What a game by the Orioles. A 16-6 win over the LA Angels, beating down a formerly 12-3 Jared Weaver plus a lineup filled with batters hitting around .300.The highlight of the night: Felix Pie hitting the 4th cycle in Orioles history, then getting a long-awaited but well-deserved shaving cream pie in the face. (Though it took two attempts; Adam Jones missed the first time. But Robert Andino got him the second time, and props to MASN's Amber Theoharis for keeping Pie focused on the camera the whole time.)
It has been a very rough road for Felix Pie in his career. Once a #1 prospect in the Cubs system, he struggled in Chicago, then had his issues here in Baltimore despite getting his chance as the primary left fielder. But even as Nolan Reimold was playing well, Pie did not complain or whine to the media about playing time, instead he kept working and trying to get better. And in time, Pie not only has improved his average from around the Mendoza line to .254 now, but he has also become a very useful bench player, often substituting in for defense and pinch running on occasion. And the obvious cap off came today, hitting the cycle, becoming the fourth player to do that in Orioles history (the others were Brooks Robinson, Cal Ripken, and Aubrey Huff). It has not been the year we expected from Pie, but it certainly has been a productive one.
Chances are he will not be on the 25-man active roster to start next season, but I'm hoping that he can return and be in the minors so he can really get his talent maximized the correct way. He is only 24 and will get better. But for today, it is Felix Pie's day, congratulations to him for his performance tonight.
(Photo credit: AP)
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