masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgFelix Pie entered tonight’s game as a pinch-runner and ended up as one of its heroes.

Pie singled to score Nick Marakis with the tying run in the bottom of the 13th inning, and he raced home on Matt Wieters’ single to cap a dramatic and exhausting comeback.

“It feels great, tying a game for the team like that,” he said. “It’s a great feeling.”

Pie wasn’t going to leave the clubhouse without being asked about his confrontation with Mariners first baseman Justin Smoak.

“I tried to…Felix Pie entered tonight’s game as a pinch-runner and ended up as one of its heroes.

Pie singled to score Nick Marakis with the tying run in the bottom of the 13th inning, and he raced home on Matt Wieters’ single to cap a dramatic and exhausting comeback.

“It feels great, tying a game for the team like that,” he said. “It’s a great feeling.”

Pie wasn’t going to leave the clubhouse without being asked about his confrontation with Mariners first baseman Justin Smoak.

“I tried to run, so I stopped and tried to run again and he was right there, so I didn’t do it on purpose,” Pie said. “He told me what was wrong. I said, ‘What’s wrong?’ I did nothing wrong.”

Was he surprised that the dugouts and bullpens emptied?

“Not surprised,” he said. “I played in the Dominican, so that sort of thing happens. I wasn’t surprised.”

“He’s an exciting player,” Adam Jones said of Pie. “He brings that excitement to the game. You see it. He has this huge smile. He’s always laughing and joking around on the field. He’s the same way in the clubhouse. When you get him fired up, it’s a fun show to watch. ”

Wieters went 2-for-7 tonight, reaching once on an infield hit – seriously – and ending the game after 4 hours, 8 minutes.

“I’d rather be in that position again after having two opportunities earlier. It was great to get another one and come through.” he said.

“It’s frustration, but as long as you keep getting opportunities, you have a chance to win. Until the final out, you always have a chance. The big thing is go get the win.

“It’s a big win because our pitching staff did really well tonight and gave us a chance and we finally came through at the end. Any win is a big win.”

Some just take longer than others.

“We kept giving ourselves chances,” J.J. Hardy said after his 4-for-5 night. “In games like that, that’s really all you can ask for. Just to have a chance to drive in a game-winning run is pretty good. You’re not going to do it every time, obviously, but it’s nice to have those chances.”

Hardy must be over that strained oblique.

“It was better than I thought it would be,” he said. “I got 12 at-bats in Triple-A and I didn’t feel that good the whole time I was down there. I guess it could have been a lot of adrenaline. I don’t know. I felt good.”

Hardy was asked about being thrown out at the plate in the ninth after third base coach John Russell waved him home.

“I didn’t realize I (slowed down) and I looked at the replay and I could see that I did,” Hardy said. “I don’t want to say it was a late call, but I guess it did surprise me a little bit.”