Game 36: Orioles 8, Indians 1

The Good: * In the comments of the game preview thread before the start of this one, I said that if Guthrie avoids the longball he should be fine. 8 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 4 K, 2 HBP. Yup. Retired 16 in a row at one point. * Corey "SparkPlug" Patterson went 3-4 at the plate and stole a home run in left-field. He also struck out on three pitches (waving at a pitch out of the zone), to help me keep the faith that he's actually not good. I'll bring back what I said when he was called up:

"Sure Patterson might hit well for a couple games. He might make an outstanding play in center. But at the end of the day, he’s still Corey Patterson"

Yup. * Adam Jones picked up two hits including an RBI triple, and actually didn't chase every slider out of the zone that Masterson threw. * Tejada went 2-4 with a bases loaded two-run single (Markakis was intentionally walked with runners on second and third). Drove in 3 in all. *Luke Scott went 3-5. You know what happens when Scott gets hot... lasershow! * Ty Wigginton struck out twice, but still managed a 3-5 with a double. * Wieters took an 0-fer, but worked a couple walks. * Cesar Izturis  also walked twice - first time since 2008 he's done that. * Biggest margin of victory for the O's this season, and quite an offensive performance. 8 runs on 14 hits, but also 6 walks. That's what I like to see. The Bad: * Rhyne Hughes went 0-5 with 2 K's, and might not be in the majors much longer. Since his nice two-game start, he hasn't hit a lick. * O's grounded into two more double plays (Markakis and Scott). The Final: Orioles win 8-1, and improve to 12-24 on the season. And 10-8 in their last 18. It's fun when the team isn't sucking.