[Previous entry: "Phillies Journal - 2005"] [Main Index] [Next entry: "MLB News: Mets, Pedro notch first win"]
04/11/2005 Archived Entry: "MLB News: Big Apple Action on Sunday"
Orioles send Message to AL East- We're back and we brought our Bats
Pitching Duel at Shea gives Pedro and Mets first win- Smoltz just shakes his head
by Trent Harrison
Youngster Rodrigo Lopez stepped up to the mound at Yankee Stadium yesterday, a place many a pitcher has lost his nerve, and left the New York hitters scratching their heads in giving his team a 7-2 win on Sunday. Lopez( 2-0) went eight innings and scattered six hits while striking out eight and had some excellent field work behind him. Offensively, the Orioles were simply smokin', Sosa and Larry Bigbie were the only ones not to get a hit as Old Timer Raffy Palmeiro went 3-4 with a stolen base. Take that New York.
The Yanks on the other hand were simply a beaten team. When they weren't second guessing themselves at the plate, any offense they did produce was squashed by solid defense by the Orioles. The 3-4-5 hitters( Sheffield, Matsui, Sierra) went 0 for the day with three strikeouts. The thrid inning gave the Yanks a scare when a Melvin Mora line-drive went of starter Carl Pavano's temple, after which he left the game for precautionary examination. Pavano was already reeling from his first two innings( 5H, 1ER, 1K) and the bullpen had no answers for this seemingly high-octane offense of the Orioles.
It doesn't get any easier for the Yankees as they go up to Fenway Park today for a series with the Red Sox, while Baltimore earned a day off for winning this series before they go to Tampa Bay. If these Baltimore pitchers can perform with some consistency, this team could be pretty darn fun to watch, especially with the speedy Palmeiro on the basepaths.
