Orioles inexplicably lose in DC

The Orioles banged out 18 hits last night in DC. 18 hits yet only four runs and in an overall sloppy, underwhelming game the Orioles end up losing 8-4. The Nationals needed only 10 hits to score their eight runs, only five were earned. Three unearned runs came in the bottom of the fifth inning with Carlos Ramos on third and Jerry Hairston on first the Nationals' pitcher Jason Marquis came to the plate.

Marquis laid down a mediocre bunt in an attempt to sacrifice in the Nats' first run of the game. The ball travelled easily to the waiting glove of Mark Reynolds who picked it up, stopped, froze the runner and then threw to first. It was such an easy play, and easy throw. You could almost hear his thought process:

"Ah, delightful. It seems I have captured the ball on this poor bunt attempt. Oh! the runner on third - ahhh you crafty Ramos. You stay there, you will not travel home this day. Well, now all that is left to do is to lift my arm and casually throw the ball to first thus recording the first out of the inning."

Yes, Mark intended to throw the ball to Derrek Lee but he did not. Rather he threw it away from there. The throw, a very easy throw, went inexplicably wide and Ramos came into score, Hairston moved to third and Marquis, the pitcher that had failed just ten seconds prior was now standing on second base.

The Nationals went on to score three more runs that inning all of them unearned.

Despite the absolutely ridiculous error the Orioles fought back the very next inning to tie the game off of Vladimir Guerrero's RBI single followed by a JJ Hardy sac fly. The Orioles would load the bases that inning, with two out an Matt Wieters up he grounded out to end the inning.

The goats for last night were definitely Luke Scott and Matt Wieters, going a combined 0-10 in the middle of the lineup while the number 2,3 and 6 batters go 13-15. Scott and Wieters left 11 men on base last night allowing the Nationals to escape with a win.

>>> Read More