Heading into the final weekend of the season, the Baltimore Orioles needed only one win or loss from the Tampa Bay Rays to clinch the American League East and the No. 1 seed in the American League. Baltimore didn’t wait too long.
The Orioles were largely quiet offensively on Thursday against the Boston Red Sox, scoring only two runs on four hits. But as good as Boston’s pitching was, Baltimore’s was even better.
And when Orioles pitcher Tyler Wells got Red Sox Trevor Story to ground out to complete a 1-2-3 ninth inning, Baltimore locked up its 100th win on the season, clinching the American League East and the top seed in the American League in the process.
Winning 100 games and a division title is a huge deal for any team. But for the Orioles, there’s an added layer of significance. Baltimore hadn’t won a division title since 2014. From 2018-2021, the team had a combined record of 178-368.
To go from 110 losses to 100 wins in only two years isn’t simply rare, it’s unprecedented.
It’s been a bittersweet week for the Orioles and their fans. Baltimore said farewell to Brooks Robinson, the Hall of Fame third baseman from the great Orioles teams in the 1960s and 1970s.
But on the more positive end, during Thursday’s game, it was announced that the Orioles and Maryland had come to an agreement that will keep the team in Baltimore for 30 more years. So, Thursday was already a day of celebration for the Orioles and their fans.
Clinching the division title only made the day even better, and baseball fans were quick to congratulate the new American League East champions.
About Michael Dixon
About Michael:
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