masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgSo I’m sure this is what you thought at the beginning of the weekend series vs. the Red Sox.

Sure, the Sox had won seven of their last nine games coming into this series and were coming off a three-game sweep of Toronto. Boston would start John Lackey, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Josh Beckett in the series.

The Orioles would blow a 3-1 lead in game one of this series and fall behind 4-3 in the 8th. The next night, O’s pitchers would walk ten batters. Jim Johnson was so poor, he was sent back…So I’m sure this is what you thought at the beginning of the weekend series vs. the Red Sox.

Sure, the Sox had won seven of their last nine games coming into this series and were coming off a three-game sweep of Toronto. Boston would start John Lackey, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Josh Beckett in the series.

The Orioles would blow a 3-1 lead in game one of this series and fall behind 4-3 in the 8th. The next night, O’s pitchers would walk ten batters. Jim Johnson was so poor, he was sent back to Triple-A during the series.

Sure you knew all that, plus that Boston hitters would blast nine homers over the weekend and draw 16 walks.

Sure you were aware of all that, but still predicted the Orioles would come up with their first three-game home sweep of Boston since 1974.

And, that Matt Albers would gain two of those wins.

Man, you are good.

What are you predicting for the Yankees series?

Here are some stats and notes after a suprising O’s three-game sweep.

The O’s completed the sweep by a 20-15 score. The Orioles are now 4-2 on the year with Boston and five of the games have been decided by one run.

The O’s are now 5-4 during a 12-game stretch vs. New York and Boston. The Orioles have won four games in a row vs. Boston for the first time since July of 2004. The O’s went 2-16 last year vs. Boston, including a 1-8 mark at Camden Yards.

The Orioles, who have won five of their last seven games, are now 3-1 on the year in extra-inning games, 3-0 vs. Boston. The Red Sox fall to 1-5 in extra innings.

Weekend hitting heroes:
Adam Jones: 7 for 14, 5 runs, RBI
Nick Markakis: 7 for 12, HR, 5 RBI 5 runs
Miguel Tejada: 6 for 11, HR, 3 RBI, 3 runs
Ty Wigginton: 3 for 8, 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI
Matt Wieters: 3 for 10, HR, 4 RBI
Rhyne Hughes: 3 for 11, RBI

O’s as team in the series:
*Went 31 for 103 (.301) with 20 runs, six doubles, 6 homers and went 10 for 23 with runners in scoring position.

Tejada now has produced multi-hit contests in seven of his last ten games, batting .436 in that time. Markakis is hitting .358 over his last 67 at bats.

Sunday’s attendance was 34,255 and the three-game series drew 100,087. Average attendance on the year is 24,163.

Sunday losing pitcher Jonathan Papelbon began the day with a career ERA of 0.87 (3 ER over 31 IP) vs. the Orioles, the lowest all-time ERA of any pitcher with 30 or more innings vs. the Birds. He has 27 career saves vs. Baltimore.

Right-handed hitters were just 1 for 18 vs. him on the year. But a righty hitting Ty Wigginton took him to deep center in the 10th for the game-winning double.

O’s starter Kevin Millwood is 0-3 on the year, but today allowed just two runs over eight innings. He threw 109 pitches and lowered his ERA to 3.15.

Millwood has allowed 2 ER or less in four of six starts and has thrown over 100 pitches five times. Over his last two starts, vs. the Yankees and Red Sox, his ERA is 2.70.

Pitching matchups for the series at NY:
Monday at 7:05 – Jeremy Guthrie (0-3, 4.70) vs. CC Sabathia (3-1, 3.12).
Tuesday at 7:05 – Brian Matusz (2-1, 4.40) vs. A.J. Burnett (3-0, 2.43).
Wednesday at 1:05 – David Hernandez (0-3, 4.55) vs. Andy Pettitte (3-0, 2.12).

Finally, check this out. I researched what happened the last time the O’s swept three at home from Boston. Pretty amazing stuff and trip down memory lane.