They are the darling of the underdog, the torch bearers of the down and out, and the Rocky Balboa of the Diamonds. They are the Baltimore Orioles, the giant killers, and their next challenge is their hated arch-rival, the New York Yankees. In July, the Birds had battled and scratched, but fell behind the powerful Yanks by ten full games. Was it over?
Not for a minute. Back the Orioles came, eventually deadlocking the Bronx Bombers about four different times. On the final Sunday of the season they secured a wild card, but didn't back down. After the final Monday, they trailed by a single game. With two games to go they won an epic struggle with determined Tampa Bay by a 1-0 score. Fifteen Orioles stuck out, but still they won. They lost that last regular season game and finished second. That meant the Yankees went home and rested while the Orioles journeyed to Texas for a knock-out one-game playoff with the two-time defending American League Champs. But as they had done all season, they mustered together an amazing win. In front of over 40,000 rally-towel-waving fanatical Texans, the Orioles rode the outstanding pitching of veteran Joe Saunders and a trio of bullpen aces to a 5-1 victory. The win pushes them into the AL Divisional round and a best of five game series with the Yanks. Jason Hammel was the Oriole Ace by the time he was injured in the middle of July. He has started only twice since, the last time several weeks ago when he re-injured his knee and left in the fourth inning. Instead of moping, he went to the Orioles facility in Sarasota, Florida and rapidly rehabilitated the knee. On Saturday, Oriole Manager Buck Showalter announced that Hammel will start the 6 pm game at Camden Yards against New York Ace CC Sabathia.
Showalter has also announced that Wei-Yin Chen will start game 2 and Miguel Gonzalez game 3 for the Orioles. A fourth starter, Joe Saunders, and fifth starter, Chris Tillman are also on the 25-man roster. Saunders won the Texas game and, along with Chris Tillman, are likely starters if the series goes to a fourth and fifth games. Left off the roster is Steve Johnson, 4-0 for the Orioles as a starter during the stretch run. Several players other players also on the active roster for the Texas game are missing from the roster the Yankee series, including infielder Omar Quintanilla and pitcher Zach Britton, another starter. Nick Markakis, one of the Orioles best players, is still recovering from surgery for a broken hand and is also inactive for the Yankee series. The Orioles think - hope - Pray - that Markakis will be ready for the World Series if they are still alive. Less likely but not yet ruled out is the American League Championship series.
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