O's 5, Twins 4: Lucky Louie

by SC on May 8, 2009 12:15 AM EDT in Post-Game Comment 41 comments

Baltimore Orioles' Lou Montanez (14) singles-in teammate Melvin Mora (not shown) against the Minnesota Twins during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, May 7, 2009, in Baltimore. The Orioles won 5-4. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

6 months ago: Baltimore Orioles' Lou Montanez (14) singles-in teammate Melvin Mora (not shown) against the Minnesota Twins during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Thursday, May 7, 2009, in Baltimore. The Orioles won 5-4. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

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Lou Montanez singled home what turned out to be the game-winning run in the eighth inning, Melvin Mora hopefully got off the schneid, and George Sherrill sealed the deal in the ninth to give the O's a 5-4 win and a somewhat lucky, two-game sweep of the Minnesota Twins.

From the AP post-game:

“A lot of guys that have been scuffling a little bit came through,” said manager Dave Trembley, who hadn’t seen his team win two in a row since April 13-14 at Texas.

Can't say it any better.

Say what you will about luck, but luck is a part of baseball. A pretty big part, really. It's easy to deride luck when projecting future success (or not) for a player, but luck is there every year, for every team, be it good or bad. It's nice to get some good. I'm not gonna complain.

Brad Bergesen pretty much nailed the definition of "scattering" hits but having a successful start anyway: 6 IP, 11 H, 3 ER. He walked one and struck out three, lowering his season ERA to 4.98. All things considered, you cannot ask more from Bergesen than what he's giving us right now. He's got two Quality Stats in four outings, and missed a third by a third of an inning.

Hey: Anyone notice Jamie Walker's 1.80 ERA?

I mean, yeah, it's five innings but I love me some J Dubya.

Anyway, get to votin':

Poll

Most Birdland Player (MBP) for today's game was:

Brad Bergesen (6 IP, 11 H, 3 ER, BB, 3 K)

40 votes

ZAUN (3-for-3, average steadily climbing)

69 votes

Lou Montanez (1-for-4, GW RBI)

53 votes

Melvin Mora (2-for-4, HR, RBI, 2 R)

60 votes

222 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Hard to believe that we won a game where Roberts, Jones and Markakis all did not record a hit. Now that’s an unusual night.

Cry havoc and unleash the Esskay hot dogs of war! - The Wayward Oriole, Opening Day 2008

by Eat More Esskay on May 8, 2009 1:59 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

An unusual night

and that was birdland.

by smith1468 on May 8, 2009 5:11 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

gonna be a close vote it looks like

Solid support all around.

Bad Left Hook
Camden Chat

by SC on May 8, 2009 5:16 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

wut? no huffasaurus?

i abstain

by thewaywardO on May 8, 2009 7:11 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I don't understand the Bergensen votes

He gave up 11 hits. Thats pretty bad and not MBP. Had it not been for a tremendous grab by Jones in the (4th or 5th? can’t remember) he mighta given up a lot more.

I feel 3-3 is definitely MBP.

by Johnny_S on May 8, 2009 8:31 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Did you see the hits?

2 were infield hits that were pure luck.

Nobody really dominated yesterday. Lou was 1-4. Not birdland. I guess Melvin may have deserved it, but I went with the pitcher that actually gave us 6 innings.

"Hey Yankees... you can take your apology and your trophy and shove 'em straight up your ass!" --Tanner Boyle

by BirdFanInPhilly on May 8, 2009 10:14 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thats still 9 hits.

He loaded up the bases at one point with no outs. And then do to only great fielding got out of it. I’m not saying its not goot to get 6 innings, but he was NOT MBP. Thats why I said you have to vote for either Zaun or Mora. I went with Zaun b/c he batted 1.000.

by Johnny_S on May 8, 2009 10:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

11 hits isn't Birdland...

But making it to the seventh is Birdland.

Jioe Flaacco, Hon!!! "He’s like a live JUGS machine."

by dayzd toe on May 8, 2009 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Is that honestly how low our standards have dropped?

by Johnny_S on May 8, 2009 2:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

honestly

yes… Where have you been? I would call you a bandwagon fan… but there’s no reason to. :-)

Jioe Flaacco, Hon!!! "He’s like a live JUGS machine."

by dayzd toe on May 8, 2009 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I guess I am bandwagon...

Because I was started attending games when I was about 5. Those were back in the Cal days when we found ourselves above 500 and in that after the season thing. I think they call it the “post-season” or “playoffs”? Apparently, there is a final “world series” where they crown a team champs. Sounds like fairy tail to me.

by Johnny_S on May 8, 2009 3:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

"World Series"?

I’ll believe it when I see it.

Jioe Flaacco, Hon!!! "He’s like a live JUGS machine."

by dayzd toe on May 8, 2009 3:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

ZAUN got a cheapie MBP for Wednesday's game

And two of his hits yesterday were cheapie hits.

This one should go to Melmo or Louie.

by dkdc on May 8, 2009 8:52 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

cheapie hits

are much better than the normal easy outs

"I’m sure glad he didn’t try to bunt." - DD on Melmo's game winning double, 6/17

by daveh873 on May 8, 2009 9:14 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What's cheap

about punching someone in the head?

’cept for that whole the runner may not have been ready for it, cheap shot thing

Jioe Flaacco, Hon!!! "He’s like a live JUGS machine."

by dayzd toe on May 8, 2009 11:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

nice to have legit choices

Even Sherrill looked pretty good out there – his breaking ball was sharp and well placed. I only watched the last 3 innings so I’m going to abstain from MBP but if they can win a few more like this, we might actually touch .500 again.

by henhoo on May 8, 2009 8:57 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

My vote is for Memlo

That homer was epic. And hey, he scored the GW run just seconds ahead of Wiggy’s baserunning out, which counts for something.

"The United States is the New York Yankees of countries...powerful and respected until the year 2000." - Homer J. Simpson

by Brotz13 on May 8, 2009 9:00 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

me too voted for Melmo

Home runs into the bullpen are Birdland.

I’m smart, not a dummy. ~Adam Jones

by Stacey on May 8, 2009 9:05 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Pretty much

I would have preferred he went to third on that hit, but things worked out, and had he gotten caught, we’d all be bitching incessantly about that.

Everyone else on the MBP list is on there because of a lot of luck.

Massive HR + scoring the winning run == Birdland.

"Honestly, I get tired driving 26 miles. I couldn’t imagine running it." -- Huffy

by CoachOfEarl on May 8, 2009 10:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

eh...

Jones’ catch in CF was birdland. Even though I don’t really care for him, Lou’s hit was birdland. The stupid guy that cut the ball off on the throw to home to get Melmo was birdland.

Epic = Melmo’s HR? Epic wasn’t the first word that came to mind for me. I think “Finally!” was.

I agree that 11 hits is not birdland but I was impressed (even though buck told me 10 times) at the composure Bergensen showed. This was the first game I’ve been able to watch him pitch. I think he’d make a nice 4-5 guy in the future rotation. Oh, and not walking 721 batters in a 1/3 of an inning like the past IS birdland.

Don't let the sunshine fool ya. - Townes Van Zandt

by BPinOK on May 8, 2009 12:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think Jones and Markakis in the outfield should be an option

But I voted for Zaun.

The stock market will never recover, our armies will never again be #1, and our children will drink filthy water for the rest of their lives - HST

by the fix is in on May 8, 2009 10:13 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah they made some killer outfield plays

I hope IHeartMASN hooks us up with some highlights so I can watch them again.

I’m smart, not a dummy. ~Adam Jones

by Stacey on May 8, 2009 10:29 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hard to vote for an 11-hit Burglarson, and 3 for 3 w/o RBI or RS is sort of "nice" but...tough-o, Zed-man. So yeah, it's Memlo fer-sher.

And tonight, fans, we have Guts going against the Most Storied Franchise in the History of Professional Sports Run by Idiots. And guess who’s hot? It ain’t the MSFHPSRI, that’s a fact, as they’ve been on an egg sucking dive toward the cellar for what, two series in a row now. Let’s help.

Either CC or Guts could well turn things around tonight, and here’s hoping we Do the Right Thing, i.e. get to fatso early.

And say, how about that 50-game-sittin’ thing for whatsisname. Oh, c’mon, that just Manny Being…a Substance Abusing Multimillionaire, I guess. Sure am sorry to see him drop that $7.8 mil, though. Ahahahahahahahahahahaha.

Go O’s!

"Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." Churchill,1942-- a rebuilding year.

by Titov on May 8, 2009 10:16 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

FWIW, I think Manny’s bank account will be just fine.

"Hey Yankees... you can take your apology and your trophy and shove 'em straight up your ass!" --Tanner Boyle

by BirdFanInPhilly on May 8, 2009 10:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You can't really blame a guy for not getting RBIs if no one was on base for him.

Had he gone 3-4 and left 3 stranded in that one at bat. I could see your point, but he hit every time he got an opportunity. Its not his fault no one was in scoring position.

by Johnny_S on May 8, 2009 2:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Who's blaming him? He had a "nice" night, and good for him. But Memlo went deep Birdland for us.

"Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." Churchill,1942-- a rebuilding year.

by Titov on May 8, 2009 2:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If I understand correctly...

That 7.8 mil comes in next year b/c all of this years 25 or whatever it was is guaranteed. So basically he’ll just have to play at a “discount” 17mil next year.

Don't let the sunshine fool ya. - Townes Van Zandt

by BPinOK on May 8, 2009 2:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

comes in = comes out

Don't let the sunshine fool ya. - Townes Van Zandt

by BPinOK on May 8, 2009 2:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I watched this in a gross bar in the Village filled with Yankee fans

and was the only person there yelling at the MASN feed. I’m so glad they had it on. Made my night.

by pipkin on May 8, 2009 11:17 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

When we get to the end of the season (y'know, mid-June), I thnk we should start voting for

the category of Most Valuable Voter for Most Birdland Player, i.e tracking the number of Winning Votes cast by rational, informed contributors— as opposed to the number of losing votes cast by people like me, who don’t win but are actually smaht, not like everybody says.

"Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." Churchill,1942-- a rebuilding year.

by Titov on May 8, 2009 11:19 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Sweet Swing Lou Montanez Gets My Vote

Players can go 3-3, hit HRs, and pitch into the 7th inning. But the keys is getting the big hit with men in scoring position and the game on the line. That my friends if Birdland. That my friends is clutch. How many clutch hits have won games this season? I thought so. Remember clutch hitters like Roenicke, Daur, Blefary or Lowenstien? These guys could be hitting .230 for the season but when they came up in the clutch they were totally Birdland.

So lets give Baby Face, Sweet Swinging Lou his moment of birdland glory. Don’t try to justify Birdland for a pitcher giving up 11 hits or Zaun finally getting some hits.

Sorry Montanez haters but it is what it is. :-)

"They are who we thought they were"-Dennis Green

by Baysox39 on May 8, 2009 4:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Lou got the hit

DEAL WITH IT

I’m smart, not a dummy. ~Adam Jones

by Stacey on May 8, 2009 4:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm goign to have to report you

to the subcommittee for improper usage of nickname.

Don't let the sunshine fool ya. - Townes Van Zandt

by BPinOK on May 8, 2009 4:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sorry to disappoint you

But that nickname was given to him at Bowie in 2008. All you could hear was Sweet Swinging Lou Montanez from management to fans. It just stuck.

"They are who we thought they were"-Dennis Green

by Baysox39 on May 8, 2009 6:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

good on him for getting the hits

but let’s not pretend clutch hitting is an actual ability. guys like Lowenstein seem like good clutch hitters because of confirmation bias. you remember those totally sweet times they came through and forget all those pop-ups and strike outs. I said “oh not this bum” when Lou came up, cheered like crazy when he got the hit, and then went back to thinking it’s a mistake to waste time with him when we could be getting Nolan Reimold ready to go.

by pipkin on May 8, 2009 4:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

amen.

bring up sweet swinging charlie hustle wizard sugar ray nolan reimold.

Don't let the sunshine fool ya. - Townes Van Zandt

by BPinOK on May 8, 2009 4:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree. Nolan has the upside

Sweet Swinging Lou is at best the 4th outfielder. Some guys have the ability to come off the bench cold and hit. Lou has that ability. Many players need ABs to get comfortable. But I do agree with you. I hope they bring Nolan up soon.

"They are who we thought they were"-Dennis Green

by Baysox39 on May 8, 2009 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs