The Orioles are in first place as they head into New York to play the Yankees. Jeff Ballard, the erstwhile ace of the fledgling Birds, opens the series by tossing a gem while the Yankees fall all over themselves, committing six errors, as the O's pound the Yanks, 16-3. The team that is supposedly on the edge of collapse has won eight in a row, 16 of 19, and now boasts a five game lead on the division. On June 6, D-Day, though, the streak ends as Dave LaPoint shuts out the Birds, 4-0. The final game of the series is rained out, and the Orioles return to Baltimore to face the Brewers.

The Cheeseheads bring the Birds down to earth, taking three of the four games. After losing Thursday, the Birds do recover with a Friday win that features two Mickey Tettleton homers. Mickey's parents have flown in from Oklahoma to see him play in an Oriole uniform for the first time.

On Saturday, though, Jeff Ballard is uncharacteristically wild, and the O's go down to defeat. The loss also marks an injury to reliever Mark Huismann, and J.J. Bautista is recalled to take his roster spot.

On Sunday, the O's lose as the Brewers' B.J. Surhoff steals second and third off Gregg Olson, as two runs score in the eighth, making Jay Tibbs a 3-1 loser.

Frank Robinson is angry because he had warned the pitchers before the series that the Brew Crew would be running, and they were 8 for 8 during the series, mostly stealing off the pitching staff. Robinson calls for an 11 AM workout on Monday rather than giving the players a day off.

The Yanks come in next, and Dave Schmidt and the O's posted a 13-hit 5-2 win over the Bombers in the opening set.

The next night, though, nature plays a hand.

Bob Milacki is throwing well. Cal singles Billy home in the sixth, and Bullet Bob makes it stand up into the 8th inning. There is a fog rolling into Memorial Stadium, however. One that grows increasingly thick until finally in the 8th, it's becoming difficult for the fielders to see. Joe Orsulak dives to make a play in right. In the ninth, one cannot see the infield from the warning track. Mel Hall leads off the ninth with a fly ball that Phil Bradley gathers in with a remarkable sliding catch. Jesse Barfield singles, and Kevin Hickey replaces Milacki, walking Steve Balboni. Williamson replaces Hickey, and Don Slaught singles to load the bases. Ken Phelps lofts a routine fly to left, but Bradley can't find it, and two runs score as the ball drops behind him for a 2-1 loss, as the O's don't hit any fly balls in their half inning.

The next night, Jeff Ballard is getting cuffed around. Was last night's loss the beginning of the end? With Balboni at the plate, the Yanks start their runners. Balboni lines to Cal who starts the O's first triple play in ten seasons. With only one run scoring off five hits, the Yanks find themselves in a tie after Cal homers in the fourth. After the Yanks take a late 2-1 lead, Randy Milligan steals second after an eighth inning single. Jim Traber follows with a pinch hit single, and the game moves to extra innings. Mickey doubles in the 10th, and brings up Rene Gonzales. Gonzo breaks a two-week 0 for 8 string and single Tettleton home, making heroes of Mark Thurmond and Gregg Olson who held the Yanks at bay over the last four innings.

The A's are next in. Friday is a doubleheader to make up an earlier rainout. Brian Holton gets bombed early in game one, and the O's lose, 7-5. In game two, a seeming mismatch of Jay Tibbs and current AL ERA leader Mike Moore turns into a improbable victory, as the O's steal four bases and make diving catches all over the field, taking a 5-1 victory.

Saturday brings the national TV cameras in for the first time in three years. J.J. Bautista takes a turn on the mound, giving up a two run blast to Mark McGuire in the first inning. But he settles down, retiring 12 of the next 14 before having to leave with a torn fingernail. Mark Williamson and Gregg Olson supply the relief effort, and Phil Bradley the offense, as the Orioles win, 4-2. Ironically, NBC left the game during a rain delay, not to return.

Mickey Weston is the next pitcher to get a call to come on up, as Bautista's blister proves a problem. Weston arrives on Sunday, in time to watch Dave Schmidt give up only three hits but two runs over six innings, while the O's counter with three runs of their own off a Bob Melvin double.In the seventh, Robinson turns to...Mickey Weston. It's a 3-2 game, in front of 46,541. There's a 2-0 count on Ron Hassey, the go-ahead run, when he enters. He induces a double play ball from Hassey, and shuts down the A's over the next two innings. The O's take three of four from the powerful A's.

The O's have survived. They've taken on the Yanks twice, the Brewers, and the A's, and have come out on the other side still owning a five game lead. It's June 18, and time to head out west for a trip to Seattle.