6-Run Eighth Includes 3 Homers as 4-0 Deficit Is Erased: Orioles 6, Blue Jays 5
By Marc Carig
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, June 7, 2008
TORONTO, June 6 -- For seven innings Friday night, the Baltimore Orioles put forth a languid effort against Toronto Blue Jays starter Shaun Marcum, who dominated behind his arsenal of nasty cutters and change-ups. And even when Marcum walked off the mound for good in the eighth inning, shortly after yielding a leadoff double to Brian Roberts, the scoreboards at Rogers Centre still displayed a four-run lead that 23,649 fans fully expected to stand.
But the Orioles, watching from their dugout, could sense a change in the offing.
"We knew something was going to happen," Orioles center fielder Adam Jones said.
And by the time the eighth inning came to an end, something indeed had happened: Baltimore made up for an entire evening of indifference, dodged a near disaster of its own and finished a 6-5 comeback victory.
After Marcum threw seven scoreless innings -- a dominating performance that first baseman Kevin Millar said "makes you look so dead" -- the Orioles experienced a grand rebirth.
The Orioles terrorized the Blue Jays' bullpen, scoring six runs behind three home runs, the last by Jones to push Baltimore ahead to stay. Behind Jones's second straight game-winning homer, the Orioles continued to shed their road weary reputation, taking the series opener while climbing back to .500 (30-30) for the first time since May 28.
"Tonight speaks highly for what the guys are doing as a team," said Orioles Manager Dave Trembley, whose team has won four of its past five games. "Give us a little bit of an opening, and we're going to take advantage of it."
After the game, Trembley said the Orioles' resurgence has been the product of hard work, not "just because manna from heaven is falling down from the sky."
Marcum pitched with the lead from the second inning on, as Toronto chased left-handed starter Brian Burres after a forgettable 4 1/3 innings.
But after Blue Jays Manager John Gibbons pulled Marcum, left-handed reliever Brian Tallet allowed Nick Markakis to drive home Roberts with a single, part of a 4-for-4 night.
"I was just happy they took [Marcum] out," Orioles third baseman Melvin Mora said. "He controlled the game pretty good. We couldn't find a way to beat that guy."
Mora followed by golfing a fastball from Tallet over the fence in straightaway center for a two-run shot to bring Baltimore within one.
"The ball that Mora hit really woke our club up," Trembley said.
After Tallet induced a weak pop out from Aubrey Huff, former Oriole Armando Benítez got the call to finish off his former team. But the Orioles were just getting started.
Millar launched his third homer of the road trip to tie the score at 4. Then, Blue Jays shortstop David Eckstein allowed Luke Scott's grounder to bounce through his legs, which set the table for Jones's crucial homer.
"We have big-time resilience," said Jones, who put Benítez's mistake just over the left field wall.
With a two-run lead, the Orioles still had work to do. Reliever Chad Bradford walked leadoff man Rod Barajas in the eighth and allowed a bunt single to Brad Wilkerson. Toronto caught another break when a pitch glanced off the glove of catcher Ramón Hernández, the passed ball advancing the runners to second and third.
Matt Stairs grounded out to cut the deficit to 6-5. But Bradford bounced back to retire Shannon Stewart and Marco Scutaro. George Sherrill saved his 21st game.
"We know we're not a powerhouse," Millar said. "But we're a scrappy club."
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