On the seventh day, the Orioles rested. Again.
Detroit and Justin Verlander handed the Orioles their 15th consecutive bloody Sunday with a 5-1 win before 23,278 sun-drenched fans at Camden Yards.
Maybe the Orioles should start by ending the pregame serenades, as booming Barry Manilow?s “Copacabana” over the ballpark?s speakers doesn?t exactly instill a killer instinct.
The Orioles (47-50) ought to consider every possible option to end this steak of fruitless Sundays.
This time, it seemed as if they had. The Orioles took the field in their orange spring training jersey tops for the first time in a regular season game. It didn?t work. They had three hits.
And even the fans are getting into the act to end the futility. A man in a grey wig marched behind home plate with a voodoo doll on a staff, a rubber chicken and a sign reading: “JOBU IS IN THE HOUSE,” referring to the movie “Major League.”
But the Orioles were beyond help from any mythical witch doctor, as they fell to 1-15 in Sunday games this season. They?re also generally bad whenever the sun is shining, as they are wretched 10-19 in day games.
“It?s crazy,” first baseman Aubrey Huff said. “It?s one of those things. Baseball has a lot of weird streaks, and this is just another weird one you can?t figure out.”
Maybe they should try playing a night game in M&T Bank Stadium. At least the Ravens, who were horrendous last season, went 5-8 on Sundays.
How bad is the Orioles? streak? Consider: If the Orioles drop their next six Sunday games, they will tie their ancestors, the 1939 St. Louis Browns ? they moved here in 1954, remember ? and the 1890 Pittsburgh Innocents (stop laughing) with 21 consecutive losses. The Browns dropped 21 straight Tuesdays, and the Innocents were guilty on Fridays.
The Orioles have been outscored, 85-46, on Sundays.
Before the game, the Orioles sent Manager Dave Trembley and Andy MacPhailm the team?s president, atop the home dugout to answer questions from season-ticket holders. Fans fired away with tough questions about the future of the team heading toward an 11th consecutive losing season. MacPhail and Trembley?s answers were met with joyous applause from the congregation. At least the Orioles are trying to make losing on Sunday a religious experience.
Sunday, Verlander (8-9) blessed those in attendance with 8 2/3 innings of three-hit ball. He retired 15 straight at one point, as the Tigers (49-49) split the four-game series. Verlander, a native of Manakin Sabot, just outside of Richmond, Va., had a section filled with family and friends. He waved his cap and blew a kiss in their direction as he walked off the mound with one out to go.
“He had that tempo and rhythm,” Trembley said. “He threw all his pitches for strikes, and worked both sides of the plate.”
Sean Welsh is the Orioles beat writer for The Examiner. He can be reached at [email protected]
