Last night’s win in Texas is easily the best win of the year in my opinion. We tabbed the W in true comeback fashion, while Corey Patterson got to live every kid’s dream: stepping up to bat with the bases loaded in the 9th with 2 outs and hitting a grand slam. But looking past the point where the O’s tied the game, we also then came around in the 10th where utility infielder/catcher Jake Fox hit a solo shot out to the seats.
I still don’t know who was more hurt by that homerun: the Rangers or the fan sitting at the spot of the blast with a glove completely prepared, but who dropped it down in the gap between the wall and the seating bowl. Why that gap is there, I do not know. What I do know is that Garrett Atkins would never have come close to that moment.
Looking back at this game, one other night comes to mind. Back on June 30, 2009, I was in attendance for what was then arguably the biggest O’s comeback win in franchise history. Down 10-1 heading into the bottom of the 7th, the Orioles magic came alive. In that 7th, Huff, Reimold, Scott, Salazar, Wieters, Pie, and Markakis all got hits (ranging from singles to a homerun) and pulled 5 runs out of the inning. Then, in the 8th, Reimold, Salazar, Scott, Wieters, Roberts, Markakis, and Huff all reached base in different ways, tabbing on another 5 runs. In the most intense save ever by the ‘Brim Reaper,’ the O’s erased a 9 run deficit to set all kinds of franchise records in terms of comebacks in both the Baltimore and Boston record books.
My question then becomes: Which comeback victory is more spectacular? There are a few things to look over before making that decision.
The hitters involved in last year’s event were the big name hitters in the lineup that were expected to be there in the clutch. Last night, the Orioles on base when Patterson stepped up were Moore, Fox, and Tatum, let alone Josh Bell had just struck out before that. Tatum is the only one of those guys who was even on the opening day roster. Fox was only acquired less than a month ago, and he had the key 2nd piece of the puzzle to winning this game.
The comeback was only from 4 down last night, while it was 9 back in Baltimore against the Red Sox last June. The numbers would make one think that overcoming 9 runs is more impressive, but it is hard denying the power of what CPat did last night.
So what do you think? Was one truly better than the other, or are they both different situations that should both be praised and neither should be put above the other?
