De Aza Steps Up Again in Game 1 of ALDS

Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Despite the 12-3 score of last night’s Game 1 win over the Tigers, it was a much closer game than it appeared. For the first seven and a half innings of play, Orioles fans were hanging on every pitch with a bated breath.

After Miguel Cabrera hit the home run in the top of the eighth inning to get his team within one run of the Orioles, thoughts of that Tigers-Orioles game in early May ran through my head when the Tigers were down one run and proceeded to score four runs in the top of the ninth inning to beat the Birds in a heart breaker.

However, lightning did not strike twice in Camden Yards last night. With one out in the game, Alejandro De Aza stepped up to the plate and got the eighth inning rally with a double into right field. His speed was put on display during the next at-bat when Adam Jones hit a ground ball to the Alex Romine at short and after not fielding the ball cleanly, Romine was shocked to see De Aza rounding third and coming home for the first run of the bottom half of the inning.

The Orioles batted around and De Aza came back up to the plate for the second time in the inning with the score now 10-3 and runners at the corners. Not satisfied with the score, De Aza drove the ball the right center field for his second double of the night; scoring two runs in the process to increase the Orioles’ lead to nine runs.

De Aza went 2-4 on the night with two RBI and one run scored. Since coming to Baltimore, De Aza’s bat has come alive with 13 extra base hits (regular season and postseason combined). His speed is something that is much needed to this lineup and he plays a good left field as well. De Aza is an all-around good ball player and it is his efforts that helped the Orioles take Game 1 of the ALDS and get the team that much closer to getting to the ALCS.