'12 O's outlast '64 Phightin's in 5 to gain Final 4 Spot

All:  A fantastic, and very closely contested series ends in 5 with the O's of Baltimore winning 2 of 3 in Shibe Park to take the series.  Gary and I were locked in tightly contested, generally low scoring matches including two that went extra innings.  Games summaries are below.  Thanks to Gary for getting the games in early and for a very enjoyable series.

Game 1 Shibe Park
Philadelphia 2  Baltimore 1
Chen vs Bennett
Game MVP:  Dennis Bennett
A well pitched game on both sides.  Chen gives up 4 hits over six innings, Bennett gives up only 5 over 8 innings pitched.  Philadelphia strikes first after Chen walks Cookie Rojas, then gives up a double to Ruben Amaro, putting runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out.  Chen then strikes out Herrnstein, but then throws a wild pitch advancing the runners and giving Philly the lead.  Chen then walks Bennett before getting Danny Cater to hit into a ground out and end the inning.  In the top of the 4th Baltimore answers with a run of their own off of Bennett on a leadoff double by Adam Jones and an RBI single by Matt Weiters.  A Richie Allen solo home run against Chen in the 6th, drives Chen from the game and provides the winning margin for the Phillies in game 1 as the Baltimore bullpen matches Bennett, Roebuck and Shantz of Philadelphia to shut out both teams the rest of the way.

Game 2 Shibe Park
Baltimore 2 Philadelphia 1
Gonzalez vs Bunning
Game MVP:  Ryan Flaherty

Another tight pitchers duel, but not in the classic sense.  Baltimore starter

Migueel Gonzalez in pulled by Baltimore manager Mark Nixon after recording just 1 out in the game.  In the top of the first Tony Gonzalez and Wes Covington led off the game for Philly with back to back singles, leaving Gonzalez on third with none out.  After Matt Weiters allowed a passed ball,Philly took the lead 1-0.  Tony Taylor next drew a walk before Richie allow flied out down the left field line.  Concerned Gonzalez just did not appear to have it on this day, Dana Eveland was called into the game, answering the call with a strike out of Clay Dalrymple and a harmless fly out to centerfield by Johnny Callison.  Eveland would be the first of 7 Baltimore relievers to pitch on this day and hold Philadelphia to two hits over 9 2/3 innings.  Jim Bunning held the Baltimore bats in check until the top of the 7th before allowing Chris Davis to hit one out to tie the game a 1.   In the top of the ninth, Bobby Shantz came on to strike out Baltimore lead off batter Nolan Reimold.  Next Baldschun came in an gave up a double to Nick Markakis before Baldschun was able to pitch his way through the heart of the Baltimore order and give Philly a chance at a 2-0 series lead in the bottom of the ninth.   Baltimore closer Jim Johnson yielded a one out triple to Johnny Callison and hit Ruben Amaro with a pitch before Steve Johnson (no relation) came in to strand Callison at third base by walking Herrnstein, then getting Cookie Rojas to pop to shortstop and Johnny Briggs to fly out.  In the tenth Philly brought in Roebuck to pitch and he quickly got the first out before facing Baltimore utilityman Ryn Flaherty who somehow managed to take him deep to right centerfield and put Baltimore on top 2-1.  Baltimore went to their 7th relief pitcher of the day as Darren O'Day retired the Phillies in order in the bottom of the tenth inning.

Game 3 Camden Yard
Philadelphia 9  Baltimore 1
Short vs Hammel
Game MVP:  Chris Short
In what would be the only blowout of this series, Philly scored early and often in this one.  A three run 1st inning home run by Richie Allen and a Ruben Amaro RBI single forced Baltimore to go to the pen again in the first inning and posted PHilly to an early 4-0 lead.  Baltimore countered with 1 in the bottom of the inning, but would draw no closer the rest of the day.  In the second Philly continued the onslaught of offense using three singles, a walk and a two run Johnny Callison home run to break this one wide open at 8-1.  The rest of the way what was left of the Baltimore pen was able to hold Philadelphia to just one more run as Chris Short cruised for the Phillies gving up only 4 Baltimore hits and striking out 9 in a complete game shutout.  Apparently playing DH ball did not sit well with Baltimore on this day.

Game 4 Camden Yard
Baltimore 2 Philadelphia 1
Bennett vs Saunders
Game MVP:  Chris Davis

Another tight game that would result in extra innings.  Gus Triandos gave the boys from Philly the early 1-0 lead with a solo home run in the top of the third inning.  Meanwhile, Bennett was once again spinning another masterpiece against the Baltimore hitters and would only give up 3 hits over nine innings in this one.  Unfortunately one of those hits was a solo homerun by Baltimore reserve outfielder Lew Ford and after 6 innings this one was tied 1-1 which is where it would stay after regulation.  As had become expected, the 10th and 11th innings were uneventful for both teams as the pens continued to dominate the hitters.  In the bottom of the 12th, Roebuck who had entered the game for Bennett in the 10th got two quick outs before Baltimore cleanup hitter Chris Davis hit one over the scoreboard in rightfield to send the teams back up I-95 to Philadelphia and a game 5 to determine the winner of the Alvin Dark Region.

Game 5 Shibe Park
Baltimore 3 Philadelphia 1
Chen vs Bunning
Game MVP:  Wei-Yen Chen
Despite both starters pitching superior games in Shibe Park to open the series (Chen in game 1, Bunning in Game 2), neither resulted in a win. Another great pitching duel was in store in game 5 as Chen would ultimately hold Philadelphia to 5 hits over 7 2/3 innings and Bunning would hold Baltimore to 6 hits over 8.  The scoring got underway in the top of the second when the previous nights hero, Chris Davis of Baltimore, hit a solo home run to stake Baltimore to a 1-0 lead.  Davis' home run to right center was followed by a Matt Weiters Home run to right center to up the lead to 2-0.  At this point, 1-2-3 innings were the rule of the day as neither pitcher would concede much of anything.  In the top of the 7th, Baltimore added another run when Davis doubled to rightfield, Manny Machado singled and J J Hardy was safe at first on an eror by Richie Allen that allowed Davis to score and put Baltimore up 3-0.  In the bottom of the 7th Philadelphia got one back on a Gus Triandos solo home run, but Chen recovered and got out of the inning without any further damage. In the bottom of the ninth a tiring Darren O'Day (who had come in for Chen in the 8th gave up a leadoff double to Clay Dalrymple.  With a very tired bullpen, Baltimore called upon fireballer Pedro Strop to lock down the game.  With the tying run at the plate, Strop got Wes Covington to ground out back to the mound, Richie Allen to flyout to shallow center and Johnny Callison to fly out to center.  

--submitted by Mark Nixon--