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Pictured above is Eric O'Flaherty, Patron Saint of Blowing Games. In another nail-biter, the O's AGAIN came from behind to score a 5-4 win over Seattle, giving the Birds their first four-game sweep since 2004. O'Flaherty was inexplicably brought into the game in the bottom of the eighth and gave up a solo home run to an ice cold Aubrey Huff, which turned out to be the game winner.

Now, look, I'm going to be a realist for a second. This team can't keep winning games by coming from behind. It's not going to work.

Now that I'm done with that, THIS IS BIRDLAND, G!

Luis Luis came through with a 2-for-2 day at the plate and made some fine defensive plays behind our pitchers, who started off on the familiar rocky road thanks to Daniel Cabrera. Cabrera went six innings, which he should get some credit for after allowing two first inning solo home runs to Ichiro and Raul Ibanez, putting the O's in a hole right away. Over the six innings, Cabrera allowed four earned runs on five hits and four walks, with five strikeouts.

The difference between Cabrera now and the old Cabrera is he throws slower. It's probably on purpose, with him trying to control the ball better, but it does hurt his K-rate and does make him more hittable, which is going to give him a lot of really horrific outings, like it did last year. The best thing he had going for him was he was really hard to hit; you either struck out or walked, in most cases. Since his walk rates aren't falling any, that means he's letting MORE guys on base. Which is bad news.

But, again, now that I'm done with that, THIS IS BIRDLAND, SON!

Jamie Walker got a couple of outs today, and Dennis Sarfate picked up the win. I really like Dennis the Menace so far -- that guy's philosophy seems to be, "Hey, you. Hit THIS." His fastball is really nice, he's getting ahead in counts, and he's just doing a really good job. He's so good, in fact, that I think we could be looking at a top-notch setup guy or even a closer. Not that we need another closer right now, since George Sherrill is now 4-for-4 in save opportunities, as he got a 1-2-3 ninth inning on Betancourt, Ichiro and Lopez.

Carlos Silva was very Carlos Silva for the Mariners, going seven, allowing four earned on nine hits with no walks and five strikeouts.

For the O's, Brian Roberts went 3-for-4 with two RBI to salvage what had been a pretty bad series for him, and Melvin Mora hit a two-run homer in the third, capping a three-run inning where the Birds took their first lead of the game.

The Mariners tied it in the top of the fourth on an idiotic "defensive indifference" play by Cabrera. Let's not even get into it.

Five in a row. First place. Five in a row!

I'm getting some serious "first half of 2005" vibes about this team, but this is a team that's built in a way that it could get better as the season goes on. If they steal enough games early...who knows?

Jay Payton got to pinch run. Never complain about PT, Jay!

We're having some good fun to start this season. On to Arlington! Let's mess with Texas.

I do send one recommendation to M's fans, though: Be careful about hoping John McLaren gets the ax. You might get Sam Perlozzo.

Orioles fans, take a good look at your closer: George "Shutdown" Sherrill, flat brim and all, looking something like a 19-year old that still thinks Eminem is good.

He's getting the job done. Shutdown Sherrill closed his third game for the O's tonight, extending our win streak to the same number, and making us 3-1 in our first four games. How about that?

This is Birdland!

Player of the game was Luke Scott, who went 3-for-3 with a walk and drove in two. Millar was 1-for-2 with three walks (one intentional) and scored not once, not twice, but thrice. Brian Roberts got on base three times and made three baserunning outs, being wrongly called out at third on a steal attempt, getting thrown out at home by Mike Morse on a dumb mistake by third base coach Juan Samuel, and then getting caught in a rundown off of a Nick Markakis swinging bunt in the bottom of the eighth.

As a team, the Mariners did their share in helping us out, throwing the ball willy-nilly all over the damn place, including Miguel Batista, who walked in a run among his four free passes over five innings. If you had listened to Jim Palmer, you would have known that Batista was the ace of Seattle's staff last year because he won 16 games.

Speaking of the commentary, Gary Thorne continues to say "Richie Sexton." Can someone at MASN or in the front office or in the Mariners booth PLEASE send him a memo? Jesus. For the record, Richie Sexton looks absolutely cooked as a player, too. He is awful. He struck out not once, not twice, but thrice. Luckily, he did avoid the old Golden Sombrero.

In all honesty, without massive help from Seattle's four errors and ridiculous gaffes (Batista walking a run in, Beltre being safe at second and then falling off the bag, becoming out), the Orioles don't win this game. But just like yesterday, you take 'em where you can get 'em with a team like this. And who knows? Maybe they get in the winning spirit, it starts carrying over, yada yada...

I'm not all caught up in craziness just yet, but it's always fun to watch your team win some ballgames.

And I know we're going to get the, "Oh just you wait and see!" crowd here, but...

Adam Loewen looked like the same old tired song and dance as before. Loewen couldn't make it out of the fifth inning, can't throw strikes, has no control over any of his pitches, and doesn't even really look like he has a single plus pitch. His velocity was 84-89 on his fastball by the MASN gun -- I think he may have gotten over 90 a couple times, but it wasn't the norm by any means. Loewen is one of these guys that we might have to just face facts on in the midst of rebuilding. Command issues like his don't just go away very often. And if he can't make it past five innings, is he really helping us?

Attendance was up. So that's good. And we won! This is Birdland, son!

The O's went to 2-1 tonight with a 7-4 victory over the Mariners, which was good news and all, but still, erm, some issues.

Yeah, Millar and Razor and Mora all went yard and Luis Hernandez even had two RBI (both sac flies), but...

Bullet points!

• Dave Trembley's bullpen management is positively Perlozzoian.
• Nick Markakis does not look great against left handed pitching.
• Greg Aquino is AWFUL.

Sarfate, Walker and Bradford did their jobs, but why were the latter two even pitching? It was a five-run game before Aquino crapped the bed and gave up a two-run homer to Richie Sexson in the ninth inning, which led to Sherrill coming in following a Mike Morse double after the Sexson home run. Adrian Beltre also homered for the Mariners earlier in the game.

A fine win in many ways, and it's good to see this team playing so hard. The fielding was excellent, as Luis Hernandez made some really nice plays and Mora had a couple highlights, too. But Trembley is worrying me. Walker and Bradford don't need to be throwing 80 games apiece again.

How about a play of the game? OK.

Play of the Game: Raul Ibanez, with a 3-0 count, swings away and grounds into a 4-6-3 double play. What a boner.

Aquino will be the first guy in the 'pen to lose his job. And there was no reason to use Walker when Randor Bierd and Matt Albers are out there. It's a five-run game. That's why you have those guys.

But, we won. Let's take it where we can get it.