The Afternoon of: Game 28

Rays 4 (16-12), Orioles 2 (15-13)

As our loyal 12 readers would agree, "PA" has really been slacking on his duties lately so I'll take this one.

MVP: Carl Crawford

Highlights

• We got six tremendous innings from Matt Garza. He would have pitched a shutout except for the fact that I typed "Garza fastball working" in my notes box the pitch before Adam Jones went yard to left. My bad.

• Carl Crawford continues to kill it as he went 2 for 3 with a walk, run, sacrifice, and the game winning RBI's in the 7th. Involved in 3 of the 4 runs.

• The bullpen: 3 scoreless innings, Percival is now tied for 10th all time in saves. Al Reyes should stay where he is, maybe we shouldn't have picked him up from jail?
  

• Our defense and pitching is letting us consistently win games without scoring 9 runs. If we keep this up, look out.

• After getting in a verbal scuffle with Orioles' Dennis Sarfate yesterday about stepping out of the box and "fucking with him" (Sarfate's words not mine), Carlos Pena called time during his first at bat against Brian Buress then sacraficed a run for a 1-0 Rays lead in the first.

Lowlights

• Hopefully this doesn't become the biggest story of the game: Upton had to leave the game during his 2nd at bat with what appeared to be another seperated shoulder. Let's hope for a speedy return.

• Iwamura is still not hitting too well, I don't want my leadoff batter to have the worst average in the lineup (he did today). However, as long as he keeps flipping his bat against the Red Sox, I'm happy.
  

Notes

• The Orioles' bullpen reminds me of ours from last year. Awful, just awful. Where's Chris Ray these days?

• Aubrey "Huff mad dong" continues to be involved in scoring against us (R)

• Brian Roberts really needs to work on his backhand. Unfortunately for him, "PA" was a much better defensive 2nd baseman.

• Hinske is apparently leading the AL in slugging % (.639)

• Today's attendence: 132 people (players not included)

• I like looking at the Games Behind column in the standings right now. Our number isn't 31, feels good.

• Some of the writers here have a friend from college who is an Orioles fan. He practices the "front tuck" exhibited below...

(this is not our friend, but he could be an O's fan)

AG