The Orioles Are The New Comeback Kids After Winning 3 Of Their Last 4 Games Via The Walk-Off And I Recap An Awesome Weekend In Birdland
I wrote it a few days back that this team was fun and then they went on to lose like 6 in a row. That wasn't great, but things are suddenly looking up for the Birds. They lost the first 3 games of a 4 game series vs the Yanks but then closed the series in a big way.
This game started like the others we saw this weekend, with the Orioles down early. But there's a trend with this team this year, they fight and claw back. That is what Anthony Santander did when he hit a 3-run bomb in the bottom of the 9th to avoid a sweep from the Yankees with the walk-off tater. What made it even better was he hit it over the vaunted left field wall that the Yankees players and managers were openly bitching and crying about, talk about poetic justice. That was a nice little Thursday, a little appetizer for the weekend and what was to come. Then on Friday the Rays came into town and the Orioles yet again fell behind early but clawed their way back.
A few late inning rallies, the Rays blowing several leads, and a 13th inning moonshot by Rougned Odor gave the Orioles their second straight walk-off win via the homer. First time since 2015 they had done that. Beautiful way to start the weekend. The next day we all woke up to the news that the top prospect in baseball, Adley Rutschman was joining the team. ELECTRIC news to hear. Place was buzzing, people were flying in from out of town, cancelling plans left and right to come see Adley make his debut. Game didn't go the way the Orioles wanted but again, the place was BUZZING. The vibes were immaculate, it was awesome to be there and the place exploded when he got his first career hit, a triple of course. Just like Manny Machado and Matt Wieters before him, so if you're a top prospect for the O's you will hit a triple for your first career hit.
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It's hilarious that they ruled it a triple and not a double with an error since Brett Phillips juggled that thing like he was in the circus. But man, what a moment for Adley. This whole weekend was centered around him and he delivered. Standing ovation every time he came up, standing ovation after he struck out, standing ovation when he took the field for the first time. Him walking out to the field for the first time gave me goosebumps, you could see he was very emotional, what an awesome moment for the kid. Realizing your childhood dreams have come true, awesome.
It was the most juiced up I've seen the ballpark in a long, long time. Like I wrote this signaled the changing of the guard. This is the new era. Not saying the rebuild is over because there is still a long way to go. But this is a hell of a first step. Adley was the first piece of the rebuild and he is officially here. He's played 2 games and already injected some absolute fire into this team.
Look no further than the game on Sunday when Spencer Watkins got SMOKED with a ball in the top of the first and had to leave the game. So an unexpected bullpen game vs the Rays when you're down 1-0 isn't great. A 3-run homer followed and you're in a 4-0 hole before you can blink and your starter is gone. Not great! But again, this team just fucking fights back. The Rays had a 4-man outfield for Adley and guess what, he still got a hit. The bullpen was awesome all game and was the reason they were in the game in the end.
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Austin Hays tied it up with 1 strike to spare with a huge hit off the bench before the rain came in and like I've been hammering all blog, this team doesn't quit. This is a game the Orioles lose 9-0 last year and there are 3 position players pitching during it. Not this year. Not this O's team.
Just like Friday night, Rougned Odor came through in a big way in extras and we got ourselves a series win over the Rays. An unreal bad play by Choi who just….missed the ball? That play allowed Adley to come in and score and again, what a come from behind win with your bullpen pitching 11 innings. Unreal. Just a crazy good win for the Orioles and a series win vs a team coming in had won 15 straight games vs the Orioles. Now they've won 2/3. I love this team. I love the juice, I love the excitement, I love the ballpark going crazy. This team is going to be fun to watch this summer, I promise you that. They're going to win games too, this rebuild is going smoothly and this is going to be a lineup that can score runs. 3 walk-offs in 4 games for the first time since 1974, not too bad! 3 wins all coming against damn good teams via the walk-off makes for an awesome weekend, so much fun at the yard.
And people asked for it…and they got it. We've got more O's merch. The Home Run Chain is the best thing in baseball right now because of how great it is, well now you can have your Bombing Birds shirt, come and get it.
GET YOUR BOMBING BIRDS SHIRT NOW NOW NOW NOW!
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And of course, we had to get an Adley shirt out there. Since RUTSCHMANIA is taking over Baltimore you have to own the shirt. Absolute flames here. BUY BUY BUY YOUR RUTSCHMANIA SHIRT!
This is going to be a team to watch this whole year, they're fun, they play hard, they never quit and are going to give teams fits this year. And then next year? Watch out baby, the Baby Birds are coming.
PS. My favorite thing Adley does is go out and meet the pitcher after every inning. Gives em a fist bump and they talk. That is a leader, that is a guy who wants to lift his guys up. And that is a guy who pumps his pitcher up when the pitcher gets out of a jam in extra innings. Look at this, I love it.