Orioles outlast rain and the White Sox

Nelson Cruz is handed the traditional pie while being interviewed after Wednesday’s win over the White Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Photo: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

Oriole Nation is used to this. It wasn’t pretty, but we’ll take it. That should be put on a t-shirt.

Held scoreless for 7 innings by a pitcher, Hector Noesi, who plenty of people said had no business doing so, the Baltimore Orioles tied it on an opposite field, Nelson Cruz grand slam that evaded the right fielder’s glove by about a foot.

The man. The myth. The legend grows. Cruz – who, by the way, we will forgive for leaving the winning run on second base by popping up on the first pitch in the 10th inning – now leads the Major Leagues with 24 homers and 64 RBI. The winning run came in the 11th inning, when, after a rain delay of over an hour, David Lough scored on a wild pitch. Did I mention he tripped and fell rounding third on Nick Markakis‘ single, one pitch before that? Whoever was left in Camden Yards wasn’t asking for comic relief, but they got it.

The win allowed the Orioles to take the series from Chicago after winning on Chris Davis‘ thrilling, 3-run homer in the bottom of the 9th Monday, then losing a deflating game Tuesday. They now face a scheduling oddity, with an off-day Thursday, a day-night doubleheader Friday, and a 4 p.m. game Saturday. Kevin Gausman will pitch Friday’s first game, Chris Tillman the night game.

In other goings on, the appeal of Manny Machado‘s suspension took place Wednesday, and it’s just a waiting game as to when the ruling will be handed down and Machado finds out if he’ll have to serve five days or any fewer.