Thank you, Chris Tillman.
There are two names in baseball jargon for the role Tillman has filled this season. One is “ace” obviously, as in the ace of the starting pitching staff. The other is “stopper,” which is what the big right-hander did yesterday in personally putting an end to the O’s four-game skid. The two runs the Orioles put up in the first were all they needed. Tillman allowed just four hits and one run over seven innings to move to 14-2 on the year. The O’s have now won 18 of 21 games he’s started overall—the best total in the big leagues. This guy’s every start has become must-watch for us.
Sports are heartwarming. Honestly, we’d never heard of Donnie Hart before his first appearance on the hill the other night for the O’s. But the sidewinding left-hander, recently called up by Buck Showalter from Bowie made three appearances this week, including his major-league debut, without allowing a run. The best part was that his family was on hand. This is what the 25-year-old Hart said in the locker room afterward: “I didn’t really notice them until [the stadium announcer] said something about I’m making my major league debut and then I could hear my mom.” Hart recounted with a smile. “That’s one voice I can always hear no matter how people are in the stands.”
Charm City Youth Lacrosse wins its first title. Founded by former Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler, the Charm City Youth Lax League has been providing free lacrosse training, league play, and mentoring to underserved Baltimore City youth since 2009. A couple of weeks ago, Charm City’s U-11 squad, coached by Pace Kessenich, who played at the Naval Academy and was head coach at Colgate University, the boys won all five of their games at the 22nd annual Lax Max tourney in Westminster.Check their website and the kids themselves will you what the program means to them.
Katie for the win. A quick shout out to North Carroll High grad Katie Zaferes, who captured her first World Triathlon Series win after getting named to the U.S. Olympic squad. Zaferes, 26, won a couple of Maryland state track and field titles in high school and then went on to compete at Syracuse University. We’re keeping an eye out for her Aug. 20 in Rio.