Yankees 13, Orioles 3: This ugly loss isn't enough to dampen my mood.

by Camden Chat on Sep 14, 2009 12:58 AM EDT in Post-Game

The Yankees are the best team in baseball, and before yesterday hadn't lost back-to-back games at home since 17-18 June. The Orioles finish the season 5-13 against them, and when you compare rosters it's not hard to understand why. But this final series, despite today's ugly loss, was one of the most satisfying that I've watched this year.

Friday night's game was delayed by over an hour due to rain that continued to fall pretty much all night. The Yankee Stadium crowd was louder and more intense than usual. And Chris Tillman (born in 1988 for crying out loud), in his 9th major league start, responded by striking out 8 Yankees and getting the win.

On Saturday, Brian Matusz (born in 1987 and making his 8th major league start), dominated the Yankees for 7 innings. After allowing a two out double to Alex Rodriguez in the first inning, Matusz didn't give anything else up until a 1 out walk to Melky Cabrera in the 5th inning. When he finally got into a little bit of trouble in the 7th, he reached back and found something extra, striking out Jorge Posada and Derek Jeter to end his day.

So they lost today. Oh well. I didn't watch the game but from what I can tell Jeremy Guthrie got knocked around a bit but controlled the damage pretty well, and then the Yankees feasted on two pitchers (Chris Waters and Bob McCrory) who have no business being in the major leagues. The Orioles offense wasn't able to do much against CC Sabathia to no one's surprise, but rookies Justin Turner and Nolan Reimold put up a good show. Turner reached base three times and had an RBI, and Reimold had two hits, including a double.

The Orioles are a long way from contending in the AL East, but if and when they do get there, it'll be thanks to Chris Tillman, Brian Matusz, and the other young pitchers the O's are hoping will turn out. Andy MacPhail has said that the Orioles probably can't match the offenses that the Yankees and Red Sox are capable of assembling, so instead they have to grow enough arms to compete that way. If this weekend is any indication, Andy MacPhail knows what he's talking about.

-Stacey

Poll

Who was today's Most Birdland Player (MBP)?

Nolan Reimold (2-4, double, only O with multiple hits)

49 votes

Justin Turner (single, 2 walks, run, RBI)

14 votes

Joe Flacco (Ravens are birds too!)

44 votes

Can I vote for Brian Matusz again?

54 votes

161 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

I didn't see the whole game....

….but my favorite moment was Turner scoring because Damon couldn’t be bothered to keep tabs on how many outs there were by this below-.500 team that dared to show up and play in the most storied structure ever storied in a story.

by Camden Chat on Sep 14, 2009 4:13 AM EDT reply actions

2 B fair...

Damon did exactly what BRob did a few weeks ago—he lost concentration. Apparently, Yankees can do that and get away with it.

by fishoutawata on Sep 14, 2009 4:43 AM EDT up reply actions

Except

He didn’t run be a clueless coach who obviously wasn’t paying attention and could have prevented the play if he had been…

by O'sFan21 on Sep 14, 2009 9:46 AM EDT up reply actions

I voted for Turner

because that was the highlight of the game for me. Heads-up baserunning plus Damon looking like an idiot.

I’m bummed the bullpen made this loss so ugly, and I really wanted the sweep, but hey I guess I’ll take a series win!

by O Nina on Sep 14, 2009 8:02 AM EDT up reply actions

Great move putting Flacco up there

And quite true—the late inning meltdown in this game was pretty meaningless given the cannon fodder that was on the mound, and how little was at stake. The fact that it stayed close until the 7th is not a bad thing at all. Plus, the Ravens were playing… (Sorry, Stacey.)

by fishoutawata on Sep 14, 2009 4:42 AM EDT reply actions

What are you apologizing to me for?

I was watching the Ravens.

Earl Weaver would’ve kissed Adam Dunn on the mouth in public. - SC 08/11/08

by Stacey on Sep 14, 2009 7:57 AM EDT up reply actions

ravens?

i cant take it anymore!!!

on that note, i voted for flacco. kept his head in the game even though his defense played awful. the o’s game was awful. chris waters is awful. that is all.

by twistedlogic on Sep 14, 2009 6:53 PM EDT up reply actions

i also voted flacco

if only there were less deadskin fans on here i think flacco would have won MBP.

Ray Rice is so agile. He's a whole new breed for agile you need a new word to describe his agility... UBER-AGILITY!

by BaltimoreSportsFan on Sep 15, 2009 3:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Didn't you have it in for people who talk footall here?

by fishoutawata on Sep 14, 2009 3:18 PM EDT reply actions

That would be football

and was supposed to be a reply. Oops.

by fishoutawata on Sep 14, 2009 3:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Me?

Hell no. You may be confusing me for O’s21girl, in which case I’ll have to ban you :-) I did suggest once that we create a separate post for football talk, but that was just because I thought there might be the demand for it, not because I have a problem with people talking about football.

Earl Weaver would’ve kissed Adam Dunn on the mouth in public. - SC 08/11/08

by Stacey on Sep 14, 2009 5:30 PM EDT up reply actions

that'd get kinda annoying tho

we’d have an open thread and a football thread all going plus a gamethread for the o’s at times. although that ravens game WAS exciting. i didn’t think brodie croyle actually knew how to play quarterback.

by twistedlogic on Sep 14, 2009 6:55 PM EDT up reply actions