It is not hyperbole to say that Thursday night's game against the Yankees, which the Orioles won 10-6, had a playoff-like atmosphere.

With some of the team's legends in attendance, the Orioles tied the Yankees for the division lead in the American League East, thanks to a season-high six home runs. With each shot, the crowd of more than 46,000 roared its approval.

Camden Yards felt like Baltimore's ballpark, not a place for wayward New Yorkers and bandwagoners.

It helped that Cal Ripken Jr. was honored for his Hall of Fame career before the game. If many fans came for Cal, they stayed to fall in love with a playoff-caliber team, whose players were wearing "Orioles" across their jerseys.

The word magic, particularly in Baltimore, might be overused. In this case, it applies to what happened Thursday night. The Orioles were facing the Yankees, a team with mystique no matter how many All-Stars are on the club. For about 30 minutes, a five-run Yankee comeback made it feel as if all the good feelings were going to be erased and New York would remind Baltimore of its place in the sports world.

But Adam Jones, Mark Reynolds and Chris Davis each homered in the eighth inning and grabbed a place in the city's sports lore.

Baseball fans aren't going to forget what happened Thursday night at Camden Yards any time soon. It was a night Oriole Magic returned.

Posted Sept. 7, 2012