Published: August 12, 2008 12:15 am      

Champs get off to strong start

REVLOC — Youse’s Maryland Orioles have built a great tradition in the national AAABA Tournament.

Monday, however, the five-time defending champs broke with one of the traditions that has not been as positive as they would have liked.

“Traditionally, we have not played well early in this tournament,” manager Dean Albany said after his squad carved out a 7-1 victory over the Livonia Rams in an opening-round game at Cambria Township Recreation Park. “We have not gotten off to a fast start in this tournament. (Monday), we did.”

The Orioles scored three times in the third, three more in the fifth, and once in the eighth to take their first step toward defending another title.

Baltimore put together a steady performance: Good pitching, solid defense, and timely hitting.

Right-hander Scott Swinson tossed a three-hitter and allowed just one run in seven innings, striking out one and allowing just one walk.

The Orioles jumped on Livonia starter Derek Mosher in the third, taking advantage of four hits to take a 3-0 advantage. Jeff Roland opened the fourth with a single to center and stole second. Roland then scored on a single by Leon Landry.

Landry stole second, but was trapped as he walked off second base. However, third baseman Ryan Abraham dropped the relay throw on the pickoff, giving Landry life.

Baltimore’s Patrick Long then doubled in Landry, and Long later scored on another error for a 3-0 advantage.

In the fifth, the Orioles took advantage of some control problems by the Livonia pitchers to take a 6-0 lead. Mike Celenza was walked by Mosher, the fifth free-pass that the Livonia starter had issued. That led Livonia manager Rick Berryman to lift his starter and insert Colin O’Connell, who issued a walk to Long. Reed Gragnani followed with a single to load the bases.

Celenza scored on an error, and John Hicks followed with a two-run single.

Berryman pointed to mistakes as being a problem for his squad.

“Early in the game, we just walked too many hitters, and they took advantage of it,” the Livonia manager said. “Derek Mosher was uncharacteristically wild. In his last four starts, he walked only four batters, but he walked three in the first inning (Monday). And (Baltimore) got some timely hits.”

Livonia narrowed that lead to 6-1 in the sixth as Abraham singled and came home on a sacrifice fly by Josh Kirsten.

The Orioles closed out the scoring as Hicks again singled and scored on a fielder’s choice.

Albany was wary of this opening-tournament matchup.

“We’ve lost five games the last five years, but (Livonia) have beaten us twice,” the Baltimore manager said. “So, we have had a lot of tough games with these guys.”

Hicks led Baltimore’s 10-hit offense with a 3-for-4, two-RBI effort. Landry and Gragnani each had two hits for the Orioles.

Abraham led the Rams with a 2-for-3 effort, scoring their lone run.

Kevin Jacob relieved Swinson in the eighth and pitched the final two innings.

The Orioles will face Washington today while Livonia will face New York.