Lopez, O's complete sweep of Astros
BALTIMORE -- The theme in the Orioles' clubhouse after a 5-1 win over the Astros on Wednesday before 31,547 at Camden Yards was how a quick start helped the team settle in and earn the series sweep.
But the play the O's pointed to as the catalyst wasn't Melvin Mora's first inning two-run home run. Manager Lee Mazzilli and several players turned to Brian Roberts' run-saving defensive gem in the top of the first.
With runners on first and third and two outs, Roberts dove behind second base to take a hit away from Morgan Ensberg and fired to stretching first baseman Jay Gibbons just in time to end the threat.
"I think that was the big play of the game," Mazzilli said. "First of all, you make a play like that and it pumps you up. It pumps the pitcher [Rodrigo Lopez] up, and he was. Sometimes, something little like that might set the tone."
Roberts led off the bottom of the frame with a single to set up Mora's 375-foot blast to left field off Astros rookie left-hander Wandy Rodriguez. On a pitch where he "practiced his golf swing," Mora gave Lopez all the support he would need, and the Orioles swept an Interleague series for the first time since July 15-17, 1999, when they took three from the Montreal Expos.
Lopez scattered four hits in eight innings, allowing the lone run on a Jason Lane homer.
"He was outstanding tonight," Mazzilli said. "Rodrigo's ball was moving very well, it had a late break to it. He kept the ball down all night."
With a four-run lead entering the ninth, Lopez wanted to finish the game. But the right-hander had tossed 110 pitches, and Mazzilli turned to Todd Williams. Punctuating a stellar defensive series, Mora made a stunning barehanded play to retire Ensberg in the final inning.
The first-place Orioles winning three in a row against the fifth-place Astros may not turn too many heads around the country, and the O's seemingly took no extra pleasure in beating a National League foe.
Yet, the manner in which the Orioles swept a NL team for the first time in almost six years was impressive.
On Monday, the Orioles fell behind in the first inning, but bashed the ball around Camden Yards like a prototypical American League team.
But in the final two games of the series, the Orioles used pitching, defense and timely hitting as they maintained a three-game lead in the AL East standings.
Roberts lined a two-run single past the glove of diving third baseman Ensberg in the second to give the O's a 4-0 advantage.
Rodrigo Lopez / P
Born: 12/14/75
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 185 lbs
Bats: R / Throws: R
More info:
Player page
Stats | Splits
Gallery
Team Site | Shop
And like Bruce Chen the day before, Lopez did nothing Wednesday to overpower the Astros. He peppered the corners and let his fielders take care of the rest against the worst offense in the Major Leagues.
"[On Tuesday], they made great plays, and [Wednesday] wasn't an exception," Lopez said. "That means a lot to our pitching staff. You know that you have somebody behind you."
Before winning this Interleague series, the Orioles had lost 11 straight sets, including three this season. They still have the worst overall Interleague record at 62-89 and were swept by the Astros at Minute Maid Park in 2003.
"I think everyone knows our struggles in Interleague, but that's basically been a microcosm of our team the last six years," Roberts said. "I don't think that any of us expected it to stay like that. When you're playing well, I don't think it really matters who you play."
Regardless of who occupied the visitor's dugout this week, the Orioles felt like they needed to bounce back from a 6-7 road trip. And despite the Astros riding a five-game winning streak entering the series, the O's realized they had to capitalize on one of the league's worst road teams (7-26).
"There's certain times when you need to win," Roberts said. "We played okay on the road and we held our own and battled, and when you get home, you need to win. Especially if you're playing teams that are kind of down and aren't really playing as well as they'd like, and that's when you have to kind of bury people and give yourself a lead."
With three games this weekend against the NL West's last-place Colorado Rockies, the Orioles have another ideal opportunity to display their newfound success in Interleague Play.
Source: http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/
But the play the O's pointed to as the catalyst wasn't Melvin Mora's first inning two-run home run. Manager Lee Mazzilli and several players turned to Brian Roberts' run-saving defensive gem in the top of the first.
With runners on first and third and two outs, Roberts dove behind second base to take a hit away from Morgan Ensberg and fired to stretching first baseman Jay Gibbons just in time to end the threat.
"I think that was the big play of the game," Mazzilli said. "First of all, you make a play like that and it pumps you up. It pumps the pitcher [Rodrigo Lopez] up, and he was. Sometimes, something little like that might set the tone."
Roberts led off the bottom of the frame with a single to set up Mora's 375-foot blast to left field off Astros rookie left-hander Wandy Rodriguez. On a pitch where he "practiced his golf swing," Mora gave Lopez all the support he would need, and the Orioles swept an Interleague series for the first time since July 15-17, 1999, when they took three from the Montreal Expos.
Lopez scattered four hits in eight innings, allowing the lone run on a Jason Lane homer.
"He was outstanding tonight," Mazzilli said. "Rodrigo's ball was moving very well, it had a late break to it. He kept the ball down all night."
With a four-run lead entering the ninth, Lopez wanted to finish the game. But the right-hander had tossed 110 pitches, and Mazzilli turned to Todd Williams. Punctuating a stellar defensive series, Mora made a stunning barehanded play to retire Ensberg in the final inning.
The first-place Orioles winning three in a row against the fifth-place Astros may not turn too many heads around the country, and the O's seemingly took no extra pleasure in beating a National League foe.
Yet, the manner in which the Orioles swept a NL team for the first time in almost six years was impressive.
On Monday, the Orioles fell behind in the first inning, but bashed the ball around Camden Yards like a prototypical American League team.
But in the final two games of the series, the Orioles used pitching, defense and timely hitting as they maintained a three-game lead in the AL East standings.
Roberts lined a two-run single past the glove of diving third baseman Ensberg in the second to give the O's a 4-0 advantage.
Rodrigo Lopez / P
Born: 12/14/75
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 185 lbs
Bats: R / Throws: R
More info:
Player page
Stats | Splits
Gallery
Team Site | Shop
And like Bruce Chen the day before, Lopez did nothing Wednesday to overpower the Astros. He peppered the corners and let his fielders take care of the rest against the worst offense in the Major Leagues.
"[On Tuesday], they made great plays, and [Wednesday] wasn't an exception," Lopez said. "That means a lot to our pitching staff. You know that you have somebody behind you."
Before winning this Interleague series, the Orioles had lost 11 straight sets, including three this season. They still have the worst overall Interleague record at 62-89 and were swept by the Astros at Minute Maid Park in 2003.
"I think everyone knows our struggles in Interleague, but that's basically been a microcosm of our team the last six years," Roberts said. "I don't think that any of us expected it to stay like that. When you're playing well, I don't think it really matters who you play."
Regardless of who occupied the visitor's dugout this week, the Orioles felt like they needed to bounce back from a 6-7 road trip. And despite the Astros riding a five-game winning streak entering the series, the O's realized they had to capitalize on one of the league's worst road teams (7-26).
"There's certain times when you need to win," Roberts said. "We played okay on the road and we held our own and battled, and when you get home, you need to win. Especially if you're playing teams that are kind of down and aren't really playing as well as they'd like, and that's when you have to kind of bury people and give yourself a lead."
With three games this weekend against the NL West's last-place Colorado Rockies, the Orioles have another ideal opportunity to display their newfound success in Interleague Play.
Source: http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/
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