Baltimore Orioles Avoid Common Pitfall After Clinching Playoff Berth

The Baltimore Orioles kept rolling against the New York Yankees on Wednesday.

Sep 25, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher James McCann and relief pitcher Keegan Akin celebrate after defeating the New York Yankees. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles had plenty of fun after clinching a playoff berth on Tuesday night, but that didn't stop them from taking care of business at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday.

The Orioles followed up Tuesday's 5-3 win with a 9-7 victory over the New York Yankees on Wednesday, giving them four wins in their last six games. The game was more of a blowout than the final score indicated, as Baltimore led 9-3 going into the bottom of the ninth before the Yankees rallied for four runs -- three on Aaron Judge's 57th homer.

It would have been easy for the Orioles to go through the motions during Wednesday's meaningless game, but they came to play. Their offense pounded out nine runs on 17 hits (no homers), including at least one hit from every starter.

The nine runs were their most since they routed the Chicago White Sox 9-0 on Sept. 3, ending a brutal three-week stretch where Baltimore averaged just 2.8 runs per game.

The Orioles came out swinging, scoring three runs in the top of the first for second-half hero Zach Eflin. They added four more in the fourth, chasing Marcus Stroman from the contest and essentially putting the game out of reach.

There was no hangover for Baltimore, which did something similar last year as well.

Last year, the Orioles scored 8 runs on 16 hits and won the day after they celebrated clinching a playoff berth.

This year, the Orioles scored 9 runs on 17 hits and won the day after they celebrated clinching a playoff berth.

Maybe they should party every night.

— Jacob Calvin Meyer (@jcalvinmeyer) September 26, 2024

After clinching a playoff spot with a 5-4 walk-off win over the Tampa Bay Rays last season, the Orioles went on the road and beat the Houston Astros the following day, 8-7. as their lineup exploded for 16 hits against the reigning World Series champions.

Say what you want about Baltimore, but it knows how to keep the party going.

The Orioles are now 8-4 against New York this year and kept their slim hopes of winning the AL East alive. If Baltimore wins its final four games and the Yankees lose their last four, they'll finish with identical 92-70 records. In that case, the Orioles would win the division by virtue of having the better head-to-head record.

That's unlikely, of course, but Baltimore will still go for the sweep on Thursday in what should be a terrific pitching matchup between two former Cy Young winners in Corbin Burnes and Gerrit Cole. After that, the Orioles will close out the regular season at Target Field against the Minnesota Twins.

With the Twins two games back in the Wild Card race and fighting for their playoff lives, Baltimore will have a chance to send them home for the winter.