It's been a quarter of a century now since the Orioles were World Champions, but enroute to that Championship came a moment of time at old Memorial Stadium that fans will remember Orioles Magic was not just a marketing phrase, for that hot, humid August night it was real.
Manager Joe Altobelli had used up his reserves trying to get a walk-off victory in the bottom of the 9th, but there wasn't quite enough magic to pull of the win, on to extra innings.
As the bottom of the tenth began, John Lowenstein stood at 2B, Gary Roenicke hovered over Brooks Robinson's old hallowed ground at third base, and where was Rick Dempsey when you needed him? Utility infielder, Lenn Sakata crouched behind the plate. Things couldn't have looked worse when Tippy Martinez was summoned in relief. The Toronto Blue Jays must have been on the verge of laughing themselves to death in the first base dugout. To save any chance of an Orioles win, he picked off three runners. Somehow unless a ball was hit to Ripken to toss to Murray with a makeshift infield and shuffled outfield how could a pitcher allow a ball be put in play? But how could he strike batters out throwing to a fellow behind the plate who'd never worn the tools of ingnorance in competition.
The end of the drama came in the bottom of the inning, Lenn Sakata stepped up to bat, and CRUSH, a walk off home run.
Yes, that really did happen twenty five years ago. Like they say, "you can look it up!"
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