O's snap 10-game skid in another shortened game with Toronto

Baseball Betting Lines

09/28/2008 - Baltimore, MD (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Brian Bass allowed just three hits and a run in six innings on the mound, as the Baltimore Orioles snapped a 10-game skid with a 2-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in the second straight rain- shortened game at Camden Yards.

Toronto came away with a 3-0 victory when the game was stopped in the top of the seventh in the series opener on Friday, but the Jays had no answers for Bass (4-4), who retired the last 13 hitters he faced and struck out four while walking none.

"Bass pitched a real nice game," O's manager Dave Trembley said. "He kept the ball down, got his curveball across for strikes, mixed his pitches well. He got past the fifth inning, which is a big hurdle for him. He's always kind of had a problem getting past the fifth. He made some big pitches. It's good to get a win. It's been a while."

Melvin Mora was 2-for-3 with an RBI as Baltimore snapped its longest losing skid since 2004.

John Parrish (1-1) lost to his old team after allowing two runs on nine hits in five innings of work for Toronto, which has dropped four of six.

Brad Wilkerson's solo homer in the second gave the Blue Jays a short-lived lead.

Baltimore tied the game in the third when Mora singled with runners on the corners, and Brandon Fahey brought across the go-ahead run an inning later on a sacrifice fly to right.

Lance Cormier relieved Bass in the top of the seventh and gave up a leadoff double to Lyle Overbay before the skies opened and play was called after a one hour, 30-minute rain delay.

"It was getting slippery out there for the guys, so I guess it was the right thing to do," Jays manager Cito Gaston said. "The only thing is we certainly would like to finish ten games over and this is kind of a two game swing."

Game Notes

Baltimore activated pitcher Jeremy Guthrie from the 15-day disabled list to start the season finale on Sunday, and the Jays will counter with Jesse Litsch (12-9)...It was the Orioles' longest losing streak since dropping 12 in a row in August 2004...Parrish spent parts of six seasons with the O's (2000-07)... Toronto has won 11 of its 17 matchups with the O's this season...Bass had not allowed a hit for 22 consecutive batters before Wilkerson homered in the second inning.

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Pacific-10 Conference odds

Teams that should be in: Stanford

Oregon and USC get their tickets punched after taking care of business this weekend. Yes, the Trojans' computer numbers aren't great, but there's no way the third-place team in this league is getting nixed. Grudgingly, I added Arizona after consultation with our Bracketologist. I don't know that Arizona will lose its last three (including a Pac-10 quarterfinal game), and even if the Cats do, I still can't see how they'd be left out, given the overall profile. That said, it bears watching, as three more L's would leave them at 18-12 (9-9) and on a 6-11 skid entering the Dance. It would be nice to see the Wildcats get at least one W in the Bay Area next week, as Cincinnati (albeit without Armein Kirkland and with a worse profile) was axed after a similar slide last season. I just couldn't rationalize having some of the other teams as locks and not having Arizona in that category -- there just aren't enough good teams behind the Cats to threaten their spot, it seems. Stanford has its fate in its own hands with the Arizona schools coming to the Farm to close out the regular season next weekend.

Should be in:

Stanford [17-10 (9-7), RPI: 40, SOS: 21] No shame in not getting a win in L.A., but that makes the home game against Arizona State a must-win ahead of what could be an intriguing meeting with Arizona should the Cats lose at Cal. Getting to 11 Pac-10 wins would make Selection Sunday much more comfortable, but 10's probably more than enough this season. The Cardinal have nonconference wins over Texas Tech and at Virginia to lean on, although they also lost badly to Air Force and Santa Clara at home.

Southeastern Conference odds
Work left to do: Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Mississippi State

It looks more and more possible that no one from the SEC West will make the NCAAs. How weird is that? Tennessee and Vandy move into the locks category after more good work this weekend. Kentucky stays there, although it would be smart for the Cats to handle Georgia at home Wednesday ahead of a trip to the Swamp. Could a disaster scenario (two more L's and a first-round SEC tourney exit) somehow dislodge the Cats despite their incredible computer numbers? Still unlikely, but not worth chancing it.

Work left to do:

Alabama [19-9 (6-8), RPI: 43, SOS: 47] The tough L at Tennessee was understandable, and even created some hope. Unfortunately, that hope was dashed by a home loss to Auburn, which leaves the Tide in some real trouble. There's still no signature win on the profile (no, Kentucky doesn't count), and the computer profile is weakening rapidly. The Tide conceivably could beat Ole Miss and win at Miss. State to get to 8-8 and clinch at least a share of the West crown, but that's probably not enough right now. The Tide will need to do some work in the SEC tourney.

Georgia [16-10 (8-6), RPI: 52, SOS: 23] This is the team with the best chance to make it from this section right now. The Bulldogs rebounded from a terrible performance at Ole Miss to beat down Miss. State. Now they are at Kentucky (king of the RPI 51-100 win) and home to Tennessee. That would be worth a lot of computer points to get both (which is doable), as both teams are in the top 11 in RPI. Finishing at least 9-7 is an absolute must, and I would feel much better about the Dawgs' chances if they got both to get to 10 SEC wins. They also beat Gonzaga, but lost to ACC bubblers Georgia Tech and Clemson.

Mississippi [18-10 (7-7), RPI: 63, SOS: 79] Like everyone else in this division, Ole Miss gacked up a chance to stake a claim, losing by double figures at South Carolina. Even 9-7 likely is not nearly enough with a nonconference profile devoid of anything notable.

Mississippi State [16-11 (7-7), RPI: 66, SOS: 37] With a chance to get in the mix, these Bulldogs were leashed by their Georgia counterparts. Could they get to 9-7? I guess -- although winning at Arkansas, then beating Alabama is no lock -- but would that mean all that much for a team with this overall profile? Probably not. There's nothing of note (on the good side) in the nonconference profile.

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