Game Recap #21 Cleveland Indians @ Baltimore Orioles

Long before the well-acclaimed Camden Yards stood its ground in downtown Baltimore, the Orioles were a proud and noble franchise. Likewise, their visitors for the weekend, the Cleveland Indians, also have a history they would love to get back to. This season looks like it could be a turning point for both teams, and as they fight for every inch they can get, they will bump heads tonight. The pitching matchup, with Derek Lowe going for Cleveland and Jake Arrieta sent out for the Orioles, leads one to believe this could be a high-scoring affair. Cleveland made good on this idea in the first inning, as Shin-Soo Choo got aboard on a single, as did Jason Kipnis, before another single from Michael Brantley brought him home. Baltimore shook off the early damage in their half of the first, as Brian Roberts reached on an error by Casey Kotchman, got to second on a wild pitch, was brought to third by an Xavier Avery groundout, and then scored as J.J. Hardy reached on an error. The runs continued, as they took a lead once Adam Jones singled his way aboard and Hardy was scored by a Wilson Betemit double, before Jones scored on a Chris Davis groundout. The second inning went far more smoothly, but the third inning was rocky for Arrieta, who gave up a lead off Asdrubal Cabrera solo home run. Cleveland got to him again in the fourth inning, as singles by Kotchman, Lonnie Chisenhall, and Lou Marson loaded the bases with only out, prompting a Choo walk to score Kotchman and a single from Jason Kipnis ended Arrieta's day as Chisenhall and Marson came home. His line was an ugly 3 2/3 innings, eight hits and two walks to make five earned runs, with only two strikeouts. Tom Patton was next for the Orioles on the hill, shutting down the fourth inning effectively. It was the Orioles' turn to make an attack in the fifth inning, with Lowe walking Robert Andino, who quickly stole second base, moved over to third on a Roberts groundout, and then scored on another groundout from Avery. Baltimore gained the lead and chased Lowe in the sixth inning by getting Betemit and Davis aboard with singles, setting up Matt Wieters for a three-run long ball onto Eutaw Street. Jeremy Accardo worked out of a jam to end the inning. Lowe's line read 5 1/3 innings pitched, yielding six hits and three walks, allowing seven runs, four earned, while striking out two. The Indians shot back in the seventh inning, tying the game with a Shelley Duncan double off of Darren O'Day to bring the inherited runner Kotchman in. Duncan later scored when Marson grounded into a double play, and after two more singles, Matt Lindstrom was called on for the final out of the inning. Baltimore edged back ahead in the bottom of the seventh, when Ryan Flaherty served up a single on a Joe Smith offering to bring in Davis, who singled to get on and was pushed into scoring position on a Wieters walk. The Orioles got another in the eighth inning when Chris Perez was taken deep by Avery, another long ball to find the road outside. Cleveland tried to pull back in the ninth inning on closer Jim Johnson when Duncan singled aboard and was scored by Choo, but Choo never came across to tie the game, and Baltimore won 9-8. Lindstrom was in line for the win, Johnson converted an ugly but effective save, and Smith was the victim of the loss. In addition to chasing Lowe in the sixth, the other two stolen bases of the game happened here, as both Flaherty and Roberts took second base. Baltimore may be hoping this is the offensive spark they need to take some control in the AL East, while the Indians sit at .500 in the AL Central, and may struggle getting past rivals in Detroit and Chicago.