Orioles clinch Major League title
- Published: July 25, 2019
By Tim Sherwood
The Sunrise Café Orioles wrapped up the 2019 Major League championship with a pair of wins in last week’s final games of the season.
The Orioles squeezed out a 9–8 victory over the Adoption Link Dodgers on Monday, July 15, thanks to a final inning walk-off single by Oskar Dennis to score Lucas Price. The game was tied at eight in the bottom of the sixth after the Dodgers scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth and one in the top of the sixth. Dodger batters contributing to the five-run fourth inning included Mateo Basora with an RBI single, J.P. Anderson’s RBI double and a two RBO line drive from Brady Baker. But the Orioles responded with four runs in the bottom of the fifth on an Oskar Dennis steal of home, and both Colin Linderman and Basora crossing the plate on wild pitches to go up 8–7. Isaac Grushon of the Dodgers then tied the game at eight in the top of the sixth on an error to set up the final inning drama that resulted in Dennis’ walk-off RBI single to win the game for the Orioles. Sam Linden and Shawn VanHoose led the Oriole offense with a pair of hits each and Linden added two stolen bases. J.P Anderson led the Dodgers with a double and three RBIs. Linderman started and earned the victory for the Orioles, giving up one run but no hits or walks and striking out one. Kian Rainey threw three innings of relief. Basora took the loss for the Dodgers, allowing two runs on one hit and striking out three in one and one-third innings.
The Orioles then capped off the season with an 18–11 win over the Ye Olde Trail Tavern Cardinals on Saturday, July 20. The Orioles took an early lead they never relinquished, putting up four runs in the first on a pair of RBI singles and two steals of home. They added six more runs in the second, seven in the third and one more in the fourth and final inning. The Orioles had 10 hits on the day, led by Shawn VanHoose’s two singles and a double, resulting in five RBIs. Oskar Dennis added three RBIs off a single and a double while Linderman and Jaden Douglas added two RBIs each. The Orioles ran wild on the bases with 24 total steals, led by Sam Linden’s six thefts, followed closely by Dylan Reed’s five. The Cardinals put up three runs in three different innings on six hits and 16 stolen bases. Lucas Dunn went three-for-four at the plate to lead the team in hits, while Luka Sage-Frabotta had a pair of singles and two RBIs. The Cardinals stole 16 bases during the game, with four players stealing more than one, led by Sage-Frabotta’s five. Hazen VanMeter started on the mound for the Orioles, surrendering six runs on two hits over two innings, striking out four. Luka Sage-Frabotta started on the hill for the Cardinals and took the loss, allowing three hits and nine runs over one and two-thirds innings, striking out five.
The Orioles finished the season with an 8–2 record, three games ahead of the Adoption Link Dodgers at 5–5 and six games up on the Cardinals at 1–7.
The Nipper’s Corner Yankees clinched the 2019 Minor League regular season championship as reported last week when the Sam and Eddie’s Open Books Brewers won a 16–13 decision over the Tom’s Market Pirates on Monday, July 15. The teams traded the lead multiple times. The Brewers put up 20 hits in the game, led by Theo Collins’ four-for-four day at the plate with a single, two doubles and a triple resulting in three RBIs. He was joined by Henry Lake, Naima Jones, Logan Herzog, Luc Amend, Aaron White, and Rocket Cowperthwaite, all with multiple hits. The Pirates battled hard, smacking 17 total hits, with Tanner Miller, Edwin Harrah, Allee Bayard, Orion Sage-Frabotta, Sherrod Wheeler, and Ainsley Johnson all contributing multiple hits. Both the Brewers and Pirates finished the regular season at 7–5, one game behind the Yankees, with the Peach’s Dodgers six games back at 2–10.
While there will be no Major League post-season championship, Minor League teams played earlier this week in semi-final contests to determine who will play each other in the post-season championship game this coming Saturday, July 27, at 5 p.m. on the softball field in Gaunt Park. The game will be followed immediately at approximately 6:30 p.m. by the all-league pot-luck picnic, awards and Yellow Springs Youth Baseball, Inc. annual meeting. All players, parents, other family members, sponsor and volunteers are encouraged to attend. See the league website at http://www.ysbaseball.org for a link to RSVP to the picnic. Bring a side dish to share and your own non-alcoholic beverage. Hamburgers, hot dogs, dinner ware and cutlery will be provided.
The Yellow Springs News encourages respectful discussion of this article.
You must login to post a comment.
Don't have a login? Register for a free YSNews.com account.
No comments yet for this article.