Dutchies in the Major Leagues: Tuesday September 16, 2014

Jonathan Schoop and the Orioles or “How the East was won.”
What’s better than clinching a pennant in your own stadium. This is what the O’s did. In the second game of a three game series against runner up the Toronto Blue Jays.
Toronto’s José Bautista scored the opening run on a double by Edwin Encarnacion but the Orioles answered in the very same inning by scoring three runs. In the top of the second, the Blue Jays cut Baltimore’s lead in half but once again the Orioles answered in the same inning by scoring a run. When the Orioles scored three more runs in the seventh, the game wasn’t even a game anymore. Jonathan Schoop entered the game in the top of the eighth as defensive replacement for Jimmy Paredes. He even got an at bat in which he hit a sharp line drive to left field. He ended the inning in scoring position at third base but was never driven in. This is the first AL East title for the O’s since 1997. It is (almost) always nice to see teams celebrate.

Andrelton Simmons and the Braves or “How the East was lost.”
The Braves were in a massive landslide in the last weeks. With last night’s loss they slipped below .500 next to the fact that they were eliminated from contention. Andrelton Simmons went 1 for 4 and left two runners on base. He was also the “centerpiece” of a 3-6-3 double play.
The Nats made a fantastic run but I cannot root for them. They were my other favorite team the Montreal Expos. The team that was killed by Jeffrey Loria and Bud Selig.

The Red Sox fell 4-0 to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Xander Bogaerts collected two basehits out of four at bats, struck out twice and left a runner on base.

The Giants clinched a much needed win to keep their playoff hopes alive. The victim was Arizona that fell 2-1 to the team from San Francisco. Didi Gregorius went 0 for 3 and left a runner behind.