Nine Innings

MarinersWhere they're coming from: After fighting injuries most of the season, Seattle won 10 straight Sept. 12-21 to pull one game behind the first-place Rangers and rekindle memories of 1995's dash past the Angels. But the Mariners went 2-6 the rest of the way and finished second at 85-76.Where they're going: Only Seattle has gone longer than the Orioles without winning 90 games, but that streak likely will end this year. The Mariners should win 95 games and may reach the World Series.Key newcomers: P Jeff Fassero, P Scott Sanders, 3B Mike Blowers.

The final score was 12-6, at least on the field. Elsewhere during Baltimore's revolutionary week of baseball diplomacy, the results were less conclusive.Pro-Cuba and anti-Castro protesters were expected to storm the ramparts of Camden Yards. Passions indeed ran high -- even ran onto the field -- but huge mobs never materialized. When they weren't confined to their buses and hotel, the visitors from Cuba saw a curious mix of Charm City and armed city. "Is there always so many police in Baltimore?"

It's a hot day leading up to a glorious warm summer evening -- a perfect night to catch a ballgame.If you were fortunate enough to get Orioles tickets months ago, you'll head on down to the new Oriole Park at Camden Yards. But otherwise, you're likely locked out -- Orioles games have been sold out for the past month and a half (26 straight games through Thursday night), and getting tickets should remain an almost unobtainable goal the rest of the year. The serendipitous days of suggesting a trip to the stadium on the spur of the moment now seem so distant, so unimaginable.

The Orioles have an interesting starting lineup in tonight's series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays, which includes Yamaico Navarro starting at second base. This could be the beginning of the Orioles taking an extended look at Navarro at the position, and it could signal that the team is about to option struggling second baseman Ryan Flaherty to Triple-A Norfolk. Navarro was hitting .303/.395/.434 with eight doubles, two homers and 13 RBIs at Triple-A Norfolk, so he definitely deserves a look.

In a softball game dominated by two fine pitching performances, it was Archbishop Spalding first baseman Jean Sonni's quick bat that had the final answer to help the No. 3 Cavaliers sneak by No. 5 Seton Keough on Thursday in Severn. Sonni's sharp single over third base in the bottom of the ninth inning drove home Kelsey Taylor, sending pitcher Emily Weiman and the Cavaliers to a 3-2 win over defending Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland A Conference champion Seton Keough.

Washington -- One of the only early signs that this was anything other than the start of a three-game series between two struggling baseball teams came during the national anthem when Orioles fans at RFK Stadium yelled their traditional "O!" and Washington Nationals fans responded with boos. The game generated little buzz otherwise, so that exchange amounted to fighting words. The first regular-season game between the two cities' baseball teams since 1971 was treated as just another early-season game to the participants, and also for the fans.

"B.J., what are you doing?" Polly Surhoff calls from a seat in the shade by their backyard swimming pool. It's not a question. What Polly is really saying is, "B.J., please don't do anything that might require a trip to the emergency room." The Orioles' elder-statesman outfielder has been standing on the diving board, letting daughters Kendall and Jordan -- ages 10 and 8, respectively -- jump off his shoulders, the ones he uses to make a living by batting and throwing a baseball. Now he has 12-year-old Mason by the arm, trying to coax him into the water.

Chris Davis hadn't thrown a pitch in nearly six years, dating to his days as a draft hopeful playing at a small junior college in Corsicana, Texas. But more than five hours - and 15 innings - into the Orioles' series finale with the Red Sox at Fenway Park on Sunday afternoon-turned-evening, manager Buck Showalter turned to Davis, the club's everyday first baseman, in the visiting dugout and directed him toward the bullpen to warm up. The Orioles had exhausted all other relief options - eight relievers combined to allowed one run over seven innings - in a game tied at 6. Davis shrugged.

The Orioles' top pitching prospect, right-hander Dylan Bundy, ran his hitless streak to start his pro career to nine innings, throwing three hitless innings Tuesday in his home debut for Class-A Delmarva against Hagerstown. Bundy struck out three on the night, so he's tallied 15 strikeouts in nine innings. Bundy allowed his first baserunner of the season --27 batters into his pro career -- with a two-out walk in the third inning. The radio broadcast at Delmarva said Bundy hit 102 mph on the radar gun, but the Shorebirds Twitter said Bundy was clocked at 98.

July 13, 1993 Oriole Park at Camden Yards If the 64th All-Star Game goes past nine innings, it could mean trouble for the American League. The National League has won all eight extra-inning All-Star Games.The last extra-inning All-Star Game was in 1987 in Oakland, Calif., when Tim Raines delivered a two-out triple in the 13th to drive home the only runs in a 2-0 NL win.