"Orioles Classics" #TBT: Lots of homers and 1970 memories

Well, you survived Christmas. And if a frenzy of wrapping paper, egg nog and shooing the cats away from the tinsel has you feeling a little like Ebeneezer Scrooge, boy, do we have the perfect pick-me-up for you.

Let's start with homers. Lots of 'em. Power displays, sluggers flexing their muscle and some late damage that turned the tide toward the Orioles.

And if that wasn't enough, we've got a great New Year's Day present for you: the entire 1970 World Series, pitting the Birds against the Reds. While the O's didn't repeat their four-game sweep of 1966, they dispatched the vaunted Big Red Machine in five games to claim the Fall Classic in a series that featured spectacular play after play by third baseman Brooks Robinson.

So to all of those who think Jan. 1 is defined by football, we've got the perfect counter-programming for you. Enjoy!

Thursday, Dec. 27, 5 p.m. - The Orioles and Red Sox were tied at 5-5 after six innings on June 2, 2016. Then the fireworks really began. Manny Machado homered in the seventh, and the eighth brought longballs from Pedro Álvarez, Francisco Peña and Adam Jones. In all, the Orioles went deep six times to win a 12-7 slugfest over Boston.

Friday, Dec. 28, 9 a.m. - On May 16, 2017, the Orioles and Tigers blew up the scoreboard to the tune of 24 runs on 38 hits in a 13-11 O's triumph. Chris Davis' second homer of the game, a two-run shot in the 13th, was the difference. But the Birds also got blasts off the bats of J.J. Hardy and Mark Trumbo.

Saturday, Dec. 29, 11:30 p.m. - A six-run deficit after five innings wasn't too much for the O's to overcome on Aug. 14, 2016 in San Francisco. The Birds scored twice in the seventh, Trumbo connected in the eighth and Jonathan Schoop's three-run homer in the ninth secured an 8-7 victory.

Monday, Dec. 31, 9 a.m. - Sleep fast, or you'll miss 8-6 Orioles win from Aug. 14, 2015. Manny Machado was the hero, rocketing a two-run walk-off homer in the 13th.

Tuesday, Jan. 1, 9 a.m. - OK, it's time for Baby Near Year to retire for another year and for your New Year's Eve hangover to go away. A 4-3 win over the Reds in Game 1 of the 1970 World Series is a good way to start 2019. Boog Powell, Elrod Hendricks and Robinson went yard at Riverfront Stadium to give the Birds the early advantage in the best-of-seven battle. Trivia: The Jackson 5 sang the national anthem before the game. Robinson's backhanded grab of Lee May's smash down the line set the stage for things to come and wowed the crowd in Cincinnati.

Tuesday, Jan. 1, noon - Two games in the 1970 World Series produced two Baltimore wins. In Game 2, Boog Powell homered and a five-run fifth made a winner out of Tom Phoebus.

Tuesday, Jan. 1, 3 p.m. - The series shifted to Baltimore's Memorial Stadium and the Orioles hammered the Reds 9-3 behind Dave McNally, who hit the first grand slam by a pitcher in World Series history. Frank Robinson and Don Buford homered. Brooks Robinson made another pair of sensational plays, including a diving stop of a Johnny Bench liner.

Tuesday, Jan. 1, 7 p.m. - On the verge of another World Series sweep, the Orioles were beaten 6-5. May's late three-run homer was the decisive blast. But it only delayed the inevitable by another day.

Tuesday, Jan. 1, 11:30 p.m. - A 9-3 Orioles win left little doubt which team was superior, and fans danced along 33rd Street in celebration. The Reds got to Mike Cuellar for three in the first, but Frank Robinson and Merv Rettenmund connected, and Davey Johnson drove in two runs. Robinson claimed the Most Valuable Player honors, hitting .429 with 17 total bases (at the time a record for a five-game series), in addition to the defensive clinic he put on.