Joe Strauss' O's week in review

Statistics through Thursday's games

Ups and downs

Chris Hoiles -- UP -- Give him a first baseman's mitt against Randy Johnson and look out.

Scott Erickson -- UP -- The most consistent starter within the American League's hottest rotation.

Roberto Alomar -- DOWN -- His tender left ankle continues to limit him offensively and at second base. Jeff Reboulet against left-handers?

The Dominican Strongman -- UP -- Armando Benitez's two bailouts of Randy Myers last weekend against the Seattle Mariners and Edgar Martinez represented a season high point.

Rocky Coppinger -- DOWN -- Another rough week. MIA. MRI. Unfortunately, SOS. When will the arrow turn?

Heads-up Pitching -- UP -- Scott Kamieniecki picks off a runner and O's win, 4-3, Tuesday. Jesse Orosco picks off a runner and O's win, 2-0, Wednesday.

Attendance -- UP -- 95,880 for two midweek games against the Detroit Tigers. Wow.

Quote of the week

"It's almost humorous. You don't want to be laughing over there, but I know there have got to be some hands hurting in these games because they're taking a lot of dead wood back from the plate."

Manager Davey Johnson, after Scott Erickson's start in Wednesday's 2-0 win over Detroit.

Stat of the week

The starting rotation began the weekend at 25-6 with a 3.66 ERA. Through 43 games last season it was 16-16 with a 5.12 ERA. The Orioles have six shutouts compared with one all last season.

Moment of the week

After starting the game on the bench with a lifetime .047 average against Seattle's Randy Johnson, Rafael Palmeiro entered last Sunday's game in the eighth inning and faced left-handed Nasty Boy Norm Charlton with two outs and the bases loaded in the ninth and the Orioles trailing 7-6. Palmeiro singled to center, scoring Tony Tarasco and a sliding Cal Ripken for an emotional win, the team's second when trailing after eight innings.

By the numbers

2: Longest losing streak this season.

5: Orioles who've had hitting streaks of nine games or longer.

6: Losses this season by starting pitchers.

7: Losses this season by relievers.

10: Chris Hoiles' RBIs in two games started by Randy Johnson.

11: Hoiles' RBIs in his 33 games not started by Randy Johnson.

12: Games won with four runs or fewer.

29: Pete Incaviglia's new number, replacing 26.

97.75: Pitches Erickson has averaged in eight wins.

403: Error-less chances handled by Rafael Palmeiro this year.

48,003: Tuesday night's crowd, the largest to watch a regular-season game at Camden Yards.

The good

The Orioles continued to flex their versatility. They swept Detroit on six runs and 12 hits, only two for extra bases. They beat Seattle despite surrendering seven runs in a Randy Johnson start. After going six games without a steal, they swiped three bases in one inning last Sunday.

The bad

Eric Davis entered the weekend batting .328, but was 3-for-26 in his past seven games, dropping him from a season-high .395. Limited by a tight hamstring, Davis served as designated hitter for nine straight games, his first run this season of more than six consecutive games. The hamstring cost him at least two infield hits in Seattle. Until Davis returns to right field, Pete Incaviglia is held hostage on the bench.

The ugly

Brady Anderson and B. J. Surhoff had three run-ins in left-center field at the Kingdome, where noise made communication difficult. Surhoff took one ball away from the center fielder, and Anderson caught another as Surhoff ran in front of him.

Replay

Sunday -- Orioles 8, Mariners 7: Rafael Palmeiro's two-out, two-run single in the ninth inning lifted the Orioles to an unlikely win over the Mariners, completing a three-game road sweep. Chris Hoiles highlighted the attack against Mariners starter Randy Johnson with a three-run homer to force a 4-4 tie.

Tuesday -- Orioles 4, Tigers 3: Held without an extra-base hit, the Orioles manufactured a four-run fifth inning against Tigers starter Omar Olivares and held on for their fourth straight win.

Wednesday -- Orioles 2, Tigers 0: Becoming the staff's second eight-game winner, Scott Erickson continued his season-long roll holding the Tigers to four hits in 7 2/3 innings and Rafael Palmeiro mustered the afternoon's offense with an opposite-field, two-run homer in the first.

Up next

Twenty-one-year-old rookie Mike Johnson makes his second major-league start today. It may also be his last before returning to the bullpen.

Cal Ripken is scheduled to move into 50th place in games played Wednesday in Detroit. It would be his 2,430th game overall.

The week ahead