May 1, 2014, Camden Yards (Baltimore). Orioles Double Header vs. the Pirates.

After two straight days of Orioles' rained out games, I was finally able to attend an Orioles game against the Pirates on May 1, 2014.  This game would also be a single ticket double header to make up the April 29th game and April 30th game. So anyone with tickets to April 29th or 30th game could see both games with one ticket (those with April 30th tickets had to exchange their tickets prior to the game). It would also be a give-a-way day providing the Orioles first T-Shirt give-a-way of the year for the "I like our Guys" T-Shirt that would have been given out on April 30th's game had there been one.

T-Shirt Give-A-Way Front

T-Shirt Give-A-Way Back

The give-a-way was provided to all attendees of the game (they had shirts through at least 9pm well after the 2nd game got started).  This is 1 of 6 T-shirt give-a-ways for the year that go to all fans (there is one T-shirt give-a-way every month that is provided to all fans in commemoration of the Orioles 60th anniversary.  There are a few additional T-Shirt give-a-ways during the year which are limited handouts and don't go to all attendees). 

I arrived at the Stadium prior to the first game which start time was 4:05PM. The weather was amazing at about 75 degrees and bright and sunny.  I initially went into the game to my cheap tickets (upper deck row 384, row 1 at $9 a seat) but quickly realized no one was at the first game so I ended up "poaching" seats in an almost empty section with some friends in Section 53 (I got several friends tickets in the section and saw the section was 1/2 empty so I didn't steal anyone's seat). 

Panorama from Section 384 with almost empty Stadium prior to 1st Pitch.

View from Section 53

So the first game started at around 4:05 PM with Bud Norris pitching for the Orioles and Charlie Morton for the Pirates.  The Pirates started out scoring the first run in the 3rd inning.  The Orioles would start a rally in the bottom of the 5th scoring 3 runs, with Steve Pearce getting a RBI, and Ryan Flaherty hitting to get 2 RBIs.  Steve Pearce would get his 2nd RBI in the bottom of the 6th, and Nick Markakis would hit a home run in the bottom of the 7th.  The Orioles won the first game 5-1.

Game 2 didn't look like it would be good for baseball since the rain came back.  The first game ended around 7:35 and the plan was to have game 2 of the double header begin around 8:05.  The rain said otherwise, and the game started around 8:55 PM. Game 2 pitchers would be Chris Tillman for the Orioles and Brandon Cumpton for the Pirates. 

The game for the Orioles didn't start out well.  Tilllman was high in the pitch count early on in the game, and the Pirates scored 2 early runs in the 1st, both by walk in runs.  So I started to get hungry after being at the game for somewhere in the neighborhood of 5 hours already (and I consumed all the snacks I brought with me). So I went to the"Old Bay Seafood" stand behind Section 43. I was leery of trying the food since it seemed a little high price but I gave it a shot.  I got the Chesapeake Crab Roll (instead of the Crab Cake).

Chesapeake Crab Roll

The Crab Roll was $16. Yes $16.  I would tell anyone going to the Stadium it is definitely not worth the money.  So skip the illusion of this stand and go somewhere cheaper and better (Stuggy's for $9 Crab Mac N Cheese Dog is a much better option).  The Crab Roll was good but nothing spectacular...defiantly not $16 worth. The Crab Cake was $15 and didn't seem to be much better and after trying the Crab Roll I don't think I'm going to give the Crab Cake a chance at these prices.  I don't plan to try this place again with their insane prices (but I'm sure they get plenty of tourists to try Baltimore's Crab Cakes...well I doubt these are anything like the real Crab Cakes of Baltimore...they are definitely not the quality of G&M's which is where anyone who wants to try real Crab Cakes from Baltimore needs to go to.).

So I went back to Section 53 with my friends to watch the rest of the game.  I had one of my friends join us in Section 53 well after 9 PM and there were still T-Shirts, and the Orioles released $5 tickets to help fill up the 1/2 empty stadium due to the rain fiasco and ticket exchange issues. 

View from Section 53, Game 2

The Pirates ended up scoring a run in both the 5th and 6th inning so the score was 4-0 Pirates by the Middle of the 6th.  It wasn't looking good for the Orioles. The Orioles though ended up rallying in the bottom of the 6th inning scoring 4 runs and tying the game at 4-4. The top of the 7th the Pirates scored another run, now 5-4 Pirates.  The Orioles answered back in the bottom of the 7th with another Nick Markakis home run.  The game remained tied in the 9th inning 5-5.  Now the game was going into extra innings and it was around 1 AM...yes there had been almost 9 hours of baseball thus far (and of course many people were leaving the stadium due to the time).

The bottom of the 10th, with the game still tied 5-5 Matt Wieters came up to bat. He launched a ball deep right field...Home Run!!! Walk off win for the Orioles!  O's won game 2 of the double header 6-5.

Game Over!!! Walk Off Home Run Game 2.