effing sweet!

I stayed up until the very end of the game last night because I just had to see if it could really come true. Could we really bring a guy up from Triple-A Norfolk for his major league debut and have him pitch a one-hit shutout to the best team in baseball?

And, apparently, we can.

It was one of the most awesome games of this Orioles season. Chris Waters held the Los Angeles Angels to one hit over eight innings, and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Angels 3-0 last night. All the league leaders could muster against Waters was a leadoff single in the second inning by Vladimir Guerrero.

Waters (who turns 28 in a couple of weeks) threw 104 pitches, struck out three, walked three, and hit a batter. He retired 14 of the last 15 halos. Closer George Sherrill came into pitch in the bottom of the ninth earning his 31st save, but not before scaring the crap out of us with a leadoff single -- thanks again for the mini-heart attack, George!

This was the Angels only shut out at home this season. The only time it was a little scary was in the third inning, when Erick Aybar grounded out to the shortstop with runners at second and third. But Torii Hunter's hitting streak ended at 15 games, as did Garret Anderson's 12-gamer.

The Orioles offense got started early with four consecutive hits, including an RBI double by Nick Markakis and a run-scoring single by Melvin Mora. Then Luke Scott hit his 19th home run of the season in the seventh to add a little extra cushion.

Gold without a doubt goes to starting pitcher Chris Waters who, after nine years of toiling in the minors, had an amazing major league debut. Gary Thorne said it all last night while introducing the "player of the game" poll: "Chris Waters, Chris Waters, or Chris Waters?"

Silver to Luke Scott, whose seventh inning home run felt really clutch when George Sherrill got sketchy in the ninth. If that was only a two-run ball game, my mini-heart attack might have been upgraded to actual. And bronze to Nick Markakis for another solid game.

Who knew the key to Orioles success is calling up a mediocre pitcher from the minors and putting him against the best team in the MLB?