O's Finally End Streak

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if it wasn't for 23-year-old Brian Matusz the Orioles would be 0-13. But the Orioles finally broke their nine-game losing streak with an 8-3 win over Oakland avoiding a four-game sweep to the A's and Matusz earned his second win of the year, the only O's starter to earn a victory this season. But the question is, can the momentum from this win carry over into the the three-game series against the Mariners and then three games in Boston against the slumping Red Sox, who will try to avoid a four-game sweep to the Rays today on Patriots Day?

If the O's need any momentum, this is the perfect time -- before they come home to face their division rival Yankees and Red Sox at Camden Yards in front of their home crowd, which hopefully by next week will have increased.

In the third, the O's offense finally came alive when they put  an end to A's starter Brett Anderson's 14-inning scoreless streak... the second most impressive pitching stat of 2010 next to the Nationals' Livan Hernandez who went the distance Saturday in DC's 8-0 win over the Brewers, earning his second win of the season and keeping his ERA at ZERO. In 16 innings pitched, Hernandez has allowed just nine hits and I repeat, NO RUNS. FYI, Hernandez, one of the most vibrant personalities on the Nats, was released by the Mets last season and spent his entire career in the National League.

But back to the O's -- Veteran Ty Wigginton, who also played for the Mets, has been an offensive savior for the Orioles thus far. Wigginton improved his average to .290 when he went 2-for-5 yesterday including a two-run homer. Wigginton has now hit safely in six of the past 10 games and has a team-high four home runs and 10 RBI.

So a rookie and a vet are getting the job done -- now everyone inbetween needs to do their part.