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Bob Haynie: Cruz Saves The Orioles Against The Rays

After losing the first two games of their three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays, the Baltimore Orioles looked like they were on the verge of getting swept on Sunday at Tropicana Field. The offense continued to sputter along as the Birds trailed 3-0 heading into the sixth inning.

All of the sudden, Nelson Cruz struck a blow that got the Orioles back in the game. Cruz smacked a two-run homer off Tampa RHP Jeremy Hellickson to end the shutout and trim the lead to a run. A clutch hit, for sure. But Cruz was just getting started.

The major league's leading home run hitter (39) drove in all seven runs for Buck Showalter's club as the Orioles outlasted the Rays 7-5 in 11 innings. In a game in which SS J.J. Hardy and RF Nick Markakis didn't play and All-Star CF Adam Jones didn't start, the Birds were able to earn a victory and extend their lead in the AL East to 9.5 games.

Cruz lined a three-run triple into the right-field corner to give Baltimore a brief 5-4 in the top of ninth inning. After the Rays tied the game and sent it into extra's , Cruz once again provided heroics in the top of the 11th. With C Nick Hundley on first, Cruz blasted a 432 foot HR off Tampa lefty Cesar Ramos to put the Orioles ahead to stay.

When Cruz was signed prior to the season, he brought with him his share of skeptics because of his link to the Biogenesis PED scandal which earned him a 50-game suspension. In his first season with the Orioles, all is good as he has been accepted by his teammates and by the Baltimore fans.

He is also one of the main reasons why the Baltimore Orioles are getting closer and closer to winning their division for the first time in 17 years.

As the 2014 regular season winds down, Nelson Cruz is heating up.

We all saw that Sunday at The Trop.
 


 

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