Orioles Rally Should Have Been Expected

Oh me of little faith.

I’ll admit, I was pretty down once Brian McCann hit his solo home run in the top of the ninth inning in Sunday night’s game. Usually, when something like that happens, it takes the air out of the building. Instead, Camden Yards celebrated.

At least 35% of the 43,947 present were driven into a frenzy, and suddenly, it became 2003  again. The stands were packed with smug Yankees fans, and their team was beating the Orioles – in the most heartbreaking fashion.

Heartbreaking, because this wasn’t the way the script was supposed to go. The Orioles weren’t supposed to wilt before the pressure of a third-place team on national television. Their best reliever, Darren O’Day, was supposed to be a shut-down reliever. He was the LAST person who should have given up the game-winner. The Orioles were supposed to be trimming their Magic Number to three, not delaying inevitability. They certainly were not supposed to put me through this. Not again.

I’ll admit it: Negative Nancy came out, and she was not pretty. I turned to my (very patient) wife and said “well, the middle of the order is up. Do you think it will take more than nine pitches for the three of them to strike out, trying to hit a home run?” My baseball experience had become a dark and stormy night – even though the weather was beautiful.

Shame on me. I should have known.

I should have known that, unlike 2003, the O’s wouldn’t roll over in the ninth. The We Won’t Stop mantra wasn’t just lip service to the fans.

Instead, Nelson Cruz doubled, and Steve Pearce doubled in Quintin Berry, who had been called upon to pinch run for just that eventuality. With Pearce 180 feet from winning the game, the Orioles turned to retread-turned-starter Kelly Johnson. You know, just like they drew it up.

And Johnson delivered another improbable Orioles rally. Or perhaps, another that should should have been expected.

Remember that Yankees-induced frenzy I mentioned at the top? Nothing compared to the moments that followed Johnson’s hit landing in the outfield grass. Nothing compared to the crowd’s reaction to the mob scene around second base. Nothing compared to the emotion of watching the Orioles win one, in the most dramatic fashion, on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball, and ruining the evening of a lot of Yankees fans who came to watch The Derek Jeter Show.

I’m sorry, Orioles. You deserve better than that. Thanks for reminding me why this season is different.

Photo Credit: AP Photo/Patrick Semansky