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action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home4/birdseye/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6121Coming into tonight’s game, I was expecting a repeat performance from last year from David Price and Miguel Gonzalez. \u00a0For those that don’t remember the game, here are the stats from Baseball Reference<\/a>. \u00a0Evidently, I was wrong. \u00a0Oh so wrong…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n What the heck is going on with the starting pitching? \u00a0I remember a game last year against the MFY<\/a> in which Gonzalez gave up three home runs. \u00a0The stats depicted there indicate a much better performance than tonight. \u00a0Gonzalez had poor control going deep into counts as depicted by the pitch to strike ratio and also the higher WHIP for the game. \u00a0 Oh and shall we point out eight versus one strikeout tonight. \u00a0Gonzalez got into a groove for the 4th and 5th, but this would not be his night. \u00a0Another starting pitcher doesn’t make it into the 7th. \u00a0The bullpen continues to be taxed again. \u00a0Who is going to get sent down to make up for it?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Let’s step away from the home runs and focus on the third inning. \u00a0Runners on first and second for Tampa and a double play ball is hit to Chris Davis. \u00a0Davis throws to JJ Hardy to make the force, but JJ throws it back high to Davis. \u00a0These defensive errors are what differentiated the Orioles of the first half of the season from the second half. \u00a0We look at them shake our head and move on. \u00a0But Buck has stressed defense being a key for this team and so far the team hasn’t showed that being a foundation going forward.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Orioles lineup really fought against the Rays all night. \u00a0That’s an accomplishment for how good David Price can be at times during the game. \u00a0This game truly emphasized how important it is to have solid contribution from the bottom of your lineup. \u00a07-8-9 were 3-9 with 3 runs and 4 RBI. \u00a0That is a solid contribution and is necessary especially in the AL East. \u00a0Tip of the cap to Pearce, Reimold, and Casilla as that is an impressive showing to keep rallying the team back through the night.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Orioles entered into their first extra innings game. \u00a0The Bottom of the Ninth really struck me as being different. \u00a0Buck used three players to try to get the win right away. \u00a0Blowing through Dickerson, McLouth, and Flaherty left a short bench. \u00a0However, it makes a lot of sense as you’re trying to preserve the bullpen for the weekend series. \u00a0Alas, it was not meant to be despite some good hitting. \u00a0The Orioles hung in there for the 10th inning with a leadoff hit, bunt single (always take the out), the longest single ever, and then a grand slam walk-off.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It was a really weird game. \u00a0Back and forth game, weird base running in the tenth, and then a walk-off grand slam. \u00a010 runs scored on a Tampa Bay team led by David Price… weird. \u00a0Series win though, and we’ll take it. \u00a0Let’s go beat up on Don Mattingly and the Yankees of the West.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" AtD15 – Goodbye, GRAND SLAM!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":865,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[162,163,97,110,101,98,76],"class_list":["post-861","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","tag-grand-slam","tag-j-j-hardy","tag-matt-wieters","tag-miguel-gonzalez","tag-orioles","tag-steve-pearce","tag-tampa-bay-rays"],"yoast_head":"\nBox Score<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n
First Base<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Second Base<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Third Base<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Home Plate<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/a>
Summary<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n