things are going well for the Bombers, he makes sure that everyone knows. Well, I certainly knew in the first inning of O’s – Yankees on July 31st. In a rare bad start, Chris Tillman simply couldn’t buy an out in the first inning in the Bronx, and the runs piled up until Ramiro Pena grounded out to mercifully end the beating at a costly 5 runs.
In years past, this probably would’ve been a “pack it in” game for the Birds, but they came out patient and ready to hit in the second. Jones singled to center to start the frame, and Wieters followed up with one of his own. Back to back strikeouts by Lew Ford and Wilson Betemit seemingly signified the end of a promising start to the 2nd, but noted Yankee Hunter Mark Reynolds reignited the rally with a 2 RBI ground rule double.
And from there it snowballed: Omar Quintanilla RBI single, Nick Markakis single, JJ Hardy free pass, and then Chris Davis stepped up and cashed in on Ivan Nova’s indiscretions by depositing his first career grand slam into the Orioles bullpen to put the O’s on top 7-3. New York never recovered, and the O’s tacked on four more runs to improbably take the game 11-5.
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Voting is open from 1:00 PM on Sunday February 24 to 1:00 PM Monday February 25.
