O’s take 2 of 3 from M’s

--submitted by Mark Nixon--

Game 1:  Baltimore 5  Seattle 2
Seattle Starter:  Langston
Baltimore Starter:  McGregor
Game MVP:  Eddie Murray

A balmy Baltimore 87 degree opening night under threatening skies kicked off the Baltimore and Seattle seasons.  On this night, Baltimore starter Scott McGregor scattered 8 Seattle hits, but no runs through 8 innings of work before yielding to Mark Williamson in the ninth.  Mark Langston struggled with his control all night yielding 7 walks and 5 runs through 5 1/3 innings.  Big blows for Baltimore came from a two RBI bases loaded single by Eddie Murray in the third. In the fourth a Murray sacrifice fly drove in another run.  Heading into the 9th, Baltimore held a 5-0 lead, but McGregor tired and Mark Williamson yielded two singles and two runs before closing out the game. 

Game 2:  Baltimore 6 Seattle 5
Seattle Starter:  Bannister
Baltimore Starter:  Boddicker
Game MVP:  Larry Sheets

Seattle jumps to a 1st inning 4 run lead against Baltimore starter Mike Boddicker as he yields three singles, two walks and a Jim Presley home run.  Baltimore answered with one in the bottom on the inning.  Seattle added one more run to the lead in the top of the 6th on an RBI double by Bruce Bochte who ended up 3 for 5 on the game.  Trailing 5-1 after 7, the Birds finally broke through for a big inning against Seattle pitching scoring 4 of their own in the bottom of the 8th.  The big hit when part-timer Larry Sheets followed a walk and two singles with a three run home run down the right field line against Seattle reliever Mike Schooler who had entered the game to stem the tide.  Baltimore won the game in the bottom of the 11th inning on three consecutive singles by Rich Dauer, Cal Ripken and the game winner by Eddie Murray off Seattle’s Bryan Clark before both teams caught the red eye out of town to the great Northwest for the final game of the series. 

Game 3:  Seattle 4 Baltimore 3
Baltimore Starter:  Flanagan
Seattle  Starter:  Hanson
Game MVP:  Phil Bradley

Opening night at the Kingdome, but how could you tell?  Erik Hanson awaited Baltimore, indoors at the always beautiful Kingdome .  Seattle jumped to an early two run lead in the bottom of the first as Alvin Davis leadoff with a single and Phil Bradley quickly deposited a Mike Flanagan pitch in the left-centerfield stands.  Baltimore answered back in the top of the 2nd with two runs of their own .  Seattle then reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the inning on an Al Cowens solo home run.  Baltimore would tie it up again in the top of the 6th when Jim Dwyer hit a solo shot 419 feet to centerfield, unfortunately for Baltimore that would be their last, and only 3rd, hit of the day as Hanson remained mostly dominant for 6 innings, but did not hang around for the win.  In the bottom of the 7th Phil Bradley drove in the game winning run on an RBI single that scored Spike Owen from second base.  The bullpens then closed out the game with Seattle reliever Mike Jackson getting the win and Mike Stanton the save.

Fun series, well managed by Bill Schneider.