Jake Arrieta, 2010 Topps Update Series #US-251

Well, this weekend ended up much better than it started. After getting shut out on four hits by rookie Jeremy Hellickson on Friday night, the Orioles rebounded to win two straight and take another road series from the Rays. Last night, some O's that have struggled all year long flipped the script in a 6-0 win. Jake Fox and Mark Reynolds hit home runs to support Brad Bergesen, who earned a couple of firsts: his first win of the season, and his first-ever complete-game shutout. When paired with Jeremy Guthrie's hard-luck loss (number 1,350 in that category for him) the night before, it gave the Birds their first back-to-back complete games since the days of Sidney Ponson and Rodrigo Lopez...that's 2003 if you're keeping score.

Earlier this afternoon, the O's took the rubber match in a close contest that turned into a laugher with a 9-3 final. Jake Arrieta turned in his seventh quality start in nine tries in 2011, bumping his record to 5-1 with a six-inning, two-run, seven-strikeout effort. Matt Wieters, Derrek Lee, and Reynolds all had run-scoring singles, and Nick Markakis hit his fourth home run of the year. Oh, and then there's J. J. Hardy. His sixth-inning grand slam broke the game open, and made him a .400 hitter (10-for-25) with 2 home runs, 7 RBI, and a pair of walks since his return last week from the disabled list. The Orioles are now 9-2 when James Jerry plays, and were 10-18 without him. What I'm saying is that I will personally cover J. J. Hardy in bubble wrap if that's what it takes to keep him on the field. Now it's on to Boston, to make sure the Red Sox stay at the bottom of the Eastern division.