On the field: Right-hander Scott Erickson, who had allowed 16 runners in the first 4 1/3 innings in his previous start, learned the formula in the first game of the doubleheader. He kept the Orioles close until the seventh, and then benefited from another late-inning bonanza to win for the second time in his past three starts.
In the dugout: Manager Davey Johnson started minor-league call-up Brent Bowers in the first game, going with the left-handed hitter against Oakland right-hander John Wasdin. He even left Bowers in to hit with the bases loaded and the Orioles down by a run in the seventh, and looked like a genius when Bowers slashed a two-run double to right-center.
In the clubhouse: The average age in the clubhouse continues to drop as the Orioles replace injured veterans with minor-league prospects. Bowers and pitcher Nerio Rodriguez arrived yesterday to take the place of Jeffrey Hammonds and veteran reliever Roger McDowell.
