It’s May 10, 1996, and the O’s once again played deep into the night, blowing several leads in chilly Milwaukee before finally escaping with a 10-7 win in 12 innings. The game took over four and a half hours to play.

Jeffery Hammonds had a three-run homer and the go-ahead hit in the 12th, Robbie Alomar had four hits, and catcher Gregg Zaun added three hits of his own. Jimmy Haynes had easily his best start of the season, giving up three runs on just two hits in eight innings. Those were the good things.

The frustrating thing was that the bullpen couldn’t hold the lead multiple times. Randy Myers blew his first save of the season in the ninth, giving up a 5-3 lead. And Keith Shepherd and Jesse Orosco combined to blow a 7-5 lead in the 10th. But after the O’s went up in the 12th, Roger McDowell made sure they stayed there, pitching a perfect inning for his first save.

“We had to win that game,” said O’s manager Davey Johnson, before rather dramatically adding, “that’s the kind of game that you’ve got to win or you cut your throat.” (Baltimore Sun, p. 1C, May 11, 1996)

No throats needed to be cut, thankfully, and the O’s second straight win lined up with the Yankees second straight loss, so the good guys are back within 2.5 games of first place.

There was a lot going on in this game, but Haynes was a big plus. He’s struggled mightily this year, but eight strong innings is something to build on.

Here’s the box score with the lovely totals.

Elsewhere in Birdland, starter David Wells has gout in his big toe. He is scheduled to start the series finale in Milwaukee on Sunday but he may not be able to. If he can’t, Scott Erickson may go on short rest.

“There’s a possibility we could do that,” said O’s pitching coach Pat Dobson. “Based on spring training, he pitches pretty well on three days’ rest.” (Baltimore Sun, p. 7C, May 11, 1996)

Gout sounds awfully painful, so hopefully Wells gets well soon.

Brady Anderson and Bobby Bonilla also sat out the cold weather resting their respective injuries. “I made progress today,” Brady said about his sore quad.

Hammonds and Alomar add a brick apiece.

Orioles (18-16) vs. Brewers (14-18), 2:05 p.m.

Starting Pitchers
BAL – LHP Kent Mercker (2-2, 9.25 ERA)
MIL – LHP Scott Karl (2-2, 4.76 ERA)

Prepare to be blown away. The #1 movie in America the weekend of May 10, 1996, is “Twister.” An instant classic that needs no introduction, it is some of Bill Paxton’s finest work. I mean, look at this:

For the first time in nearly 60 years, New York City is selling new taxi medallions. They’re putting 133 on the market and are expected to ring up as much as $24 million. 

Bids start at $165,000 and offers are expected to go over $225,000. Fifty years ago, medallions went for $10 apiece. Now cabbies are worried there are too many cabs and not enough riders.

“It’s been a little nutty around here,” says Brice Peyre, a spokesman for the New York Taxi & Limousine Commission.

Since 1937, the number of medallions has remained steady at 11,787. Only about 10% of drivers own medallions, the rest are leased by companies. Of the new batch, the City was hoping to sell 53 to drivers and 80 to companies.

In the Sun piece, we meet Thir Toor, a cabbie who owns his own medallion. He bought it in 1984 for $84,000 and now it’s worth at least $165,000. “This is like a pension,” he said.

Most cabbies clear just $20,000 a year, but Toor does a bit better because of his medallion and the fact that he drives around in a car he owns, a Chevy Caprice with only 478,000 miles on it. 

By comparison, taxi permits in Baltimore trade for $18,000.

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

Sun critic, and purveyor of bad takes, Stephen Hunter, says that “Twister” is bad. Can you believe he said it is “so depressingly infantile that after a bit you need to take shelter not from the winds but from all the twaddle flying through the air.”? Puh-lease.