masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgThere won’t be a single Ravens player who delivers a hit on Sunday like the one Nick Markakis laid on Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli at home plate. Ray Lewis would be proud.

Markakis tried to score from first base with one out in the seventh inning on Vladimir Guerrero’s double into right-center field. He never broke stride. He almost broke Cervelli’s nose.

Markakis lowered his shoulder into Cervelli’s face in a violent collision. Cervelli held onto the ball and all of his body parts,…There won’t be a single Ravens player who delivers a hit on Sunday like the one Nick Markakis laid on Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli at home plate. Ray Lewis would be proud.

Markakis tried to score from first base with one out in the seventh inning on Vladimir Guerrero’s double into right-center field. He never broke stride. He almost broke Cervelli’s nose.

Markakis lowered his shoulder into Cervelli’s face in a violent collision. Cervelli held onto the ball and all of his body parts, and Markakis was called out by plate umpire Mike Estabrook.

Cervelli stayed down on his knees while the Yankees head athletic trainer checked on him. Manager Joe Girardi patted him on the chest as Cervelli rose to his feet.

Though he didn’t score the tying run, Markakis was greeted warmly in the dugout by manager Buck Showalter, coaches and teammates who appreciated the effort.

Markakis could have slid into Cervelli. He could have attempted to go around him and swipe at the plate with his left hand.

He chose to go through him.

The Orioles lined the dugout railing as Matt Wieters batted against, I believe, the 12th reliever used by Girardi today. Maybe they were anticipating a little payback, but nothing happened.

Girardi basically has assigned a different reliever to each Orioles batter.

I hate expanded rosters.

Update: Chris Davis singled into center field with one out in the eighth inning for his third hit of the day, but center fielder Curtis Granderson threw out Mark Reynolds trying to score from second base. It wasn’t that close, and Reynolds didn’t go in nearly as hard as Markakis.

Robert Andino followed with a single into left field off reliever Rafael Soriano that scored Davis and tied the game, 4-4. Andino took second on the throw to the plate.

For whatever reason, Andino tried to steal third base with J.J. Hardy batting and was thrown out to end the inning. Hardy stood at the plate with his head lowered.

By the way, I’m told that Andino slipped and fell on the play where he failed to cover second base in the second inning.