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2013 Ettare Division Champion Orioles Season Highlights

2013 Ettare Champion Orioles Team Photo!
(Back Row) Joe Newman, Matt Fraser, Sal Sanchez, Chris Highlander, Angelo Cordero, Mark Brouse, Andrew Sarratore, John Pardo, Chris Cooper, Brian Brouse (Front Row) Eddie Garcia, Chris Rains, Nathaniel Brouse (Bat Boy), Isaiah Brouse (Ball Boy), Adrian Cordero (Bat Boy), Sebastian Cordero (Ball Boy), Chris Conroy (Not Pictured) Steve Chase, Ryan Fulton, Chad Muller (Photo submitted by Angelo Cordero)

Regular Season Summary

After having tied the morning game against the Yankees, an exhausted O's squad fell behind early to their rivals in the afternoon game of a doubleheader. As a result of having given up 9 runs in the second inning, we had had fallen behind 14-0 and had gone through a starter and a reliever. It looked like we were almost certainly going to lose the game by a big margin. I was looking for anyone that could get us out of the second inning and through the game without getting embarrassed too much. Having run out of pitching options, I called time-out for a mound visit just to give my shortstop, who had never pitched before, time to warm up. As I'm standing on the mound explaining the damage-control plan to my infielders that are gathered around me, I hear a voice from behind me say "I got this coach, let me pitch". I turned around and I see Eddie, my catcher, taking off his gear.

Eddie goes on to pitch the next 4-2/3 innings without allowing another earned run. As a result, the O's go on to win the game against the Yankees by a final score of 17-16. This one example in week 3 can be used to describe the entire 2013 season for the Orioles. Every week a different player would step up and be that week's hero. It can be argued that the 2013 version of the Orioles lacked one true "superstar". Instead, it was made up of a collection of great players that knew when and where to fill in when needed.

Whether it was Steve Chase pitching in relief, John Pardo catching after pitching 9 innings, Ryan Fulton delivering a key HR, Andrew Sarratore getting another hit to extend a rally, Joe Newman igniting a rally, or Sal Sanchez flashing the leather; every single player in the roster made big contributions in 2013. When one player struggled, one or more players were ready to step in.

The 2013 Season proved to be the most challenging season in the O's current championship streak. The week 3 example mentioned above was just one of many in which the O's had to overcome a large deficit. In week 8 against the Padres at Prospect, the O's fell behind 9-4 in the day's first game and 10-5 in the afternoon game. The Orioles came back in both games to sweep the Padres 13-10 and 15-13. In week 9, the Mariners jumped out to a 9-3 lead only to see the O's come back and win 12-8.

In week 10, the O's battled the Red Sox in a game that saw several lead changes before prevailing with a narrow 7-5 win. In week 11, the O's tangled with the Pirates in another back-and-fourth affair before putting the game away in the late innings. If there was one thing we could count on in 2013, it was that every week we would find ourselves in a playoff-like game against a quality opponent.

The 2013 O's also had to battle through injuries all season long. On opening day Chris Conroy tweaked his knee trying to make an infield hit out of a routine grounder. This would force him to miss several games and limit his base running. The next week O's newcomer, Dave Vasquez, also injured his knee and was out the remainder of the season. Chad Muller, who was returning to the O's since the 2010 season, injured his wrist and missed the final third of the season. Even with the difficulties, the Orioles captured first place of the Ettare Division by week 6 and held on to the top spot the rest of the way. The tough matchups every week made the Orioles better prepared for the Playoffs.

Playoff Summary

2013 Ettare Division Champion Orioles Celebrating
The Orioles celebrate their 2013 Ettare Division Championship, their fourth title in a row. (Photo Submitted by Angelo Cordero)

Game 1

Having made the playoffs the as the #1 seed, the O's faced the Mariners in the opening round. This was Mark Brouse's turn to step up. Brouse would go on to pitch a complete game shutout guiding the O's to a 10-0 win. This set up a second round match-up against the Padres.

Game 2

After falling behind early to the Padres, the O's came back to win 10-4. Once again Brouse would pitch another complete game keeping a difficult Padres lineup off balance all day. Offensively, Chris "Bam Bam" Conroy led the way with 3 doubles and 4 RBIs. With the win against the Padres, the O's advanced to face the undefeated Phillies in the winners bracket.

Game 3

The upstart Phillies had rebuilt their roster prior to the playoffs and were a totally different team from what the Orioles faced earlier in June. The Phillies, who qualified as the #6 seed, had already disposed of the #3 seed Red Sox and the #2 seed Pirates in the first two rounds of the playoffs. They were now looking to do the same to the O's. For the first 5 innings the Phillies were in complete control; their new ace pitcher was dominating on the mound, and their reinforced offense had propelled them to an impressive 9-1 lead. However, as they have done all season, the heroes on the Orioles roster began to show up.

After falling behind early, Pardo settled down on the mound and managed to contain the Phillies offense. Steve Chase relieved Pardo, and quickly worked through innings while his teammates went to work on offense. Brian Brouse was the first to get the Orioles started on the comeback trail with a timely 3-run home run that gave the O's new life. After a series of timely RBI hits by Chris Cooper, Sal Sanchez, and Matt Fraser, Ryan Fulton brought the O's all the way back with a 2-run home run to tie the game at 11. The game would eventually go into extra innings where Chris Highlander blasted his own 2-run home run to end the game at 13-11. The O's win knocked the Phillies into the losers bracket and put the undefeated O's into the Championship.

Game 4

After the devastating extra-inning loss to the O's, the Phillies went on to defeat the Padres in the afternoon elimination game to advance to the Championship and a rematch with the O's.

With the Phillies needing to beat the O's twice to take the title, they took control of the morning game in the second inning by scoring 7 times powered by two home runs by late roster reinforcements. With their young ace determined, and at times taunting the O's, the Phillies went on to win the morning game 11-5 and force a second game to determine who would be crowned with Champion.

Game 5

The afternoon game started out in similar fashion as the first game; the O's jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, but in the fourth inning the Phillies would take it all back. Powered by three home runs in the fourth, the Phillies took an 8-4 lead and would force the O's to play catch-up the rest of the way.

Trailing 9-5 in the 7th inning the O's put together a 9-run inning. Joe Newman and Chris Highlander each delivered 2-RBI doubles to tie the game at 9. Then Eddie Garcia stepped into the batter's box and after fouling off 7 pitches he smashed a double all the way to the left-center field wall driving in a run to give the O's the lead. In the 8th, Garcia, still wearing his hero's cape from the previous inning, stepped up to the plate again and delivered an insurance run with another RBI-double to the exact spot as the one he hit an inning earlier. This made the score 16-13, which would prove to be the final score. Chris Rains pitched a perfect 9th retiring the Phillies in order for the first time all day. Rains would get the complete-game win and deliver the Orioles their fourth consecutive Championship.

If one's ability to overcome adversity is a measure or one's character, then it can be said that the 2013 Orioles had enough character to be Champions.