Streak Killers! Angels and Santana Stop O's 3-2 - N51_rob's Blog

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N51_rob's Blog

Streak Killers! Angels and Santana Stop O's 3-2

Posted on April 22, 2012 at 12:59 AM.

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Ervin Santana was near unhittable for much of his 6.2 innings.

Anaheim, CA Nine games. That is the number the Baltimore Oriole winning streak had reached before Ervin Santana and the Los Angeles Angels put a stop to it taking game two of their 3 game set 3-2 in a thriller.

Santana was lights out for most of the game. His fastball, slider combination had the Orioles at his mercy the first two times through the line up. How good was Santana? Following a Nick Markakis single in the top of the first, Baltimore didn't get another base runner until the 6th inning when Robert Andino singled, or 15 straight batters.

Not to be lost in the mastery of Santana, Baltimore's Wei-Yin Chen pitched a pretty good game in his own right. Chen did all he could to give the Oriole bats a chance to get to Santana. He allowed only 2 runs over 6 innings on 6 hits, while striking out 4. In relief of Chen Pedro Strop had his best performance of the season striking out all three batters he faced in the 7th inning.

The Angels got on on the score board first in the 2nd inning. Following a Mark Trumbo (.433 average) single, Chen tried to catch the 3B leaning and threw a wild pick off throw into the stands for an error which moved Trumbo to 3rd. RF Torrie Hunter bounced into a 4-3 fielders choice that scored Trumbo and the Angels were on the board with a 1-0 lead. Trumbo in the 4th again started an Angel rally, this time with a double. One batter later Vernon Wells replaced Trumbo at second with his first double of the season allowing Trumbo to score and LA to take a 2-0 lead.

It was a lead they would hold for most of the game. Baltimore did manage to get one run in the 6th when they finally got to Santana a bit. Robert Andino (who is playing good baseball now that he is being given every day playing time) started the rally with a one out single. Following a Nolan Reimold K, Ryan Flaherty (filling in for the again injured JJ Hardy) got a hit. Flaherty had been struggling coming into the game he had a .095 BA. Nick Markakis got his second hit on a ground ball through the infield to load the bases. Adam Jones' single the 4th hit of the inning plated Andino as Flaherty was gunned down trying to score to end the inning with only 1 run scoring.

2-1 was the score as the O's batted in the top of the 9th facing closer Jordan Walden, as the halo's looked to close out the game. Nick Markakis singled and was replaced by pinch runner Endy Chavez. Chavez stole 2nd. It was his 3rd steal of the season and the 100th of his career. Adam Jones struk out. Matt Wieters hit a ball into LF that was only able to get Chavez to 3rd. With runners on the corners Wilson Betemit hit a hard ground ball up the middle, Angel SS Macier Izturis was able to get his glove on the ball to keep in the infield but couldn't make a play as the infield hit tied the game and gave Walden his 1st blown save of the season. It was Betemit's 12th RBI of the season.

With the score tied at 2, Baltimore sent out Kevin Gregg to move the game into extra innings. Things got off to a rough start as Howie Kendrick doubled to start the 9th. Kendrick who earlier had extended his hitting streak to 14 games advance to 3rd on the single by pinch hitter Erick Aybar. Baltimore walked the next pinch hitter Kendrys Morales to load the bases in hopes of an inning ending double play as CF Peter Bourjos came to bat. There would be no double play and no more "Oriole Magic" as Bourjos hit the second pitch down the first base line the ball got past Chris Davis and into RF as Kendrick came across the plate for the winning run. The win stopped the O's 9 game winning streak and their undefeated road trip came to a close. Gregg took the lose his 2nd of the season and veteran LaTroy Hawkins got his first win of the season.

Bourjos' game winner

The series will conclude Sunday afternoon when a pair of aces face off. Jared Weaver (2-0, 2.74) will battle Jake Arrieta (2-0, 2.37) Baltimore has an off day Monday before hosting Toronto Tuesday night.

Highlights