Back on Track?

Like a bad girlfriend, the Orioles find ways of pulling you back in just when you’re about to walk away from them.

To be honest, I was finished with the Orioles after their 2-week long offensive slump where they went 2-10. I was ready to spend more time in the yard or watching Real Housewives of Glen Burnie. Anything other than watching the O’s trot out there, go through the motions and lose another game. 

But then they started playing well again. They took 2 out of 3 from both the Braves and Mets at home and then did the impossible – they swept a team on the road! And that team was the World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies! 

Holy F---! 

So yeah, now I’m an O’s fan again, excited to watch the O’s try to continue their winning ways against the Florida Marlins. 

The Marlins have dominated the Orioles since interleague play began in 1997. The Orioles are 5-13 against the Fish and I vividly remember the Marlins sweeping the wire-to-wire Orioles in 1997 on their way to becoming the shocking World Series Champions that year. 

But all the O’s need to do to continue winning is do what they have done over the last 9 games…pitch well and get clutch hits. 

The O’s team ERA in June is 4.23. And while the offense still strands too many runners on base, they make up for it by getting clutch hits late in the game. You only need to look at the 5-4 win over the Mets last Thursday, the amazing 6-5 comeback win over the Phillies last Saturday and the late-inning 2-1 win against the Phillies yesterday (all won in the 9^th inning) to see clutch hitting at its best. 

That said, the Orioles can’t keep waiting for clutch hitting for much longer. They need to get those runners in more often in the early innings. 

So there you have it. The Orioles are playing good baseball. Every day you can say that past June 21^st is a blessing.