Oriolesfan44

BALTIMORE -- If nothing else, the Orioles proved that they're rally-ready Friday night.
Baltimore never led until the final pitch, but it came through with one late rally to tie the game and another to earn a 5-4 win over the Blue Jays. Center fielder Corey Patterson led off the ninth inning with a single, moved to third on a bunt and a walk, and wound up scoring the tie-breaking run on a clean single by right fielder Nick Markakis.

Baltimore (9-7) came back from two separate two-run deficits -- one early and one late. The final three runs all came against Toronto's bullpen, erasing a strong night at the office by starter A.J. Burnett. Relievers Shaun Marcum, Casey Janssen and Victor Zambrano combined to get four outs, but they gave up four hits and three runs.

The game was tied at 2 when the seventh inning began, but Baltimore starter Daniel Cabrera walked the first batter and sandwiched two outs around a hit. He loaded the bases on another walk, which brought in a new pitcher. In that tight spot, pinch-hitter Vernon Wells singled off a diving infielder's glove to send home the two go-ahead runs.

Burnett held the Orioles to three hits in seven innings and never trailed. Baltimore's first two hits came in the fourth inning, when second baseman Brian Roberts singled and third baseman Melvin Mora hit a home run. The Jays (8-8) escaped a jam with two runners on base in the sixth inning and Burnett left with a two-run advantage.

Baltimore evened the score in the eighth inning, when the Orioles pushed runners to second and third with one out. The home team brought one run home on a sacrifice fly, which brought designated hitter Kevin Millar to the plate with the game's key at-bat. Millar worked the count full and tied the game on a bloop single to short left field.

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Cal Ripken HOF 2007