O's Homecoming a Night to Forget

The Birds returned home to Camden Yards on Monday night, and were nearly shut out by the visiting Oakland A's 9-1.

Statistically, the A's are one of the worst-hitting teams in all of baseball, but don't tell O's "ace" Jeremy Guthrie that. Guthrie (7-12) didn't allow a home run (gasp!) but allowed 11 hits and five runs in 4 2/3 innings, and left the game with a staggering 107 pitch count. Cla Meredith allowed another four runs to cross the plate in the ninth, adding to to embarrassment.

The offense? Once again, it was non-existent. The Birds didn't get on the board until Luke Scott blasted a solo shot to left in the bottom of the ninth. The O's couldn't get anything going, and ended up going 0-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Ouch. It looked as if the Birds had a chance to get back in the game in the seventh...with runners on second and third with none out, the heavens opened up (is God against the O's?) and the game was delayed for just under an hour...play resumed, and the inning ended with runners on second and third...three out.

The series resumes Tuesday night...David Hernandez looks to put the Birds back in the win column...Go O's!