First-inning jitters wrecked the major league debut of Mike Thompson, who allowed only one hit in seven innings of pitching, but was a loser when the Orioles defeated the Senators, 4-1. The rookie righthander from Denver (American Association) walked the first three batters and then uncorked a wild pitch to allow one run to score.

Another followed when catcher Paul Casanova threw wildly on a double steal by Frank Robinson and Paul Blair. The Orioles iced their victory with the final two runs off reliever Horacio Pina in the ninth. [The Sporting News]



Baltimore Orioles 4, Washington Senators 1
Game Played on Wednesday, May       19, 1971 (Night game) at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium
Orioles      2  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  2  -   4  5  1
Senators     1  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   1  5  1


Orioles              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Senators             AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Buford lf             4   1   0   0     1   0   .288      Unser cf              4   0   0   0     0   0   .290
Johnson 2b            4   0   0   0     1   1   .291      Foy 3b                3   0   0   0     1   0   .206
Powell 1b             3   0   1   0     1   0   .203      Mincher 1b            3   1   1   1     1   1   .283
F. Robinson rf        3   1   0   0     1   0   .280      Howard lf             3   0   1   0     1   0   .281
Blair cf              3   0   0   0     1   0   .234      Biittner rf           4   0   0   0     0   1   .200
B. Robinson 3b        2   1   1   0     2   1   .271      Casanova c            4   0   0   0     0   0   .261
Hendricks c           3   1   1   1     1   0   .178      Harrah ss             3   0   1   0     1   0   .231
Belanger ss           3   0   1   1     1   0   .286      Cullen 2b             2   0   0   0     0   0   .161
Palmer p              3   0   1   0     0   0   .185        Allen ph,2b         2   0   1   0     0   1   .286
                                                          Thompson p            2   0   0   0     0   2   .000
                                                            McCraw ph           1   0   1   0     0   0   .247
                                                            Pina p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Billings ph         1   0   0   0     0   0   .233

Totals               28   4   5   2     9   2             Totals               32   1   5   1     4   5

Time of Game: 2:11   Attendance:  6,833
Left on Base: Orioles 7, Senators 8
DP: Orioles 0, Senators 2
Errors: Hendricks, Casanova
Doubles: Harrah (5)
Triples: Hendricks (1)
Home Runs: Mincher (4)
Stolen Bases: F. Robinson (2), Blair (3)
Sacrifice Hits: Palmer (3)
GIDP: F. Robinson 2 (7)


Orioles                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Palmer W(6-2)           9     5   1   1   4   5   1  36   2.19
Totals                  9     5   1   1   4   5   1  36

Senators               IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Thompson L(0-1)         7     1   2   1   9   1   0  29   1.29
Pina                    2     4   2   2   0   1   0   9   3.44
Totals                  9     5   4   3   9   2   0  38

Passed Balls: Casanova (3)
Wild Pitches: Thompson (1)

Umpires: HP - Bill Kunkel, 1B - Ron Luciano, 2B - Red Flaherty, 3B - John Rice


ORIOLES 1ST: Buford walked; Debut game for Mike Thompson;
Johnson walked [Buford to second]; Casanova allowed a passed
ball [Johnson to second, Buford to third]; Powell popped to
third in foul territory; F. Robinson walked; Thompson threw a
wild pitch [Buford scored, Johnson out at third (catcher to
third), F. Robinson to second]; Blair walked; F. Robinson stole
third and Blair stole second [F. Robinson scored (error by
Casanova) (unearned)]; B. Robinson struck out; 2 R (1 ER), 0 H,
1 E, 1 LOB.  Orioles 2, Senators 0.

SENATORS 1ST: Unser flied out to center; Foy grounded out (third
to first); Mincher homered; Howard walked; Biittner struck out;
1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Orioles 2, Senators 1.

ORIOLES 2ND: Hendricks walked; Belanger popped to first in foul
territory; Palmer singled to center [Hendricks to second];
Buford forced Palmer (first to shortstop) [Hendricks to third];
Johnson flied out to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Orioles 2,
Senators 1.

SENATORS 2ND: Casanova grounded out (third to first); Harrah
doubled to right; Cullen popped to second; Thompson struck out;
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Orioles 2, Senators 1.

ORIOLES 3RD: Powell walked; F. Robinson grounded into a double
play (shortstop to second to first) [Powell out at second];
Blair popped to shortstop; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Orioles 2,
Senators 1.

SENATORS 3RD: Unser popped to catcher in foul territory; Foy
flied out to right; Mincher walked; Howard singled to shortstop
[Mincher to second]; Biittner popped to third; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Orioles 2, Senators 1.

ORIOLES 4TH: B. Robinson walked; Hendricks popped to shortstop;
Belanger flied out to left; Palmer flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Orioles 2, Senators 1.

SENATORS 4TH: Casanova flied out to center; Harrah flied out to
center; Cullen flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Orioles 2, Senators 1.

ORIOLES 5TH: Buford flied out to center; Johnson grounded out
(third to first); Powell flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Orioles 2, Senators 1.

SENATORS 5TH: Thompson struck out; Unser popped to shortstop;
Foy walked; Mincher struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Orioles
2, Senators 1.

ORIOLES 6TH: F. Robinson flied out to left; Blair flied out to
center; B. Robinson walked; Hendricks grounded out (first
unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Orioles 2, Senators 1.

SENATORS 6TH: Howard lined to right; Biittner grounded out
(second to first); Casanova flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Orioles 2, Senators 1.

ORIOLES 7TH: Belanger walked; Palmer out on a sacrifice bunt
(catcher to second) [Belanger to second]; Buford flied out to
right; Johnson grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Orioles 2, Senators 1.

SENATORS 7TH: Harrah popped to first in foul territory; ALLEN
BATTED FOR CULLEN; Allen singled to left; MCCRAW BATTED FOR
THOMPSON; McCraw singled to center [Allen to second]; Unser
grounded out (second to first) [McCraw to second, Allen to
third]; Foy flied out to center; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Orioles
2, Senators 1.

ORIOLES 8TH: PINA REPLACED MCCRAW (PITCHING); ALLEN STAYED IN
GAME (PLAYING 2B); Powell singled to right; F. Robinson grounded
into a double play (shortstop to second to first) [Powell out at
second]; Blair grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Orioles 2, Senators 1.

SENATORS 8TH: Mincher popped to third in foul territory; Howard
grounded out (shortstop to first); Biittner grounded out (third
to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Orioles 2, Senators 1.

ORIOLES 9TH: B. Robinson singled to left; Hendricks tripled [B.
Robinson scored]; Belanger singled to left [Hendricks scored];
On a bunt Palmer forced Belanger (pitcher to shortstop); Buford
grounded out (second to first) [Palmer to second]; Johnson
struck out; 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Orioles 4, Senators 1.

SENATORS 9TH: Hendricks dropped a foul fly hit by Casanova for
an error; Casanova popped to shortstop; Harrah walked; Allen
struck out; BILLINGS BATTED FOR PINA; Billings flied out to
center; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Orioles 4, Senators 1.