If O's hold off Rays for division, AL's No. 1 seed a guarantee

HOUSTON -- Throughout the 2023 season, the Orioles have proven they have no trouble turning the page after a crushing loss or a rare tough skid. They also quickly move past the high points -- no reason to celebrate for too long with larger goals still ahead.

“It’s just kind of been who we are all year,” outfielder Austin Hays said. “It doesn’t matter what happens the day before, whether it’s good or bad.”

On Sunday, Baltimore clinched its first postseason berth since 2016. For the O’s next act, they came to Houston and ensured they’ll be opening October in front of the fans at Camden Yards.

Hays hit two of the Orioles’ four homers in Tuesday's 9-5 victory over the Astros at Minute Maid Park, a win that clinched the No. 1 seed in the American League Division Series (should they win the AL East) and home-field advantage in the AL Championship Series (should they advance). Whichever team wins the AL East (Baltimore or Tampa Bay) will be the No. 1 seed.

• Games remaining (11): at HOU (1), at CLE (4), vs. WSH (2), vs. BOS (4)
• Standings update: The Orioles (95-56) and the Rays (93-59) are in a tight race atop the American League East, with Tampa Bay 2 1/2 games back. However, should that gap tighten further, Baltimore owns the tiebreaker by virtue of winning the season series between the two teams, 8-5. The AL East champion will be the No. 1 seed and get a bye into the best-of-five Division Series. If the O’s fall out of first place, they will be the No. 4 seed and host a best-of-three Wild Card Series at Camden Yards.
• Magic number for AL East: 8

After losing a season-high-tying four consecutive games last week, the Orioles have responded by winning four straight against two of the AL’s best (the Rays and the Astros). Baltimore’s bats have powered the way, especially the past two nights, having scored 17 combined runs.

Hays’ first homer was a three-run blast in the third that put the O’s ahead, 5-2, a lead they never relinquished. He added a solo shot in the seventh for his fifth career multi-HR performance and his first since Sept. 15, 2021.

“I feel like I’m hitting the ball hard consistently right now,” said Hays, a first-time All-Star this season who cooled considerably early in the second half. “I’m hitting one or two balls hard every game, which is what I was doing earlier in the year when things were really firing.”

As Baltimore continues its quest for its first AL East title since 2014, it would be beneficial for Hays to keep contributing. After owning a .316 batting average at the end of June, he was less productive in July (.162) and August (.272) before hitting .297 (19-for-64) through his first 18 September games.

Two of the Orioles’ hottest hitters also went deep Tuesday: Heston Kjerstad and Ryan O’Hearn.

Two batters after Hays went deep for the second time, Kjerstad delivered the second home run of his five-game MLB tenure, improving to 4-for-13. Baltimore’s No. 3 prospect (and MLB Pipeline’s No. 24 overall prospect) hit a Statcast-projected 337-foot, opposite-field shot to the Crawford Boxes in left field to push the team’s lead to 9-5.

“The ball comes off his bat hot,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “Big, strong kid with a ton of power, and it’s going to be fun to watch him down the stretch.”

O’Hearn got the Orioles’ scoring started with a two-run homer in the first. After going 5-for-5 in the series opener, the 30-year-old first baseman went 2-for-5, -- with his hits coming during his first two trips to the batter’s box -- to boost his average to .311.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, O’Hearn is the first Baltimore player to record a hit in each of his first seven plate appearances of a series since Derrek Lee, who also went 7-for-7 to begin a set vs. Washington from June 17-18, 2011.

Every run scored by the Orioles of late has been crucial. They pulled out a 5-4, 11-inning win over the Rays on Sunday. They notched an 8-7 victory in a back-and-forth contest with Houston on Monday. And they outslugged the Astros -- who hit three homers of their own -- on Tuesday.

Baltimore has players who are banged up and fatigued, much like the other 29 teams in the Majors at this time of year. But its ability to still win these types of matchups against fellow postseason-caliber clubs is only preparing it for October.

“I’ve never been in the postseason, but I would imagine it’s going to be tight games and big-time high-pressure situations,” O’Hearn said. “I would hope that games like this -- these emotional games that are back-and-forth, tight games, a lot of stress and high-pressure stuff -- are preparing us for postseason play.”