Mark Reynolds strikes out to start the third. It's the beginning of another perfect inning by both starters. Not much has changed for either offense entering today.
The suddenly-good-for-some-reason Nate McLouth singled leading off the fourth for the first hit of the day. Of course it's McLouth; he's their Jeter this series. The two have combined for 15 hits. With this first opportunity to score, the Orioles fail to move him up as J.J. Hardy and Jones fly out, keeping him at first for Davis. McLouth, tired of waiting around, steals a base, successfully of course. Now he has put himself into scoring position, but Davis falls behind 1-2. Stadium's on their feet for the hefty lefty doing the two-strike clap. Davis is just trying to get on base, but he fails by flying out to Grandy in deep center (aided by wind). Crisis #1 averted.
Now Jeter will try to start a rally against Hammel. If not him, then who else? Why not Zoidberg? The wind is blowing out, so any hitter had a chance to lift a flimsy homer into the short porch like Jayson Nix's amazing 315 ft. blast against Hector Noesi early in the season.
Alas, Jeter whiffs to bring up Ichiro. I will point out that Waldman just mentioned Larsen for real. Sigh. It's the fourth, Suzy. Still, Ichiro grounds out to price the silliness of superstition, if nothing else. Bobinson time. That hot week to end the regular season seems so long ago. Robbie brings the count to 2-2, but he takes a fastball right down the middle for strike three. Can't make this stuff up.
Scoreless going to the fifth. Poor CC.