The Orioles (61-63) close out a four-game series against the first-place Tampa Bay Rays (74-49) on Monday at Tropicana Field, riding a three-game winning streak that's done far more than just even up a road trip — it's put Baltimore in sole possession of the third and final American League wild-card spot.
That's not a small distinction. As recently as Saturday night, the Orioles were tangled in a four- and five-way tie for that spot with a handful of other contenders. Three straight wins over the the team with the best record in the American League untangled it. Sunday's 10-2 win was the clearest statement of the weekend: Jackson Holliday drove in three runs on a 2-for-4 day, Christian Encarnación-Strand added three RBI of his own, and Colton Cowser homered and drove in two, backing a six-inning, two-run outing from Trevor Rogers. "We go out there and beat a good team three nights in a row, I don't think it's much of a fluke," Holliday said afterward. Tampa Bay had won nine straight before Baltimore arrived Friday.
A win Monday would complete a four-game sweep of the American League's leader and pull Baltimore to within one game of .500 for the first time since April 30 — a marker that would have sounded absurd a month ago for a team that spent most of the summer well under water. Brandon Young (9-3, 3.33 ERA) gets the ball for the finale, taking on Tampa Bay left-hander Shane McClanahan (9-6, 3.09 ERA), one of the more formidable arms in the American League.
The stakes go beyond one series. Tampa Bay isn't just an AL East rival — it's the division leader with the best record in the league, which makes a potential sweep as much a statement as it is four wins in the standings. And with the trade deadline in the rearview and the season's final stretch underway, every game now carries wild-card weight: Baltimore holds the spot today, but the margin separating the Orioles from the teams chasing them is thin enough that it could change again by tomorrow.
Probable Starters
Tampa Bay Rays: LHP Shane McClanahan (9-6, 3.09 ERA)
Baltimore Orioles: RHP Brandon Young (9-3, 3.33 ERA)
Where to Watch/Listen
First pitch: 6:05 PM ET at Tropicana Field
Weather:Indoors
TV: MASN
Radio: 98 Rock (97.9 FM) and WBAL NewsRadio (AM 1090 / FM 101.5)