Sunday Bird Droppings

Rays Beat Orioles 3-2 on Game-Ending Passed Ball - ABC News
"Yunel Escobar scored on Nick Hundley's passed ball with two outs in ninth inning Saturday, giving the Rays a 3-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles."

School of Roch: Hundley: "We lose a game because I didn't catch a ball"
"It's a fastball. That's on me. Nothing had to do with the pitch, the location. Just didn't get it done, didn't make a play." Nick Hundley isn't making excuses, that's for sure.

Orioles right-hander Kevin Gausman strong in start against Rays - baltimoresun.com
"Lost in the craziness of the Orioles’ 3-2 walkoff loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday afternoon was the solid start from right-hander Kevin Gausman. Gausman’s line – seven innings, five hits, two runs, four walks and seven strikeouts – probably didn’t do him justice."

Former Whiteville pitcher closes strong in Orioles' farm system | StarNewsOnline.com
"The end of the International League schedule halted the best run of Mike Wright's minor league baseball career. The former Whiteville and ECU right-hander didn't give up an earned run over his final 24 2/3 innings with the Triple-A Norfolk Tides."

Former Baltimore Orioles Outfielder Lew Ford is Still Playing and Perfoming Well | Orioles 101 | Sports Media 101
"Lew Ford, who also serves as the team’s hitting coach, is hitting .344 with 15 home runs, 38 doubles, 87 RBI, and has scored 93 runs this year for the Long Island Ducks. His .344 average is second in the league, while his 87 RBI, 38 doubles and 169 hits lead the entire league."

Happy Birthday to former Orioles David Newhan, Willie Morales, and Wade Rowdon.

On this date in Orioles history,  in 1996, "Mike Mussina shuts out the Tigers, 6 - 0, for his 19th win, giving the Orioles their first shutout of the year. It takes them 141 games to do it."

And while it's not in Orioles history, it's too good to pass up. In 1961, "Roger Maris lays down a bunt and also belts his 55th homer of the year in the 3rd inning as New York beats the Senators, 7 - 3. When asked by writers after the game why he bunted, a testy Maris replies, "Trying to win the game, you stupid ----------. Why do you think?"

You find out life's this game of inches, so is Open Thread. Because in either game - life or Open Thread- the margin for error is so small. I mean, one half a step too late or too early and you don't quite make it. One half second too slow, too fast and you don't quite catch it. The inches we need are everywhere around us. They're in every break of the game, every minute, every second. On this team we fight for that inch. On this team we tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our fingernails for that inch. Because we know when add up all those inches, that's gonna make the ... difference between winning and losing.

And consider this your inaugural 2014 NFL Regular Season Open Thread. We'll even let you talk about that team that should be starting Kirk Cousins if you want to.