Joe Saunders pitches O's to playoff matchup against the Yankees!

Buck Showalter decided to hand the baseball off to Joe Saunders on friday night against the Texas Rangers even though his stats were not good at the ballpark in Arlington. His decision was the right call as Saunders went 5 2/3 innings striking out 4 Rangers while only allowing a first inning run.

The O's would get him a run in the first on a JJ Hardy base hit after Nate McLouth stole second base. They would add on in the 6th with a sac fly off the bat of Adam Jones and that is all the team would need. The O's would add rbi's from McLouth in the 7th, Machado in the 9th  and McLouth again in the 9th.

McLouth finished the game 1 for 4 with 1 run scored and 2 rbi's. He also stole a base. Jim Johnson would come on in the 9th to wrap it up moving the O's in the best of five match-up with division rival the New York Yankees with game 1 on Sunday.