May is slowly but inexorably slipping away. Pretty soon Memorial Day will be here and the start of summer. The heat and humidity will arrive soon to bring some misery to those summer days. Currently, the Baltimore nine are doing fine by misery. They've started the season with the second worst start any of their fans could imagine: a 2-16 apacolypse of bad hitting, terribly fielding, and abysmal relief pitching. There starters held there own, but lack of runs and lack of quality relief pitching doomed the Baltimore nine.

I've been to several games. The opening day was joy until the final innings. The next two were no better: home team giving up four runs while scoring a measly one. Then, in comes Seattle. They're offense is even worse than ours even with Ichiro. Baltimore also has games against other woeful teams as Cleveland and Kansas City. It is a battle of the losers.

After another tearful offensive perfomance against Cy Young winner, Cliff Lee, on Tuesday, the Orioles were able to battle for two straight wins. It lifts the city and the fans hearts out.

I attended both games. Wednesday in the rain, Baltimore's silent bats came alive for 5 runs on 11 hits. Thursday the bats were dead again as Seattle's ace, Felix Hernandez, took it to the home team allowing 1 run on 3 hits. That day started off gray, but the sun came out. In the last half of the eighth, with Brandon League relieving Hernandez, the sun shone brightly for Baltimore.

Brandon League has a hard time in Baltimore every time I attend a game. Last year, he closes out a four game finale for the Toronto Blue Jays by blowing another save and tossing the game away on a throwing error. Thursday, he gives up two home runs, one of which is a grand slam to starting to heat up Luke Scott. The grand slam is the game winner.

The final out happens at the plate on an Ichiro hit, a Corey Patterson throw, and a beautiful tag from Matt Weiters. It brought joy to the fans. Maybe baseball will heat up again in Baltimore.

I took the day off. The Yard was filled with kids. They made it loud, but screechy whenever they cheered. I was in dead center waiting for Ichiro or Luke Scott to bomb it there. They both hit a homer on either side of me. A Mets fan brought his buddies to root for the Orioles: high fives were exchanged during the triumphant blasts!

Anyway, I'm now 2-3 this year. I've still got nine season ticket games. And I can't wait for more winning.

Labels: , ,