It’s April 28, 1996, and an epic pitchers’ duel between Mike Mussina and Ken Hill needed extra innings, but the result was all too familiar for the good guys. The O’s scored three times in the 10th inning, but the Rangers had already scored four, and the 5-4 Texas win marked their sixth win over the Birds in the last two weeks.

It’s the ninth loss in the last 11 games for the O’s, and it drops them even with the Yankees atop the American League East. 

“We’re in a stretch where we played so well at the beginning and now we’re having tough luck and not getting the job done,” said Mussina, who gave up one run through eight innings on a season-high 131 pitches. “It is frustrating, but we’ll pull out of this. Obviously, we have the players and the talent to do that.” (Baltimore Sun, p. 6C, April 29, 1996)

The game was tied at one after nine innings, but the O’s bullpen struggled, and that, combined with a costly error by third baseman B.J. Surhoff, helped the Rangers score go up 5-1. The O’s rallied, but couldn’t come all the way back.

Brady Anderson hit his 11th April home run, tying the major league record. He also broke Frank Robinson’s club record for home runs in April. “I’m just going to stand there and stare at him until he acknowledges my record,” Anderson joked about Robinson, who managed Brady early in his O’s career. “In fact, I may be calling Frank tonight.” (Baltimore Sun, p. 6C, April 29, 1996)

With three hits, Roberto Alomar has 34 already in April, which is a team record.

But right now, the records are cold comfort as the losses pile up.

“When we were 11-2, it really seemed so effortless,” Anderson said. “We were winning and when we were down we were coming back to win. To me, the difference between an eight-game winning streak and losing seven of 10 can be so subtle. The important thing is, we still have a solid record. We’ll get it going again.”

Here’s the box score with the not so lovely totals.

In yesterday’s newsletter, we discussed Ken Rosenthal’s column calling out Scott Erickson and Bobby Bonilla for their selfishness. Today, O’s manager Davey Johnson defended his players.

“The thing about Erickson, let me say this, it’s unfortunate any time when you’re going through a little bad period, sometimes certain mistakes are magnified,” he said specifically about Erickson complaining about the defense after yesterday’s loss. “But I don’t think it’s an issue. I know it’s not an issue with Scotty, and I know it’s not an issue with the players.” (Baltimore Sun, p. 6C, April 29, 1996)

Johnson chalked Bonilla’s struggles to putting too much pressure on himself, not his discontent with being designated hitter. “If there’s anybody on this club who’s unselfish,” Johnson said, “it’s probably Bobby Bonilla.” Well, that settles it.  

Chris Hoiles and Brady Anderson did their part. Let’s give them some bricks.

Brady keeps mashing! 

Texas (16-8) at Baltimore (13-11), 7:35 p.m. ET

Starting Pitchers
TEX – RHP Roger Pavlik, 3-0, 6.20 ERA
BAL – LHP Kent Mercker, 2-1, 9.45 ERA

In just the latest example of the 1990s team up of unabashed greed and the government, we have a story about the Navy scrapping old ships. Since the end of the Cold War, the Navy has started selling off surplus warships for scrap. But there’s a catch. Veteran shipyards are refusing to get involved, because they say the ships are so loaded with toxic chemicals the safety measures needed would be impossible to turn a profit. 

The good news for the Navy and some new start-up businesses is that forsaking safety for profit is the way of the ’90s. The new businesses, some located in Baltimore, have been working hard to be incredibly shitty. Here’s the Sun:

“Unencumbered by high technology, capital investment or even permanent places of business, they say they are ready to handle as many ships as the Navy wants to sell — as many as 150 over the next few years.

They reject the accusation that they can make money only if they break the rules, but since 1993 they have established a track record in Baltimore and other ports of environmental violations, injuries and deaths on the job, and financial double-dealing.”

It’s a really interesting story about how these companies operate with little oversight and hop from state to state in the instances where environmental officials try to catch up.

Welcome to a recurring segment where I find fun things in today’s (in 1996) Baltimore Sun!

This photo of Mike Mussina reading fan mail in his locker accompanied a nice feature in the Sun about how the O’s ace is a quiet, unassuming star.