Baltimore Oriole Kevin Millar has been dispensing stock tips about some of his struggling teammates over the last week, saying success was just around the corner.
But a two-out, full-count, game-winning RBI-single in the bottom of the ninth by Millar might have proven that he was really talking about himself.
Millar, after sitting the entire game, was sent in as a pinch hitter and drove home designated hitter Javy Lopez for an 8-7 winover the Kansas City Royals.
“Yeah, Smith Barney called, the stock?s going up. You might to get it right now. You can buy low right now. But it ain?t going to be low for too long,” Millar said of his recent slump.
Millar?s last-second heroics helped complete a three-game sweep of the lowly Royals, and capped off a dramatic four-run inning.
The Orioles overcame a sloppy performance by their starting pitcher, Daniel Cabrera, and the bullpen. Combined the Orioles? pitchers gave up 12 walks, including seven from Cabrera. It was an ugly win to be sure, but one that Oriole manager Sam Perlozzo was happy to get.
“It pretty much was, but we?ll take it, I mean it?s a tribute to our guys coming back,” Perlozzo said. “Great at bats in the ninth and big hits, that was nice to see. Those guys really got them.”
Starting pitcher Cabrera left the game after the fourth inning, as a precautionary measure because of tightness in his shoulder. The team said he was scheduled for an MRI on Monday. Cabrera said the shoulder had nothing to do with his control problems.
“I walk people all the time,” Cabrera said. “That?s nothing different with me. I walk people.”
The Orioles got their scoring started in the ninth inning off Royals? closer Ambiorix Burgos, when Jeff Conine drove in Miguel Tejada with the bases loaded on a sacrifice fly. Down 7-5, the Orioles did not relent, getting an RBI single from Javy Lopez to score Jay Gibbons. Rookie Nick Markakis drove in Ramon Hernandez and suddenly the game was tied, setting the table for Millar?s clutch hit.
Burgos left the game and with two men on and out, only to see Millar hit a Jimmy Gobble pitch to right field.
“A win is a win, we?ll take it,” Perlozzo said.
The Orioles now turn their attention to the Boston Red Sox, a team that has won all six of its contests with the Birds. The Red Sox come into town to start a three-game series Monday.
Against the Red Sox, the Orioles have been overmatched in nearly every phase of the game, and the pitching staff has been rocked for 38 runs.
“We?ve got to swing the bats,” Millar, a former Boston player, said. “They haven?t played in a couple of days, so hopefully they?re cold and we?re hot.”
Lopez came off the DL on Saturday following back inuries to hit a three-run home run. “It?s fun,” Lopez said. “Missing all these days and coming back and doing what I?m doing right now, helping the team win?”
