Game 8 (game 2 of a double-header) 1983 season
April 16,1983
Cleveland Indians vs Baltimore Orioles
Memorial Stadium Baltimore, MD

After winning game 1 of the twin-bill, the Indians held off the Orioles in game 2, 7-4. The Indians were led by shortstop Julio Franco. Franco drove in three with a double and a single. The Indians racked 12 hits against three Baltimore pitchers.

With the Orioles leading 2-1 in the fourth, Dennis Martinez (1-2) could not escape the inning,he yielded four earned runs before giving the bump to the bullpen. The Orioles were able to get within one run at 5-4 after 7 innings. But in the top of the eighth Don Welchel gave up two critical runs and that was all she wrote. Dan Spillner came on in the bottom of the inning and threw two shutout innings to record his fourth save of the season.

Side Notes

Dan Ford went 2-4 with a RBI and a double (4th on the season).
Dennis Martinez's line IP 3.1 H 8 ER 5 BB 2 K 3 HBP 1 (Toby Harrah).
Neal Heaton got win to go 1-0 on the season.
Cal Ripken and Leo Hernandez also had a RBI.
Benny Ayala went 0-3

Orioles are in second place in the AL East. One-half game out of first.

Current record 4-4

Julio Franco has been around way-too long. How old is that guy?

I thought I heard it mentioned last spring that Julio Franco was 48 at that time. Sorry, my net's slow today so I don't want to tax my computer looking it up.

All I can say is that Gordie Howe played hockey in the NHL until he was 52 years old. God bless Franco for convincing baseball executives every spring that he can still play and contribute something.