Phillies Fall To Orioles In 10 Innings, 5-4, Lee Still Winless
BALTIMORE (AP) — Given the option, the Baltimore Orioles would prefer not to work overtime.
If they must, however, they intend to make it worthwhile.
Matt Wieters doubled in the game-winning run in the bottom of the 10th, and the Orioles defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4 Sunday to extend their run of successive extra-inning victories to nine.
Steve Tolleson hit a three-run homer for the Orioles, who bounced back from a 4-1 deficit to keep Philadelphia starter Cliff Lee winless this season.
Baltimore took two of three from the Phillies, including a 12-inning win on Saturday. The nine straight extra-inning victories is an Orioles record, breaking the mark of eight set twice previously.
"We'd rather win games in nine, but if you're going to go extras you want to win those," Wieters said. "The key is our bullpen has been able to keep teams where they're at — especially when we get to extra innings — and just give our offense the chance to get a timely hit."
After Orioles starter Jason Hammel got through six rocky innings, Troy Patton, Jim Johnson and Darren O'Day (4-0) blanked Philadelphia on two hits the rest of the way.
Then came the Baltimore 10th.
Adam Jones led off against Joe Savery (0-1) by reaching on a fielding error by third baseman Ty Wigginton. Wieters then launched a drive to right that hit the scoreboard, inches over the outstretched glove of Hunter Pence. The bouncing ball eluded Pence long enough for Jones to score the unearned run.
"I wasn't sure it was going to go quite far enough, and it went just out of Pence's reach," Wieters said. "With Jonesy's speed, you know he's going to score if you can get it off the wall."
It was the eighth loss in nine games for the last-place Phillies, who left 10 on base and went 3 for 11 with runners in scoring position.
"You got to keep going," manager Charlie Manuel said. "We've always rebounded by the end of the season. We're thinking about winning."
Lee allowed four runs over six innings in his 10th start of the year. The left-hander struck out eight, but his record remained at 0-3 after Tolleson's homer wiped out Philadelphia's 4-1 lead.
"A cutter up and in," Lee said. "Right where I wanted to put it. He put a good swing on it. You have to give him credit right there."
Before this season, the former Cy Young Award winner had not gone more than three starts without a win to begin the year.
"I guess it seems to be frustrating, but I can only control what I can control," Lee said.
Baltimore starter Jason Hammel gave up four runs and six hits over six wild innings. The right-hander issued a season-high five walks, hit a batter and threw a wild pitch.
But Hammel limited Philadelphia to 3-for-8 hitting with runners in scoring position and retired the last seven batters he faced.
The game attracted 45,267 fans, many of them clad in red and rooting for the Phillies. It was the second straight sellout crowd at Camden Yards and third of the season.
After Philadelphia loaded the bases with one out in the first inning and failed to score, the Orioles went up 1-0 in the bottom half on singles by Jones, Wieters and Ronny Paulino.
The Phillies again stranded three runners in the second, but not before taking a 3-1 lead. With the bases loaded and two outs, Pence grounded a two-run single up the middle and Jim Thome followed with an RBI single.
Hammel had a 1-2-3 third but struggled again in the fourth. A single and two walks loaded the bases before Juan Pierre scored on a wild pitch. But the Phillies stranded runners at the corners, upping their left-on-base total to eight.
"In the first four innings if we got another hit we'd score some runs," Manuel said. "We scored four runs but it didn't hold up. We just didn't get it done."
In the bottom half, Philadelphia's lead vanished. With two on and two outs, Tolleson hit a 1-2 pitch into the left-field seats.
"That was a pretty special moment," Tolleson said. "That was a big spot in the game because it was tied back up, then we let Wieters do what he does in the 10th. That was fun."
NOTES: Baltimore is 9-2 in extra innings. Philadelphia is 2-6. ... Pence went 2 for 4 and was 7 for 13 in the series. ... Orioles manager Buck Showalter was encouraged by the five scoreless innings thrown by 49-year-old Jamie Moyer on Saturday for Triple-A Norfolk. "He pitched well, statistically," Showalter said. "We got some depth there if we have a need. I hope we don't have a need." ... 2B Brian Roberts (concussion) will finish his minor league rehabilitation assignment on Sunday and is expected to be activated from the DL by the Orioles on Tuesday. Roberts, 34, hasn't played in a major league game since May 16, 2011. "As far as where he's playing and what position he's hitting and all that stuff, I haven't made that lineup out yet," Showalter said. ... Both teams are off Monday.
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