Baltimore Orioles beat New York and seize top wild card spot
The Baltimore Orioles took advantage of Toronto apparently flailing in the wind and are now in the top wild card spot by virtue of their 8-1 win over NY.
If you’re Toronto, you’re looking at what the Baltimore Orioles have accomplished this week and saying it wasn’t supposed to be this way. From their perspective the Orioles were supposed to roll over and play dead, basically allowing Toronto and some other lucky team to boat race their ways into the post season. Funny thing though about what can sometimes happen to our best-laid plans…you get the idea.
The Orioles probably should have never played in the Bronx last night. The game began in what appeared to be a driving rain storm. But with the potential for a wild end to the season already in play, MLB didn’t want to futher complicate matters by raining out games. Everyone understands that and the reasons for it, however it’s worth mentioning that someone could have gotten hurt – both Orioles and Yankees. I’m sure Joe Girardi would have been beside himself had someone on his roster sustained a serious injury that affected next season simply because MLB was cavalier with what constitutes baseball weather.
Yovani Gallardo pitched throught he “muck” and gave the Orioles a quality start. Gallardo’s line: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 3 K. Luckily for Gallardo, he didn’t need to be perfect or even on his “A game” – which given the conditions was far from possible anyways. The Birds gave him plenty of support on the scoreboard.
Jonathan Schoop’s two-RBI double in the fourth gave the Orioles a 2-0 lead, which was trimmed to 2-1 in the last of the fourth on a Teixeira sac fly-RBI. One inning later however, the game turned into a donnybrook. Adam Jones smacked a solo homer, Mark Trumbo a two-run shot, and Jonathan Schoop a home run of the three-run variety. When the smoke clear the Birds led 8-1…and the game was effectively over.
By virtue of Toronto losing in Boston, the Orioles are now in command in the wild card race. They lead Toronto by one game for the top spot. Detroit, by virtue of their victory over Atlanta last night, is only a half-game behind Toronto for the second wild card spot. So with as much wheeling and dealing as the Orioles have had to do over the past couple of weeks to keep theselves in the race, ironically it’s now Toronto who’s in effect fighting for their playoff lives.
A Toronto loss and a Detroit win puts Toronto on the outside looking in – for today, that is. However keep in mind that if after tomorrow’s play Detroit happens to be a half-game behind either Toronto or the Orioles, they’ll have to play a makeup game on Monday at home against Cleveland. So their attitude is that they need to win out in Atlanta this weekend – and with the performance Atlanta put on last night that shouldn’t be too tough.
And that puts pressure on the Orioles also. If they flip spots with Toronto again, then it could be them only a half game behind Detroit. It would be a powerless feeling to know that your playoff hopes hinge on a game in which you aren’t even a part. However even if Detroit were to win that potential game on Monday, they would then end up tied with the Orioles or Toronto – forcing a game 163, and throwing the schedule for a loop.
For the Orioles it’s very simple – the magic number is two. So an Orioles’ win and either a Detroit or Toronto loss clinches a playoff spot for the Fighting Showalters. The Orioles play at 4 PM in the Bronx today, while Detroit and Toronto will play simultaneously tonight. The Orioles will send Wade Miley to the mound this afternoon, and he’ll be opposed by NY’s Luis Severino.
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