'12 Orioles and '77 Bucs hook up in a 5 game pitcher's duel.

Expected a series between the 77 Bucs and the 12 Birds to be a slugfest.....nothing could be further from the truth in this series.....close, low scoring games with plenty of pitching as Baltimore edges out a close one in the 5th and final game.

Game 1
Pittsburgh
Tillman vs Candelaria
Baltimore 2 Pittsburgh 0

Chris Tillman shuts out the Lumber Company on only 3 hits over 7 innings.  John Candelaria also goes 7 innings and gives up 7 hits to Baltimore, but yields 2 runs on consecutive RBI singles to Nick Markakis and Mannny Machado in the 3rd.  Both bullpens continue the trend with Jim Johnson recording the last two outs in the bottom of the ninth for he save.

Game 2
Pittsburgh
Gonzalez vs Kison
Pittsburgh 3 Baltimore 1
Bucs fight back as the fans witness another well pitched game from both sides.  All the scoring in this one happened in the first two innings and Baltimore was held to just 4 hits on the day.  Pitsburgh scores two on consecutive RBI singles by Sanguillen and Hebner in the first.  Matt Weiters drives in one in the top of the second on an RBI single and Al Oliver closes out the scoring in this one with (you guessed it) an RBI single in the bottom of the inning.  Where have all the home runs gone?  Larry Demery provides stellar work in relief of Kison pitching the final three innings of no-hit ball against the struggling hitters of Baltimore.

Game 3
Baltimore
Ruess vs Hammel
Baltimore 3 Pittsburgh 2
Not realizing the need to set the DH rule for the move to Camden Yards (thinking it was a bug in the program...Not!) Baltimore manager decided to play without the DH......the first time this has happened in an AL part since 1973.  For 6 complete innings neither team could breakthrough against Ruess or Hammel.  In the 7th the teams traded runs with Pittsburgh's Bill Robinson hitting a solo shot for the first home run onf the series and Manny Machado answering back with an RBI single in the bottom of the frame.  Countering Machado's single, Al Oliver lashed an RBI double of the scoreboard in right field to put the Bucs back in front 2-1. The bottom of the ninth saw the first two Baltimore hitters quickly retired before Nate McClouth was wlaked by reliever Doug Bair.  Mike Demery then entered the game for Pittsburgh and walked Nick Markakis.  Enter Bob Moose to face Baltimore pinch=hitter Jim Thome.  Thome lashed a single (what else could it be?) to left to send this one into extra innings.   In the bottom of the 10th three consecutive singles by Chris Davis, Weiters and Hardy gave Baltimore the win 3-2.
Game 4
Baltimore
Rooker vs Chen
Pittsburgh 4 Baltimore 2

Would ya believe it?  Another well pitched game. Pittsburgh broke through with a two RBI double in the top of the third by Bill Robinson.  Baltimore tied it back up on an RBI triple by JJ Hardy in the bottom of the 4th.  In the top of the 6th Willie Stargell found his power and lofted a solo homerun down the right field line to put the Bucs in front and the next inning Al Oliver added another run on an RBI double. Baltimore led off the bottom of the ninth with a Hardy double, but Dave Guisti came in to throw cold water on the threat and send the series back to Pittsburgh for one final game.

Game 5
Pittsburgh
Tillman vs Candelaria
Baltimore 2 Pittsburgh 1

In a re-match of game 1 starters all the marbles were on the line Once again another fantastic pitchers duel as Tillman yielded only 4 hits over 6 1/3 innings and the Candyman gave up only 5 hits in 7 innings.  Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, two of the O's hits were solo homeruns in the first and second innings.  Nick Markakis started the game with a lead off homer and Steve Pierce followed with his home run in the bottom of the second.  Willie Stargell got Pittsburgh on the board with a solo home run in the bottom of the 7th to close out the scoring in this one and send Baltimore to the second round of the DKS/KOD Holiday Tournament.

This was a very tight series all the way and exciting to play!  A special thanks to Bill Schneider for being extremely flexible in scheduling as after 4 games I had to leave for a bit (the dog was going insane here :-)) and the final game was not played until much later in the evening.

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and on to the New Year!~

--submitted by Mark Nixon--