A NINTH INNING COMEBACK

DOWN 2-0 INTO THE INNING

LUIS HERNANDEZ GAME WINNING TWO-OUT RBI

THE TYING RUN SCORED ON A WILD PITCH

I HAVE TO GO TO FAMILY DINNER

I'M GOING TO TAG ALL THE COOLEST ORIOLES FOR THIS POST

EVEN YOU, JAY PAYTON

I'M FREAKING RIGHT THE HELL OUT

ORIOLES MAGIC

LUIS IS BIRDLAND

Felix Hernandez, RH (0-0, 0.00/1.14) v. Jeremy Guthrie, RH (0-1, 8.44/1.88)

Game time is 1:35 on MASN2.

The STATS preview says, "A sudden injury to Erik Bedard cost him the first chance to face his old teammates, but the Seattle Mariners are not expecting to skip a beat."

Yes. A "sudden injury" -- how convenient. And if the Mariners plan not to skip any of the beats they've shown in the last two games, that'd be fine by me.

King Felix put up a 3.92 ERA and 1.38 WHIP at age 21 last season, but wasn't the Mariners ace in 2007 because Miguel Batista won 16 games. Ask Jim Palmer, who was not the ace of the 1970 Orioles, because McNally and Cuellar won 24 games to his 20.

Guthrie's location was iffy in his first start, the main culprit to a rocky beginning of his tenure as the ace of the O's. I'm really not worried about Guts; he looked fine, just a little off at times. He left one up to Eric Hinske and it got bombed. It happens. He threw 5 1/3 innings in that start, making it the second-deepest start among the four Oriole starters we've seen thus far. Trachsel wins the prize with 5 2/3.

With the way the pen's being beaten on so far -- and I should be fair, the starters are the first to blame, but I still think Trembley is a little wacky so far -- we need a good start from Guthrie today. Hopefully he can turn in 6+ and keep us in the game.

MARINERS STARTING LINEUP

1. Ichiro, RF
2. Jose Lopez, 2B
3. Raul Ibanez, LF
4. Richie Sexson, 1B
5. Adrian Beltre, 3B
6. Brad Wilkerson, RF
7. Jose Vidro, DH
8. Jamie Burke, C
9. Yuniesky Betancourt, SS

ORIOLES STARTING LINEUP

1. Brian Roberts, 2B
2. Melvin Mora, 3B
3. Nick Markakis, RF
4. Kevin Millar, 1B
5. Aubrey Huff, DH
6. Luke Scott, LF
7. Jay Payton, CF
8. Guillermo Quiroz, C
9. Luis Hernandez, SS
   

FUN STATS

• Guthrie hasn't been so successful at Camden Yards, going just 2-6 overall with a 4.40 ERA. But his peripherals are all solid. The record is more reflective of his, you know, team.
• In his young career, Nick Markakis has just one homer against the Mariners, but he's hit .321/.365/.449.
• In HIS young career, Felix Hernandez is hit hard by the O's: 5.60/1.78 with a .347 BAA. And he's 3-2.
• And his moderately young career, Mariners shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt is 30-for-85 (.353) against Baltimore.
  

via www.sportsnet.ca

In a rather unsurprising turn of events, Erik Bedard will not be making his scheduled return to Baltimore start tomorrow, sitting out with what is being called "something wrong with his hip, the baby."

If you ask this journalist, it sounds like nothing more than Bedard, the ex-Orioles ace, being terrified to face his former teammates, who are currently riding a three-game winning streak and have embarrassed his new team on consecutive days, scoring demoralizing victories in front of sellout crowds at Camden Yards.

Such cowardice on display from what was once a respected man about town! Such lack of intestinal fortitude that it begs one to ask, "Is this the guy we traded? Why were we ever reluctant to do so?"

March on, Adam Jones. March on, Shutdown Sherrill. Play with your heads high, for you are winners. This "Buh-dard" that was once so highly regarded among Orioles fans is showing his true colors: Yellow, all over.