Teagarden's Walk-Off Home Run Lifts Orioles Over Tigers

Taylor Teagarden's first hit as a Baltimore Oriole was a walk-off home run that propelled the Orioles 8-6 over the Tigers. (AP Photo)

It seemed to be just another Saturday afternoon at Camden Yards. The Baltimore Orioles were hosting to the Detroit Tigers in the second of three-game set. However, from the first pitch on, it became abundantly clear that neither of these teams wanted to lose.

Scoring started right away in the first inning. In the top of the frame, first baseman Prince Fielder doubled home center fielder Austin Jackson to give the Tigers the 1-0 lead. In the bottom half of the inning, the Orioles leveled the score when designated hitter Jim Thome doubled home Nick Markakis.

The Orioles offense took the lead in the second inning when second baseman Robert Andino connected on a two-run home run off Tigers starting pitcher Max Scherzer. The O's added another run in the third inning. Scherzer lasted only five innings, giving up four runs on on nine hits. His counterpart, Wei-Yin Chen, gave up just the one run in six innings of work for the Orioles.

The Orioles took their 4-1 lead into the ninth inning. They gave the ball to their All-Star closer Jim Johnson. Third baseman Miguel Cabrera started off the inning with a single for the Tigers. Johnson induced a fly ball out of Fielder. The next batter was the designated hitter Delmon Young who hit a ground ball to Orioles third baseman Ryan Flaherty. A costly error by Flaherty allowed both runners to be safe.

Next, Tigers shortstop Jhonny Peralta singled home Cabrera to trim the Orioles lead to 4-2. A double by right fielder Brandon Boesch scored Young to make it a 4-3 game. Johnson struck out pinch-hitter Alex Avila  to make it two outs. Left fielder Quintin Berry singled to left field. Pinch runner Danny Worth scored to tie the game, but Boesch was thrown out at home by Endy Chavez.

The Orioles failed to score in the bottom of the ninth, which meant we were headed to extra innings. In the top of the 11th, Avila singled home Young to give the Tigers the 5-4 lead. The Orioles had an answer when center fielder Adam Jones singled to score Markakis to level the score once again.

In the top of the 13th, the Tigers took the lead again on a RBI single by Berry. The Orioles responded again in the bottom half of the frame. Shortstop J.J. Hardy crushed a solo shot off Tigers reliever Joaquin Benoit to tie the score 6-6. With two outs in the inning, Jones was hit by a pitch. Backup catcher Taylor Teagarden was up to bat next. Teagarden got a hold of a pitch from Benoit, and it went out for a two-run, walk-off home run.

Teagarden was the unlikeliest of heroes. He had just been activated from the 60-day disabled list Saturday morning. In his first game as a Baltimore Oriole, Teagarden didn't even expect to play. He only came in the game as a defensive replacement after star catcher Matt Weiters was pinch run for in the 10th inning. Teagarden's first hit as an Oriole turned out to be a walk-off.

The Orioles seem to love extra innings. They have now won ten straight games that have gone to extras. In fact, their 31 extra-inning wins since 2010 are the most of an team in the majors. For Teagarden, it was a dramatic debut. It doesn't get much better than having your first hit with a new ball club be a walk-off home run.