Hello, friends.
Though I never would have said this until a couple of years ago, it turns out that among the greatest things in life is the Orioles beating the Royals. They were able to do that last night thanks to an unexpectedly strong pitching performance from Mike Wright and, in a much more expected development, thanks to a bunch of dongs. Check out my recap of the game and make sure to make your vote count in the Most Birdland Player poll.
With that win, the O's are alone atop the American League East. The Red Sox were off on Monday, putting the O's ahead by half a game. There's never a bad day that the Orioles end in first place.
It's probably a good thing that the O's pulled off the win in the game started by Wright, because Ubaldo Jimenez is awaiting tonight. Maybe he is due for a good start or something. I don't know. I have a feeling he'll be the cure for what ails the Royals offense. Then again, I said the same thing about Wright yesterday, so keep in mind that I know even less than Jon Snow.
Around the blogO'sphere
Jonathan Schoop developing into best off-speed hitter on Orioles this season - Baltimore Sun
This is probably not a headline you ever expected to read - though you may perhaps fear what it says about the rest of the team that Schoop is hitting off-speed better than they are.
2016 Orioles Food Drive Was A Huge Success " CBS Baltimore
You may have contributed to the annual food drive if you went to any of the games in the Yankees series over the weekend.
Showalter speaks after 4-1 win - School of Roch
As he tends to do after every game, Buck Showalter sounded off for O's reporters about his thoughts after last night's win.
With a 'vengeance,' Wright impresses in 'do-over' - BaltimoreBaseball.com
"He came out here with a vengeance," said shortstop Manny Machado. Whether Wright can harness that same vengeance in another five days and every five days thereafter, well, I guess that's the big mystery.
A look at the 18th-round pick that ranks second in the Carolina League in ERA - Steve Melewski
You will never believe this, but Steve Melewski is getting excited about a random Orioles prospect. 24-year-old Matthew Grimes is indeed having a great season for the Keys, posting a 1.08 ERA and 0.990 WHIP in 11 starts to date. Yes, 24 is old for the Carolina League.
Washington Nationals reportedly sign Steve Lombardozzi, who will report to Triple-A - Federal Baseball
Team Steve still lives, although in this case he will have to live in Orioles-adjacent territory rather than in Birdland.
Birthdays and anniversaries
On this day in 1998, the Orioles retired jersey number 33 for Eddie Murray. And in 2010, the Orioles picked some guy named Machado with their top pick in the draft.
A handful of former Orioles have birthdays today. They are: 2000-02's Chris Richard, bad 1999 signing Heathcliff Slocumb, and 1968 swingman Roger Nelson.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Along with those former Orioles, your birthday buddies for today include: Han Chinese Emperor Wu (156 BC), British author Elizabeth Bowen (1899 AD), Wienermobile designer Brooks Stevens (1911), particular set of skills-haver Liam Neeson (1952), outdoor TV dude Bear Grylls (1974), practice detractor Allen Iverson (1975), funny man Bill Hader (1978), Fringe actress Anna Torv (1979), Alex Mack's Larisa Oleynik (1981), and rapper Iggy Azalea (1990).
On this day in history...
In 1628, King Charles I of England granted royal assent to the Petition of Right, which is said to have had an influence on some amendments in the Bill of Rights to the US Constitution.
In 1776, the Lee Resolution was presented to the Continental Congress - this would eventually lead to the writing of the Declaration of Independence.
In 1892, Mr. Homer Plessy was arrested for not leaving his seat in a "whites only" railroad car. This injustice was later upheld by the United States Supreme Court in Plessy v. Ferguson, leading to decades of the "separate but equal" doctrine.
In 1944, in D-Day+1 in World War II, the "Red Devils" of the UK's 6th Airborne Division, holding the eastern-most positions inland after the Normandy landings, repelled a German attack in the area of the village of Ranville.
In 1965, the US Supreme Court handed down a decision, Griswold v. Connecticut, which legalized use of contraception by married couples. Uh... it wasn't legal before? Actually, only Massachusetts and Connecticut had this seldom-enforced law left on the books by then.
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And that's the way it is in Birdland on June 7, or at least, until something happens later. Have a safe Tuesday. Go Orioles!