1781

Yankees / O’s game 5 is about to start, which leads to the $64,000 question: can the Yankees lineup wake up and string together a few hits? The spotlight’s been on A-Rod, but the entire team has looked awful at the plate all week.

Neither team has scored in this series – every game has gone to the 9th 2-2 or 2-1, and you get the feeling a 3-run HR for either team would be like getting a 10-run lead.

1782

A-Rod is benched to start this game.

I’m not sure I can take another tight game going into extra innings. I want to see the O’s win, but it’d almost be a relief to see one team blow it up early.

1783

And we’re off to the 4th inning, and there’s our first hit of the ballgame. This has extra innings written all over it.

1784

I think for the most part, the TBS announcers have been fine or at least passable in these playoffs so far, but this was great:

Smoltz: Once again, they’re not holding on Teixeira at first, no fear of him stealing here.
Johnson: And there goes Teixeira! And he’s safe!

And who else? Raul Ibanez sneaks a hit just past the 2B into center to drive in Texiera and the Yankees take a 1-0 lead.

1785

Wow, I really thought that was fair. I expect they’ll have to check the replay … which they’re showing now and it’s like 3 inches from the pole, foul. Whew.

1786

Ichiro!

1787

Grandy!

At this point, unless he gets in trouble, I want to see CC go the full 9. I don’t even want to think about handing this off to the pen unless there’s a good reason for it.

1788

Jeez, if there was anyone on the O’s I didn’t want up right now, it’s Mark Reynolds. A quarter of his HRs (or something like that) came off the Yankees this year.

1789

Come on Orioles - make this a game!

Lew Ford?! He snuck back into the majors?

And he delivers! Wow…let’s see if they can keep this going.

1790

This has gotten way too hairy for my taste.

1791

Huge strikeout there of McLouth…I’m assuming they’ll bring in Robertson to face Hardy here. But as I type that, I see they’re leaving Sabathia in.

Hardy hitting 50 points higher against lefties, not sure I understand this move at all.

1792

Whew.

After that narrow escape, I have to believe we’re going to see Soriano in the 9th.

1793

And it’s CC back for the 9th!

I’m a little surprised, but I’m a fan of riding your horse to the finish line. I hope he gets the CG.

1794

1795

Orioles, it was a great season. They just couldn’t ever quite close the deal, either in the regular season or the playoffs. The inability to close game 3 killed 'em.

The good news here is that the Tigers now have a chance to beat the Yankees in the playoffs for the second straight year.

1796

And as a piece of random trivia, the Yankees will now do something I’m not sure has ever happened in the playoffs: host playoff games for 5 consecutive days.

1797

It’s all up to you now Tigers. Don’t let us down!

1798

I have to admit, I don’t have much confidence against the Tigers in this upcoming series. The Yankees haven’t hit a lick for a week, so they better get things in gear quick before Verlander’s turns come around again.

1799

…and this is turning ugly in Washington. I hate to see blowouts in elimination games like this.

1800

Wainwright’s talked about a lot in the past that in cold weather he has trouble with his 1-finger curveball grip. That seemed to be a factor in his getting smoked like a salmon tonight.

Grats Nats fans.