Steve Pearce, 2015 Topps Orioles Team Set #BO-10

Earlier today, Buck Showalter remembered that Steve Pearce is still on the active roster and penciled him in as the starting left fielder. Last season's breakout hitter rewarded his manager with a three-hit, two-double game, and the Orioles won yet another series in Fenway Park by eking out an 8-6 win in the rubber game. Most of the damage was done in a six-run fourth inning, as the O's heated up with seven straight hits against former Baltimore prospect Eduardo Rodriguez and chased him from the game. Rodriguez, sent to Boston last summer in the Andrew Miller trade, saw his stock immediately rise in the Sawx organization, leaving many Birds fans wringing their hands about the one who got away. On this day at least, the Orioles took a bit of luster off of him. So that's 15 wins in the last 20 games for the resurgent Showalters, and six straight series wins if you count the home-and-home four-game thing with the Phillies as a single series. That's how you climb in the standings. And the lovely capper on it all? Dating back to 2011, the Orioles have won nine of their past 12 series in Beantown. They've split two more series, and lost only one. I remember when arrogant Boston fans used to refer to Camden Yards as "Fenway South". What a difference a few years can make.

Steve Pearce, 2013 Orioles Postcards

Steve Pearce broke out of his second-half doldrums today, helping the Orioles avoid a sweep at the hands of the Indians. The journeyman led off the sixth inning with a double and scored the tying run, sparking a two-run rally to give the Birds a lead they would not relinquish. He also provided some welcome insurance with his 12th home run, a solo shot in the seventh inning that was positively crushed.  According to the MASN broadcast, the MLB average speed for a ball struck off the bat is 77 mph; Pearce's blast against Chen-Chang Lee was over 100 mph. Chris Davis also had two extra-base hits, a pair of doubles. The second of those put the O's up 2-1. Jonathan Schoop's 12th homer made it 4-1, which was the final score. Kevin Gausman struggled with his control but permitted only two hits in six innings, and Darren O'Day, Andrew Miller, and Zach Britton each tossed a scoreless inning in relief. That's 70 wins for Baltimore, a number they didn't reach once between 2007 and 2011. This isn't your slightly older cousin's Orioles team.

Steve Pearce, 2014 Orioles Postcards

The Orioles are a game out of first place, and it's thanks in large part to Steve Pearce. The former Pirates prospect has been acquired by the O's three times in the past three years, which of course means that they've also parted ways with him twice. Coming into 2014, he'd batted .238/.318/.377 in parts of seven big league seasons, never exceeding 61 games in a year and peaking with 13 doubles, four homers, and 26 RBI. With a pair of two-run home runs in tonight's 7-1 win over Texas, Pearce now has 12 doubles, nine homers, and 25 RBI in 44 games thus far. His batting line is .327/.385/.592, and he's had eight multi-hit games in his last 12. Steve Pearce may be a warlock.