O’s safe sequence in desert to start lengthy highway journey

PHOENIX — While sitting within the first-base dugout at Chase Field on Friday night — previous to the opener of the sequence between the Orioles and D-backs — Baltimore supervisor Brandon Hyde was requested concerning the similarities between his membership and Arizona.

There are fairly just a few, starting with the truth that each might finish postseason droughts this yr. The O’s haven’t reached the playoffs since 2016, whereas the D-backs haven’t been since ‘17.

“A young team over there also, but with some good veteran guys surrounded around some really young, athletic players, some high-upside guys that don’t have a ton of time in the big leagues,” Hyde mentioned of Arizona. “It’s going to be a fun team to watch going forward.”

So are the Orioles, as they continued their sturdy push towards their return to October by getting the perfect of the upstart D-backs within the desert this weekend.

Baltimore secured a sequence win on Sunday afternoon, notching an 8-5 victory to take two of three in Arizona. The finale was tied at 4 heading to the sixth, when the O’s used a four-run rally to maneuver forward for good.

• Games remaining: at LAA (3), at BOS (3), vs. STL (3), vs. TB (4), at HOU (3), at CLE (4), vs. WAS (2), vs. BOS (4)

• Standings replace: The Orioles (85-51) remained 2 1/2 video games up within the American League East over the second-place Rays (83-54), who defeated the Guardians. Baltimore presently has the perfect document within the AL, that means it could not need to play a Wild Card Series and would head to the AL Division Series because the No. 1 seed.

For the second straight recreation, Cedric Mullins delivered the go-ahead knock, beginning the sixth-inning outburst with an RBI single. Later within the inning, Jordan Westburg got here off the bench and hit a pinch-hit RBI double, whereas Adley Rutschman capped the rally with a two-run two-bagger.

“We have a good team,” Hyde mentioned. “A lot of guys that are passing the baton onto the next guy. Just really good at-bats, good baserunning, putting pressure on the defense. We’ve been doing that all year.”

Added third baseman Ramón Urías: “I think we have a bunch of good players, one through nine, that compete every at-bat, and it’s just going to be a battle.”

On paper, there was the potential for the Orioles to have a quiet offensive exhibiting. After all, they have been taking up D-backs ace Zac Gallen, among the best pitchers in MLB who entered the matchup with a 3.32 ERA over 28 begins.

However, Baltimore jumped on Gallen early, with Ryan O’Hearn knocking a two-run single within the first and Gunnar Henderson following with a two-run single within the second.

“To put up eight runs in a game when Gallen’s pitching is huge,” mentioned O’s starter Jack Flaherty, who allowed 4 runs in 4 2/3 innings. “He’s great over there. He’s been really good all year. When you get that guy going and you end up scoring eight runs to win the game — regardless of who it comes off of — you did a good job.”

Arizona scored two runs within the backside of the fifth on a Ketel Marte RBI single and a Flaherty wild pitch that tied the sport. Then, Baltimore answered proper again with its go-ahead rally the following half-inning.

It’s fairly much like how the Orioles dropped Friday’s opener, earlier than bouncing again with a pair of wins during which they scored 15 mixed runs. That’s the resiliency this group has proven all season, which is why it hasn’t misplaced greater than 4 straight video games and hasn’t been swept in 83 consecutive multi-game sequence.

“You brush off the losses and you come back tomorrow with a brand-new mindset,” Westburg mentioned. “It’s a new day. I think everybody in this clubhouse trusts the offense. I think all the hitters trust themselves and know that we’re good enough to put up 10 runs on a given night.”

Westburg is simply 24. There are many fellow kids surrounding him in Baltimore’s clubhouse who haven’t been in such a robust place to succeed in the postseason earlier than. The Orioles have been within the thick of the Wild Card race final September (earlier than falling quick), however they weren’t the front-runners within the AL East, as they’re now.

How is Westburg — and the remainder of the O’s youthful core — persevering with to thrive in such a high-pressure setting?

“I try to treat every game the same. I try to treat it like it’s a must-win, potentially,” Westburg mentioned. “Whether that’s good or bad, it’s kind of up to the player, I think, of how they approach it. I’m going to do everything I can when I’m in the lineup or when my number’s called to help this team and try to win.”