ekansekans's blog: "df"

BALTIMORE -- Adam Jones had heard tales about how Camden Yards used to be when the place was packed and the Orioles were in a pennant race. Frank Gore Black Jersey . With one dramatic swing of the bat, Jones found out for himself just how crazy the place can get. Jones hit the first of Baltimores three home runs in a wild eighth inning, and the Orioles climbed back into a first-place tie with the Yankees in the AL East by defeating New York 10-6 Thursday night before a euphoric sellout crowd. Mark Reynolds had two of Baltimores season-high six home runs. Matt Wieters and Robert Andino also connected for the Orioles, who have won 10 of 13 -- a run that includes three of four over New York. Jones leadoff homer in the eighth off David Robertson (1-6) put Baltimore ahead 7-6 after the Yankees rallied from a five-run deficit in the top half. "Ive always asked our trainer, Richie Bancells, how loud can this place get? I always asked that," Jones said. "After I hit that home run, he came up to me and said, Thats how loud this place can get." Jones has hit many a game-winning home run, but none with the stakes so high. "Thats the biggest hit Ive ever had in my life. Everything else up to this point has been leading up to this," he said. Wieters followed with a single and Reynolds hit a drive into the left-field seats. Chris Davis then slammed the first pitch from Boone Logan over the right-field wall. After trailing the Yankees by 10 games on July 18, the surging Orioles pulled even Tuesday, then dropped a game back on Wednesday before taking the opener of this important four-game series. "They are playing with a lot of confidence right now," New Yorks Alex Rodriguez said. "You have to tip your hat to Baltimore." Reynolds, who also went deep in the sixth, has homered in three straight games and has eight long balls in his last seven, including two in each of the three wins against New York. With Reynolds leading the way, the Orioles hit a half-dozen home runs in a game for the first time since Aug. 28, 2007, against Tampa Bay. Baltimore has played several significant games in September in recent years, but this is the first time since 1997 that the Orioles have been in the hunt for a playoff berth. The fans reacted accordingly, cheering from the first pitch to the very end. "You couldnt ask for better," manager Buck Showalter said. "A special environment. Really appreciative. It helped. It was a real difference-maker for us." The Yankees always attract huge crowds, but this time an estimated 90 per cent of those in attendance were cheering for the home team. The full house and the boisterous orange-clad fans conjured memories of a time long ago, when Baltimore made two straight playoff appearances in 1996-97 prior to a run of 14 consecutive losing seasons. "It looked like a big tangerine," Jones said. "I liked that." New York trailed 6-1 in the eighth before mounting a comeback fueled by four walks. After Alex Rodriguez hit an RBI double and Curtis Granderson singled in a run, the Yankees put runners on second and third with two outs. The fans rose to their feet in anticipation after Pedro Strop prepared to throw a 1-2 pitch to Russell Martin, but Strop ultimately issued a walk to load the bases for pinch-hitter Chris Dickerson, who drew a four-pitch walk to make it 6-4. Ichiro Suzuki followed with his third hit, a two-run single, before Darren ODay (7-1) got the final out. Yankees manager Joe Girardi derived little satisfaction from the comeback. "When youre playing a team for first place, a loss is a loss," he said. "We swung the bats extremely well, but we didnt pitch well tonight." Orioles starter Jason Hammel gave up one run and six hits in five-plus innings in his first outing since going on the disabled list in mid-July. The right-hander took a line drive by Robinson Cano off his elbow in the fourth, but stayed in the game. After Hammel warmed up the rowdy fans with a 1-2-3 first, three straight singles against David Phelps in the bottom half produced a run before Wieters hit an opposite-field, three-run drive to left for a 4-0 lead. It was his 19th home run of the season and the first since he connected off Phelps on Saturday. New York got a run in the fourth on Canos hit off Hammels arm and an RBI single by Granderson. In the Baltimore half, Andino hit his career-high sixth home run to make it 5-1. Reynolds made it 6-1 with a solo shot off Joba Chamberlain. NOTES: On the 17th anniversary of the day Cal Ripken Jr. broke Lou Gehrigs mark of consecutive games played, the Orioles unveiled a statue of the Iron Man in the picnic area beyond the centre-field wall. Ripken is the fifth of Baltimores six Hall of Fame stars to be so honoured this season; the last will be Brooks Robinson. ... Yankees 1B Mark Teixeira (strained left calf) jogged lightly in the outfield at Camden Yards before the game and said hes close to returning to the lineup. .. Cano played 2B for the first time since suffering left hip soreness on Monday. ... Girardi said LHP Andy Pettitte (broken ankle) will throw a simulated game at some point this weekend. Pettitte has been on the DL since June 28. ... Baltimore improved to 8-7 against New York this season. ... The Orioles will send rookie Wei-Yin Chen to the mound Friday night and the Yankees will start Phil Hughes. Colin Kaepernick Authentic Jersey . But after doing extensive media interviews over the past few days, he was able to catch a flight to Toronto on Tuesday and played his first Rogers Cup match on Wednesday. Ahmad Brooks Jersey . Hes dominating, and a contender just might want him. Dempster pitched four-hit ball over seven innings, and the Cubs hung on to beat team president Theo Epsteins former club, topping the struggling Boston Red Sox 3-0 on Friday. http://www.the49ersfans.com/aldon-smith-jersey .ca! Kerry, Can you explain the lack of a penalty to James Neal in the third period of Sundays game? His hit was late, he left his feet and targeted the players head. Frank Gore Pink Jersey .S. Mens Clay Court Championships. Lopez, ranked No. 15 in the world, played on clay for the first time this year and fell behind 4-1 in the opening set before unleashing his big serve to pull out the set. Frank Gore White Jersey . "Hes good," Melvin said. Parker earned that praise with seven dominant innings and a career-high nine strikeouts Wednesday in the Athletics 2-1 win over the Seattle Mariners.PHOENIX -- Winning streaks are made of little things, such as tagging up at first base and advancing to second. That play by Chris Young on a routine flyout set up what proved to be the deciding run in Arizonas 4-3 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday, the Diamondbacks season-high fifth win in a row. "The play of the game for me was Chris Young tagging up," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. "One out and generally youre not going to tag up on that play, but he recognized what was going on. He surprised (centre fielder Colin) Cowgill a little bit." Jason Kubel followed with a single for his second RBI of the game, and 12th of the six-game homestand, to put the Diamondbacks up 4-2 in the fifth. Joe Saunders (4-4) held Oakland to one earned run over six innings. Scattering seven hits, striking out five and walking two. Young singled twice and scored both times and Aaron Hill had a two-run single as Arizona completed a three-game interleague sweep of the As. The Diamondbacks have won seven of eight to climb to .500 for the first time since they were 14-14 on May 5. Arizona had lost 15 of its last 21 home games before going 5-1 on this home stand. "Its definitely nice to get the sweep here," Saunders said. "We havent played very well at home this year, so its nice to turn the page on that and give the fans a chance to have something to cheer about." Travis Blackley (0-2), in his third start since being claimed off waivers from San Francisco on May 15, gave up three earned runs and six hits in 4 2-3 innings. He also had a nasty welt on his left hip after taking a line drive off the bat of Ryan Roberts in the second. David Hernandez struck out the side for Arizona in the eighth, then J.J. Putz tossed a perfect ninth for his 13th save in 16 opportunities. Arizonas Paul Goldschmidt singled in the third inning to extend his career-best hitting streak to 17 games. The Diamondbacks scored three times in the first. They loaded the bases with one out on singles by Young and Justin Upton and a walk to Goldschmidt. Larry Grant Jersey. . Kubel bounced to second in what looked to be a sure double play, but shortstop Cliff Pennington dropped Jemile Weeks throw to the bag and all runners were safe as a run scored. "I just missed it," Pennington said. "A double play gets you out of the inning." On the next pitch, Hill singled to left to bring in two runs and Arizona led 3-0. An error also figured in Oaklands two-run fourth. Consecutive doubles by Jonny Gomes and Brandon Inge made it 3-1, then Josh Donaldson singled with two outs to left. Kubels throw to the plate got there well ahead of Inge and catcher Henry Blanco made the tag, but the ball came loose and the runner was safe, slicing the lead to 3-2. Blanco was charged with an error. Young said he "just took a chance" when he decided to tag up and go to second on Uptons fly out to centre. "Cowgill has a pretty good arm," Young said. "But sometimes I feel like if I can be aggressive on it, he still has to make a perfect throw." Young scored from second on Kubels single, sliding in just ahead of Cowgills throw. Oakland made it a one-run game again in the seventh on a pinch-hit RBI single by Seth Smith. The As had runners at first and third when Inge grounded out to end the inning. The As, who came to Arizona after taking three of four at home from the Texas Rangers, fell to a season-worst nine games below .500. Two of the three losses to the Diamondbacks were by one run. No matter, manager Bob Melvin said. "A bad series," he said. "Any time you get swept its a bad series." NOTES: Arizona has Monday off before beginning a rough six-game interleague trip with three stops in Texas and three against the Los Angeles Angels. ... The Athletics take Monday off, then begin a three-game series at Colorado. ... Arizona improved 5-1 in interleague play. ... The As were swept for the third time this season, the second time on the road. ... Kubel has a team-high 36 RBIs. ' ' '